Home Extension Thread 2019

[4yearsnosleep]

Time to start another extension thread. 2019 for lots of newcomers and hopefully lots of finishers too!

We're Day 5 of builders on site and have a roof framed. V excited about the big velux

@MyNameIsJane My first draft plan was full height deep units right along short wall, but I was worried that I would never find stuff stored in the sections above shoulder height. But that design seems very popular so it obviously works for most people.

I'm terribly behind but our planning permission has passed ok (two storey side extension and former attic conversion). Structural engineer and building warrants next.

@avocuddl,

Why are you using corner larder if units aren't Going in L shape run. A straight tall larder with lots of drawers will store similar amount and might look better and more accessible.

@soakedat3 yes I think the sink on the end might be better actually- I imagine from a practical point of view too as you're supposed to have that triangle aren't you between sink/cooker/fridge? I think? No idea!

@mum2015 I just really love the corner unit! You're probably right that I'd get just as much space from tal units. I'm hoping it will look something like this maybe...

I think that sounds like loads of storage @soakedat3 !! Excellent tip on the plate depth thank you!

Finally the roof is off!!

Yay!!

@Hoppahouse did you need earplugs while removing that polystyrene packaging? Mine was packed so tightly, the screeching noise it made while trying to remove it was LOUD!

Am annoyed you got an ice cube tray thingy though and regretting not following up on the fact that mine was missing. I didn't know if you were supposed to get one or not. Not the end of the world though as I had the foresight to remove the old ones from my broken freezer.

I love the tiny little shelves at the bottom of the fridge door. Don't know why!

Bookish not quite sure where you're planning to extend, but at first glance I would swap your kitchen & living room. So you have your big kitchen dinner at the back with doors to garden and a snug for watching TV where the current kitchen is- this could either be all open plan (or "broken-plan") or separate.

We've ended getting a joiner to build kitchen cupboards so we can have them to the ceiling, and have pantry/breakfast bar cupboard. Our sink is on the back wall (opposite the sliding doors) and we're having open shelves there rather than high cabinets.

No room for an American FF but are keeping our old one in the utility as a spare drinks fridge.

The Moroccan tiles are on order. Plaster board is going up. Trying not to blow the doors budget to get thinner frames.

@FunnyHappyGirl Yes!!! It was a very noisy / screechy unpacking!
We were quite surprised, to get the ice tray as Curry's had told us it doesn't include one. We bought ours from AO through topcashback though 🤷‍♀️

@Avocudll, I was in a house (playdate) that had a corner kitchen. I couldn't ask the mum to look in it but it did look really good. She had tall units on either side.

We got some CAD drawings in today and have attached. I have asked for a downstand on the peninsula after reading someone else's thread and looking at photos. I really like it!! I think I'll rejig a little of the units but nearly there. Sadly no room for the thread FF :(

Congrats newhouse and nontraditional on your milestones. We are still in building warrant limbo. Waiting. Just waiting.

Stokey, I thought of that but the kitchen faces the street, and we don’t spend much time in it and it t only has light in the mornings so it would be too gloomy in the winter (and smallish being 3x3m). :(
I would prefer to have the rooms where we spend the most time in facing the garden, hence keeping the living room where it is (with the wood burner too!).
Perhaps a solution would be to extend to the side return (and lose access to garden) and take some space from the current living room, like the house in image 2.
What do you think? Thanks!!

I was worried that I don't know if we have /need a Building Warrant, but Google tells me it only applies in Scotland and that it's the equivalent of Building Control Approval.

Absolutely nothing has changed on our details on Council planning site since our application went in late March, but they have a decision deadline of 22nd May so hopefully things will progress next week.

Still waiting for quote from Hairy Builder. I'm hoping it's lower than Beardy Builder.
Contacted New and Highly Recommended Builder a couple of days ago but he obviously isn't interested.

Day 1 and the new bathroom has arrived!

@avocuddl I've always loved the corner unit. It's super expensive with DIYKitchens so I scrapped it and the window is now too close to the wall to have it. I wish I'd stuck with it. We will have a huge kitchen with loads of storage, but there's something satisfying about

...the corner unit and being able to see everything in the cupboard as the shelves are a practical depth

I love the corner pantry unit as well and was desperate to fit it in but can’t seem to make it work. I am going to the DIY Kitchen showroom tomorrow, am super excited.

So this is the current kitchen plan - one of about 5 😂. Still not happy with the wall cupboard configuration though. Thoughts?

@WorrisomeHeart Looks lovely! I would make the wall cupboards the the right of the hood the shorter cupboards to match the left. Have you considered moving FF to the right so that on the left you could have full height double larder cupboard? We have one (800 wide) and it fits pretty much ALL of our food for a family of 4! I just have shelves as I don't like metal pull outs!

or if money stretches to new plumbing - could you move the sink to the island and then you could have the taller wall cupboards all the way around?

DH is very anti the island sink approach which is massively annoying 😂. I had one of the double larders in another plan but it made it all look a little lopsided. Might try it again. Thanks!

I have to admit, I was anti sink and stove on island so I understand!! I have two little ones, that I know would have messed around whilst sitting at the island! Attached is my design, as I realised I've posted it! It's all in place now and I have to say is working brilliantly.
One more (tiny) snag left and the build is FINISHED!
Just the unpacking and pictures/belongings to put back in! Oh and the garden, wow the garden has been destroyed!!

My friend's new kitchen is really similar to your layout Paz - looks great! Our garden hasn't fared too badly despite being a complete mess during the build. I'm off to get some grass seed and top soil too to do some little patch ups though!

We were anti sink on island as I didn't want pots etc bring left there. We have the hob on the island, looking out to the garden and I do love it! We don't however have an extractor above it - we have put a small one in the wall instead!

Paz I love your layout. That was our initial aim but it meant we wouldn’t have as large a living space so we have shifted the kitchen backwards.

@HoppaHouse - perhaps that's the difference then. I bought mine at Currys as I had a 10% off voucher.

I love that this has become the thread FF.

I'm not even building an extension! I'm just here for the pictures (and the love of my fridge!)

I'll be back once we start planning our new kitchen though, but there's a small matter of a wedding to pay for first...!

Great bathroom bump lol!

Love the islands people are having. I agree with PazRaz10 that the wall cupboards on the right should match the left. If DH doesn't like the sink in the island how about the dishwasher there instead @Worrisomeheart? I would consider switching the hob and sink so that all the cooking is grouped together. It might also group all the tall wall things together. Then gap then sink. You could have short top boxes or shelving along the rest of the wall and over the sink. Then I would do a wall of tall units incorporating your FF. Put the FF at the end of the run.

I might put some storage in my peninsula now. I'm still worried about storage although PazRaz10 has eased it a bit. How deep are people having for the breakfast bar? I would like 40cm but think most worktops make it with a 30cm overhang.

Our highly recommended builders also didn't want our job. It's so annoying!! Who manages to get the builders? Do they have the better biscuits??