Home Extension Thread 2019 - The Extension

[TheFatberg]

Only a few posts left on the first thread of 2019, so here's a new one to get us started.

We're waiting for some extra DIY Kitchens parts and some of them are coming today too. @WBWIFE we got a phone call earlier in the day with a rough hour time slot then asked for a phone call when they were around half an hour away so we could mobilise people to come and help lift things into the house.

Soaked - the final picture you shared looks great. I’m glad you’re not having to adjust it. When it’s unfinished things just don’t look right.

@soakedat3 Window looks great, and a window seat will be lovely, especially in winter. You'll barely look at the outside of your house most days and it does take a bit of getting used to. I felt strange about the extension part of my house as it just looked really clunky but now I can barely remember what the house was like beforehand.

Needing help with visualising! We are putting a staircase in a small room which will then become a sort of hall space. The plan was a double height part... landing with balustrade at the top. North facing with window and velux.
Builder has suggested leaving the ceiling in place and having a large cupboard at the top of the stairs. Now that would be good storage as no loft. But I'm worried about whether it would become a dumping ground. Plus a 5ft deep cupboard might be hard to organise.
I'm swaying to open landing as might look better.
Struggling to find images but this is sort of the 2 thing's...

A window at the top of stairs would give really good light all the way down. I like the sound of the original plan better. A cupboard would mean storage but you are doubling the size of your house already. What would you put in there?

How is the kitchen install going MyNameIsJane?

How wide would this 5 ft deep cupboard be? Can you sketch a plan?

@TheFatberg I hope we get a phonecall today with a. Rough time as I'm at work and so is my husband!

Here's the layout. Not entirely sure on depth because the ceiling will slope off but a few feet anyway

This might be clearer

Cupboard here

@Noroof, would the velux still be there?

If you have the cupboard, do you have to lose both the window and velux?
Additional storage is always good but could you have a shallower cupboard and still leave extra height above the turn of the stairs?

Sorry I mostly lurk on this thread rather than post!

But just had to say soakedat3 we had exactly the same issue with our new bay, the window sits beyond the opening rather than in line with it. At first I was really not happy but then realised that due to our windowseat design there was no choice, and actually it looks really nice now it’s all been (mostly) finished off.

We haven’t decided yet whether to make a windowsill and then have a slightly lower seat or have just one big seat. One big seat is neater but a sill gives you somewhere to put a cup of tea!

@minipie this is why this thread is so useful!
Pretty much every problem we worry about, someone else has already been there and can give advice.

Also noroof I would definitely choose the open ceiling and velux, unless you are desperate for storage, it will make it feel much lighter and more open. Unless you can do the smaller shallower cupboard under the eaves and then have open space/velux in the more central bit, if so then I’d do that.

Yeah apparently I'd still have the velux over the stair and the window would still be there downstairs. I'm leaning towards the space and light for looks. We will have storage under the stair. At the moment we have no cupboards at all other than fitted wardrobes so it'll be more storage than I'm used to anyway. Although no loft. I might be able to get some under eaves storage in the bedroom perhaps for Christmas tree etc

Indeed Where! I think I need to come here more :)

We are at second fix stage so starting to see whether we like all the stuff we chose months ago... eek!

@Noroof my friend lives in a bungalow with converted loft but not dormers allowed, just velux. She has put in as much eaves storage as possible. Obviously the slant of the roof restricted the space but she had a decent low level cupboard on two opposite walls - inside was a shallow top shelf, an ok middle shelf, then a bottom drawer that went really far back.

The builders took the temp door down today to allow the kitchen delivery. Love the sight line through and I am glad I didn’t go for the proper utility room which would have blocked it.
I’d definitely go for more light and try and find some other storage configuration @soakedat3
Kitchen delivery has happened and apparently the fitting starts tomorrow!

Forgot to post the view pic

And obvs I mean @Noroof not soaked. Honestly my brain is fried.

Ooh looks good!
Yeah I'm going for light and the effect of space and look into under eaves storage instead. Helps reduce the hoarding as well 😀

@minipie, any chance of a pic? Discussed with New Dad builder today and he was saying could move away one of the supports and put in slightly longer lintel. But this would be against structural eng plans so any sagging and we'd have no one to blame. And all we'd gain is about 5cm each side. Also we've spray foam insulation in the bay which would be then have to be replaced with wool insulation. I'm not sure I want to risk a cold and cracked bay for 10cm...

Just looked through my photos, I don’t have one sorry but could take one next time I’m on site (we have moved out as doing the whole house at once 🙈)

Tbh I wouldn’t change it. I googled square bay window and a lot of the pics show the side windows out past the opening at least a bit. Will you be adding architrave around the side windows? If so then having a bit of overlap is good as it means the architrave tucks away neatly and isn’t seen from the side, rather than sticking out into your opening, which it would if the windows were flush with the opening...hope that makes sense!

Also if he only moves one of the supports then it will be asymmetric?