Extension dream shattered - what do I do with this kitchen now?

[Fooferella]

I've had a few threads on here asking for help finding a builder for a small yet tricky extension I have been dreaming about for the last 5 years and this week a couple of builders finally put me out of my misery and gave me quotes ranging from £45,000 to £55,000. This is far and away out of our budget so I'm back to square one.

We still need a new kitchen so we're getting one in the original footprint but I'm totally deflated and uninspired now that my bubble has been so rudely popped. The kitchen is awkwardly shaped and small but I'd like to try and improve it for my own sanity. You can't fit 2 people down the narrow corridor in front of the stove and we have to bring our bikes in from the back door through there too. The oven door has 2 cm clearance between it and the wall when it is open. We hardly ever use the table and chairs, they are normally piled up with crap and we're forever moving them out of the way to get at the washer.

I've included pictures of how it is now. How would you organise it? The two things I insist on are an upright fridge/freezer and a dishwasher. Any ideas? Recommendations for kitchen designers good with rubbish spaces? HELP!

Could you post a floorplan?

Is there a room next the kitchen that it could be extended into? (Like a dining room) A floor plan would be good.

Only suggestion is an oven with a slide away door (Neff) and can you not build bike storage outside?

The oven door has 2 cm clearance between it and the wall when it is open.

OMG this would drive me insane! What a bizarre layout!

Yes lets see the ground floor and plan

Bike storage is a nightmare.....is there an outside option - we have a llittle (low) shed with a humungous chain and locak for our electric bikes

Could you put an eye level oven and microwave combo where the microwave is now? Do you need the table and chairs in there too?

This is the current layout.

Thanks all. The floor plan is above. We are mid-terraced on a hill and there wouldn't really be room for bike storage out front. I don't need the table and chairs where they are but though it would be nice to have a breakfast bar somewhere if at all possible because we only have a small table in our living room.
I had thought of putting the hob, oven and fridge all in an L shape where the sink is and possibly putting a breakfast bar where the hob is. I thought I could remove the press in the living room and make that another entrance to the living room to make better circulation and then add a shallow tall pantry cupboard at the end of the kitchen.

Outdoor storage for bikes, open plan downstairs or move.....

Could you remove the cupboard in the living room and block up the wall so the space is in the kitchen?

What's in the understairs space?

Agree with nachos.

My (small) kitchen is slightly extended under the stairs so you can squeeze a little bit more space in.

Hi Op. Just couple of quick thoughts.

1. could you have your bikes hanging up in the hallway like the attached pictures?
2. could you build a wall across where the existing door into the kitchen is from the hall, get rid of the wee niche and open up a door into the kitchen from the living room? This would give you more space to put your oven etc.

Aye, moving was my preferred option but DH isn't keen and we don't want to leave the area which we'd have to do to get anything bigger.
The understairs space is storage. It holds hoover, toolbox, coats, lightbulbs etc.
I could put that space to use for the kitchen rather than having it as a door @Killerqueen2244 that is also an option.

The attached is a quick ikea idea I had but I feel like I've shorted myself on storage and counter space!

I'm
Having a similar dilemma. My thought was to extend out the back and build a kitchen diner and turn the current kitchen (even smaller than yours) into a utility. But, as it's a mid terrace with very limited access to the back for building equipment, I'm not sure it'll work.

I would either move wall and make a smaller lounge or open lounge and kitchen into one splitting with breakfast bar.

I would put sink/oven/hob in the area to right of hall door then keep narrow bit for cupboards, f/f, eating area and access. Can you square off into lounge niche or was that a chimney or structure. Bike storage outside in lockable unit.

Give up the breakfast bar plan - there’s just not enough room. How wide is the kitchen between the living room wall and the external wall? It looks so narrow.

Could you steal 1m from the living room?

p.s. we do have outdoors bike storage, it is just in the back garden which has no access except through the house so we're always hauling them in and out.

I have to go make my poor neglected child his tea but will check back afterwards.

Can you afford to take the wall down between the two rooms (would need a steel) and make a living room/kitchen. The kitchen could start in the front room essentially and you could have an island etc

Bikes need to go outside in storage shed or similar

Failing that, I wouldn't bother getting a new kitchen now but save up for the extension if that is feasible

I’d move the wall up to where the alcove is / the understairs cupboard starts

How much have you got to spend? Could you save for another year to get an extension?

Can you extend the lounge in the the hall making it wider and then extend the kitchen into the lounge (making the lounge shorter)

Or use the hall only as storage knock through thecupboard at the end for access to the kitchen

I hope this doesnt sound insensitive but I just dont think you should spend money upgrading that kitchen. Instead of getting new units etc could you paint the doors and redecorate to give it a new look for cheaper?

I just dont see the point upgrading the kitchen when it's that small and the kitchen/appliances look in good order. Youd be as well saving to move/get that extension.