How would you extend this into a kitchen/diner? Pic attached

[ESpressoNotEXpresso]

Hi,

So firstly, we are not yet in, but WHEN we are 🤞🤞🤞 the aim is to extend the kitchen out into the garden to make a big(ish) kitchen/diner/living space and turn the existing dining room into another reception room. Albeit a small one.

The small square marked 'D' is where the drain and manhole cover is, so that will need to be moved (with the local water authority's permission) The garage is also a bit of an obstacle, as it's separate and up several metres from the house, otherwise we would have converted it, but we don't know if we could somehow join it to the proposed extention.

The WC could go if we also had a side extension in the drive way and that could maybe include WC and general utility area. Moving the WC would free up more space for the kitchen/diner extention.

We ideally would like an island where the current sink is (the window facing the garden) so no need to move that drain...I assume. And then a big dining space in front of that, with maybe a small living space to the right hand side.

We were considering a conservatory style extention to keep the costs down. I know they're not very popular these days, but there do seem to be some nice modern versions around these days. Obviously we would still need a proper extention for the utility though.

The other option is, we don't move the WC and don't include a utility and just extend out into the garden - proper extention or conservatory type extention.

The garage is the thing that's really throwing me.

I'm conscious this is getting rambley, so will leave it there for now, but any suggestions you have would be very much welcomed and appreciated!

We don't really want to go above 50k, ideally less, but we realise that's unlikely.

Thank you!

Giving this a bump.....

The manhole and drain....a fundamental but are you sure they are the public water company's or are they your private drains leading to the public.

If they are the public drain you have a whole load of headaches moving them...massive job and cost.

If they are your own, different situation.

What’s on the other side of the garage? Is the your boundary fence. If you extend onto your driveway will you lose access through to your rear garden? We have a similar layout in our end of terrace, and did an L shaped extension to the side and to the rear. You could do this only using half the width of your kitchen so that you won’t need to move the drain cover. It would probably be easier to demolish the garage than to convert it to include it within your extension. I also wouldn’t do a conservatory extension as they can be either very hot or very cold and are a pain in my view.

Is it detached? Hard to get an idea of where boundaries are or current sizes but it seems like incorporating the garage (or the footprint at least) might be an option, though I have no idea on the planning aspect. Have you got a proper floorplan?

@Frankiefree, yes - to the left of the garage is our boundary fence. We also have garden access to the right of the property. I would have completely ruled out a conservatory style kitchen, but I've heard if done properly - I.e, a solid roof with lanterns, underfloor heating etc, they can be a good alternative.

@tentative3, yep, it is detached. I would put up the real floor plan, but I don't want it to be outing. Sorry, I know my sketch is pretty shoddy

Ok well if you’ve got access the other side then you could do a side extension this side. But keep in mind that there are rules about how close and how high you can build near a boundary. Yes a conservatory extension with a solid roof would be good, but done properly like an orangery would probably be as expensive as a normal extension.

I would do a proper extension. Conservatory style ones are not great unless you spend so much you might as well have just done it properly in the first place.

@Frankiefree, that's definitely what I want to avoid. I.e, we end up paying loads extra for a conservatory that doesn't look like a conservatory and is actually only a few grand less than a real extention. Completely pointless.

Is 50k at all realistic for a, let's say....4x6 extention - including a new kitchen? DP seems to think we should be able to do it for 30k

I’m not sure of the cost as we had our extension years ago. But things will always cost more than you think, particularly if you have to move the plumbing and electrics etc. And you have to factor in the cost of new kitchen, maybe appliances too, and also things like adding a new radiator to your central heating system.

@ESpressoNotEXpresso chuckling at the optimism... You can certainly do something for 30k but not huge amounts.

Pretend the garage isn't there and now start planning. Everyone just sticks crap in the garage so why bother with it? Free the space up.

If you have a glass roof in the kitchen you'll cook yourself not the food! I'd look at a single storey extension to the left and across the back. Single storey can go up to the boundary and the back can, I think, go back as far as 8m which is huge but beyond budget anyway.

Structural calcs, designs, building regs, planning (if needed) will be 5-10k. Extensions are around 2-2.4k per sqm if that helps you budget. New kitchen is whatever you want to spend but cheaper if DIY

Where are the doors between the various existing rooms? Where are the existing windows?

We built an extension in 2004 to our 1930's semi. It cost about £58k when we factored in a build over agreement for a public sewer (which wasn't even marked on the water company's own plans. A whole other story). We did a single storey rear extension and a double storey side extension. However that price did not include all the internal and external painting, fitting the bathroom and kitchen which we did ourselves to keep costs down.
We brought the garage front level with the front door and made it one car length plus a bit for storage. The kitchen was extended sideways so was effectively behind the garage.
To this day we have never kept a car in it! It's used as a workshop/mancave/wine store/recycling area and a space for the tumble dryer (which despite our planning got overlooked when we did the kitchen. ).

Forgot to add we are in SW England.