Rear extension when there is a drop to the garden

[BirdsRoundandRound]

Just seeking opinions and any experience as we decide what to do about our rear extension.

We have a 1930s mid terrace built on a slope - so the front door/garden is at ground level, and the rear has a fairly significant drop of about 1.2 metres (originally there were treacherous stone steps down, we currently have raised decking and then steep steps down to the garden).

We'd like to extend, however keeping it level with the current kitchen diner seems like it won't be possible due to the height of the roof being above permitted levels, plus we then still have to deal with the drop down to the garden and don't want to use up more space in our (not huge) garden with more decking/steps.

I thought we could get by this by having a few steps down to the extension with a sloping roof taking the height to permitted level, and then a couple more steps from the extension to the garden (possibly a small strip of decking or patio).

However, I've been reading about this and having too many stairs in an open plan room (had planned steps the entire width) seems like it could cause problems with reselling (our kids are older so hadn't thought about the toddler issue, and obviously not ideal with mobility issues either).

WWYD in this situation? Has anyone come across an extension that deals with this well?

If you are already at a 1.2m drop I'd be tempted to do a basement and ground floor extension. The basement would open to garden, the ground floor have windows.

Rather than have steps across the entire width, have normal width stairs down to extension, with existing bit having a balustrade so it becomes a sort of gallery as seen from the extension. Gives you more usable space (better furniture arrangement) and safer for younger kids. Sounds fab!

I'm not sure it would cause a resell issue OP - I think more people would like it than be put off personally. A nice open plan extension with velux windows in a sloped roof & full width steps down sounds really nice to me.

@Rollercoaster1920 I had considered the basement option but I think planning may be difficult to obtain, two story extensions don't seem to be a thing here (built up London)

I was thinking basement and ground floor too. Maybe move your kitchen down into it. You'll probably have to underpin the house though and that is unlikely to be cheap.

I agree with a PP, I don't think it would be an issue for most people - yes with really young children lots of steps might be a worry but most people would value the additional space. I think basement works are usually really expensive and you rarely make you money back after digging out / tanking etc.

I think steps internally will be fine OP. Yes maybe people would choose all on one level if there was the choice. But you haven’t really got an option.

One thing I would say is it’s better IMO to divide different levels with a half wall or balustrade and then a small set of steps at one side or in the middle, rather than full width steps. That way you have a lot more places for furniture and it’s safer.

Plan carefully what you will put on the different levels to avoid too much going up and down steps. For example it would be annoying to have your kitchen and dining table on different levels as you’d be up and down the steps all the time. Whereas sitting area on a different level isn’t such an issue.

Hmm it's interesting you say that minipie as I was planning the space to have the kitchen and dining on different levels, and I did consider a pony wall but worried it will feel too enclosed on the upper level.

I have been playing with ideas on Roomstyler (my favourite passtime!) and this is what I came up with - didn't feel too bad as the table is close to the kitchen?

As opposed to the wall option

Ooh nice pics! Is that a 1.2m drop though - looks less. If it is then actually full width stairs do look nice. Can you try with a glass pony wall? I think it's the solidity of yours that doesn't work.

So it's 60cm with idea that the other 60cm will be outside (so eg a small rim of raised decking with the steps cut into it outside the doors)
I thought the full drop would be a lot to handle in one go!

But if you keep the half wall surely you can do away with the steps on the other side which would give you more floor space and flexibility with layout.

I would also worry about the steps/drop so close to the kitchen where people might be working in the same relatively confined area can you tell I work in casualty claims

But the idea is fine in principle, sure in a lot of older style Victorian terraces you step down into the kitchen.

Personally I’d put the kitchen and dining table in the low part and put a seating area in the high part.

The high part is the darker smaller part so best suited to a cosy seating area (IMO), also you can get more kitchen in if you put it in the lower part, I think.

I think your pictures look nice but I wouldn’t like feeling I was on a stage while in the kitchen- also would feel a bit precarious on a bar stool close to steps.

All personal preference though!

I agree that if you have kitchen up there you don’t want a pony wall, or even a glass barrier, as it would make access to the kitchen a PITA (eg if you’re at the table and need another fork).

To me that’s another reason to put a different bit in the high area as using a pony wall or glass balustrade will buy you back a lot of floor and wall space.

Hmmm having said all that... I’ve just has a quick squizz on Pinterest under “split level kitchen living” and they alllll have the kitchen in the high part. So maybe ignore me

And they all have a divider - glass balustrade or pony wall...

I have a split level extension for the same reason. Kitchen/breakfast room on the upper level, dining/lounge on the lower. But the ceiling is the same so the dining area has a double height ceiling which makes it really nice.

@CheddarGorgeous sounds gorgeous!

Do you have any pics you can post?

I have a friend who works in planning locally and she thinks the roof height may be an issue if I don't slope it down

We have a basement garage conversion and we have the seating area at the back where it's dark and cosy and the kitchen/dining area by the windows so when you wash up you can look out a window!

We have no steps though.

I'll PM you later, will take some when it gets light!

@BirdsRoundandRound I can't send photos via pm so see attached.

And the dining / lounge:

my instinct in the pictures you posted, is that I would not have an island, but have the kitchen L shaped, with the L being the pony wall. You woudl need a raised edge to the back of the units. That does mean you don't get a breakfast bar, but maybe I am biased as I hate them anyway.

I moved into a house on a slope with a large rear extension, it's all one level with a big drop in the garden. I didn't think anything of it when I bought it, but now we live here I really dislike having such a big drop. It basically means that I can't see the actual lawn from the room, unless I'm standing right by the doors. I've brought lots of pots up onto the decked area, but it still bothers me. What's the point of having lovely big doors to the garden if I can't actually see the garden properly?

If I could redesign with a limitless budget I would definitely put a split level room. The drop in the garden is about 120cm, so like you say, 60 inside and 60 outside would make for a much softer look and would make the garden seem more like "part" of the room.

I haven't thought this fantasy through enough to say about walls etc, but bear in mind that furniture can already be quite awkward to place in a large open plan room, so a pony wall would definitely give more options

Thanks Cheddar, that's really helpful to see a real life example. As much as I initially liked the completely open look, I think the balcony/pony wall option is much more practical and I like how you've integrated the tv etc into the wall. I think we can just about fit a u shape kitchen instead, so I could have a smaller breakfast bar (which I really do love!) so the plus is extra cupboard space too.

@thesparkthatbled

We did a rear extension like yours, and we kept it stair-free internally as we had small DC. They’re older now and I wish we’d done internal steps instead (like some of these examples) for exactly this reason.

@BirdsRoundandRound you're welcome. I think a breakfast bar is a good idea. If I was doing my kitchen again I would separate sitting/eating from prep. We get in each other's way as it is.