Layout ideas for this house with a lot of potential

[nattering]

We have had our offer accepted on a house with a lot of potential. We really want to have a kitchen diner and a more usable layout. Currently everything is in little boxes?! And the ceiling of the utility and family room is quite low. How can we improve that?

So mumsnetters what would you do with this. And a budget of 50-80k

Tbh nothing particularly easy springs to mind. You could try and open up the corner of the kitchen where the hob is to open plan, but looks like you’d run into complications re supporting structure. Plus have a trashed kitchen to deal with.

Perhaps a new pitched roof over the family room and adjoining the main house with skylights? Would give you more space height wise. Idk. Might run into planning issues.

So basically nothing particularly easy or cheap. Just my 2p.

I don't know about utilities and drains access, but what if you turn the current living-dining into a kitchen-diner. Kitchen into a living room. Family room into a snug.
Not sure where the utility would go to, but it would need moving from its current location.

Hmm, actually.
Turn current kitchen into utility and snug. Family room becomes living room?

Sorry didn’t see previous post

But don’t underestimate the amount of costs incurred- parents just had a new kitchen- 25k. Without structural.

Knock down the utility/family room and build new extension?
Seems like it's a garage conversion with flat roof which might or might not have issues. They often leak if old.
Has it been converted'properly'? i.e with building regs signed off?

Knock down the utility/family room and build new extension?

Might actually be the best option. Garage conversions (look like it is) are often single brick walls with poor foundations and insulation.

Was actually thinking something like this pic but unsure the structure would take it. Could extend Tha back wall of the utility upto the line of the main house too.

looks like two doors down has had something similar done so might not be an issue with planning

Agree. We had done garage conversion but had to strengthen the foundations, the floor insulation fitted just about and the walls weren't straight so instead of being just plastered, they had to be plasterboarded. It makes for a great utility and playroom/study but not much else.

it is an unattractive 1960s? semi
unless it s in a very expensive place make sure that you dont out price its value by spending £80k plus the new kitchen , bathrooms etc - could be £200k easily. Is it worth that when all done up?

where in the country are you? £50-80k won't get you much in the south. we're paying almost 70kbfor a garage conversion that's already partially converted- basically adding insulation and moving a wall back.

70k for a garage conversion 😳

Thanks you so much, we are first time buyers so have little clue into what we are getting ourselves in. This is the house https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/145383521

I am wondering if we are overpaying if we have to knock down the existing family room and utilities to make the house work. And the house as someone else noted is nothing special 1960 semi near Cambridge. We like the little village though.

Location counts for a lot so don’t discount those feelings. On a quick scan of RM it looks reasonably priced for area, perhaps a little high but nothing major.

Id say if you’ve got 50-80k to play with, forget about structural and concentrate on bringing the interior and garden up- it’s dated but would scrub up well imo.

Good luck , op.

A prettier detached on the same road sold for £640 in 2023-with all the work that needs doing you will be paying similar and yours will never be detached. It was 4 bed but unusual upstairs layout and only 1 bathroom but looks like a big plot.

But the location could be fab- I dont know the area and they dont seem to that many sold

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/details/england-132457229-18469282?s=1b36f44f38cd22c56c3323b4d168693b05fbf94ffab5fc7e831c77b55973364b#/

This one was £475k in 2021- so a pretty high market and it is in much better condition that the one you are buying but appreciate that plot/location may not be the same

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/details/england-107124074-15801667?s=e5b23d47e48f7b95fd537613dfef32513222d0c693e503c5a21a8434caf8e8ed#/

And 2020 for £470k- again much better condition

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/details/england-95073821-91756566?s=1a49b9da7cf2715cd5fc513f0046ade0943a038654c4e79d57bd21eb9f1f0e9e#/

This guy’s house is identical to the one in your OP. He’s built an underground tunnel!

Ask an architect - some will come out and have a look at a house at no cost, or for a small cost - I would think it would be money well spent. They will give you suggestions which you probably have never thought of and most importantly an idea of costs.

I would be tempted to live in the house without doing any work, see where the light is during the day and how you use each space, before rushing in to change things.

Save more money, knock down the family room and garage, build a 2 story extension and then remodel the downstair (and the upstairs as you will have more space).

The house next door looks like it’s had an interesting extension. Can you knock and ask if you can see what they’ve done?

Well done op.

Congratualtions! The first house is a huge deal and you got a lovely one.

Having had many houses over the years my advise is - LIVE IN IT FIRST.

Anything unclear about that? :)

Seriously - put your furnishings in and let the house reveal itself. Every decision you make now about moving this wall and that ceiling will be exactly the opposite to what you will make a year after living there.

Enjoy!

Thank you,

I have one question if you don't mind. Wouldn't we lose money because if we do up the kitchen and then find out what structural changes we need to make, we'd be redoing stuff and wasting money

Kitchen looks ok, not modern but easily liveable for a few years. Settle in and see how you feel after a couple years is good advice.

We had to do a kitchen durning covid. Like you we did not want to spend on anything that would be unpicked at a later stage.

We took out the overhead cupboards and painted. After living in it for a while and observing our flow in the house, where and how sunlight moved, what felt intuitive re frindge, sink ect - we redid it.
So we had the pleasure of living in a fresh (ish) space, low cost experiments with colour and so on.

It is a lovely house. You can do a LOT with it.

Good luck. 😄

For a second I thought you meant a utility combined with a snug and just couldn't work out how those two spaces and concepts together would work

I think:
-as PP have said, don't rush it
-consider making the extension two-storey so you solve the ceiling height problem and get extra bedrooms in one go. There is a house sort-of opposite that has this; look at their plans / drawings lodged at the Council to see if you can steal their ideas.