Reversing total open plan space?

[SeLHopeful2024]

Wondering if anyone has 'undone' the trend for totally open plan living and actually had walls put back into a property 🤔

Is it possible?
Would it be a huge job?
Is this sort of thing expensive?

I'm being drawn to victorian style terraces as they seem to be the main housing stock in my area/budget, but so many have been absolutely gutted downstairs.

I'm looking at one on Saturday where the only internal walls are a downstairs loo between the sofas and the kitchen units!
Not even the entrance hall wall remains.

Beautiful pictures otherwise and upstairs looks ideal for us, but just trying to get a sense of what we'd be able to achieve long term if we wanted to try and create more separate spaces.

Thanks 😊

Partition walls are easy to pop back in. The structural work was done when they took the supporting walls out. So yes - much easier to reverse.

Thanks @LiterallyOnFire
That's good to know in case we want to take things further.

I'm even thinking of a part wall or something but I like corners for my son's toys and I dream of hanging nice pictures once I escape rented accommodation!

The only thing to check is if there is underfloor heating there as that can make it hard to fit walls back in without damaging pipe work.

If you did got to do it it may involve some plumbing and electrical work if you want radiators or light switches etc on the new walls. Creating separate rooms may mean a bit of electrical re-jigging as they may have only one circuit for the overhead lights etc and you will went to create more.

That's a good point @TheLastTimeEver
I will try to check out what the current radiator and electrics situation is during the viewing to see if more are needed.

I'm a bit surprised by how many places have been completely gutted.
The pictures in the advert show the kitchen bin on a small table jutting out from the last kitchen unit as there's literally no other corner or nook to hide it!

Any wall you put back in will be a partition wall by definition.

@LiterallyOnFire you can see I'm clueless on terminology and all things housing and DIY related!

It's certainly proving a challenge to find something that works for us!

Concentrate on buying the house first, if it's all overwhelming. Worry about building work later. The important point is that walls can easily be reinstated.

IKWYK about corners for toys. For me, the problem with open plan is where to put books (plus cooking smells and appliance noise carrying.

But you can always get a freestanding partition unit or two in the meantime.

I did this. Lots of different spaces are great when you have teenagers; we created a hallway, and two rooms out of one enormous space and have so much more privacy from each other now. Weirdly, the house feels bigger than it did before, even though the rooms are small.

I went from one big living room and separate kitchen which is how it was built, to all open plan, then put a wall across the living room to make a sitting room with a kitchen diner across the back. It worked fine, even involving the wall going into a chimney breast and the builder created a corner stove. I was worried about the light but it’s been fine.

We put a wall back in between front and back reception rooms in our London Edwardian terrace but with sliding glass 'pocket' doors so it can still be opened up into one space. Best thing we ever did now the kids are older as feels like we have our own little grown-up den while they're watching tv or gaming!

@Minesnotahighhorse same I. Our house. Love the pocket doors.

Thanks everyone.
That's given me reassurance that if the rest of the property is good we've got scope to work later.

The London terraces in our price range are smaller than I expected.
I guess that's why people open them up.

Fingers crossed our 2nd weekend of viewing is more positive than our first!

We have an open plan back of the house with a front room 'snug' with a fire. Having two spaces works well if you have kids so you can be in two places when friends come around with your own space (helps with noise and if. you have a piano/musical instruments'. The front and back rooms are soundproofed too.