Can I ask to see a neighbour's kitchen?

[Merrow]

Or would this be weird?

We live in an area where there's a fair number (probably 20-30 odd) of semi-detached houses in the exact same style. We're contemplating an extension, and I was looking on Rightmove for other houses like ours to see what decisions they've made on layout. There's a house about 8 doors down that sold last year that has what looks like a really clever approach to a kitchen diner extension. There's only a couple of photos, so hard to get an exact feel for it. Would it be odd to put a note through explaining our situation and asking to see it? We're in the NW if that makes any difference, in a residential area where people are pretty friendly, but I know nothing about the people that live in this particular house.

They can only say 'no' or not respond.

I'd say you're welcome to come.

Why not? They can only say no. I would do it and if asked would be quite happy to oblige. They may also have details of who did the extension.

Depends how friendly they are.
I’d let someone come in as long as I knew them/seen them before…

Some people may be sceptical about letting someone who is essentially a stranger into their home though!

We have done it with 2 neighbours. One who had an extension and one who had had a new kitchen. We were on chatting outside terms with them before that.

Have you looked at the local planning departments website? If it needed planning permission the drawings will be online.

I wouldn’t mind at all. Ask away.

You don’t ask, you don’t get…..we did this when we had an extension in our last house….we asked our neighbour if we could look at theirs….they said no problem

I guess if my house was tidy and I was proud of it I'd take your interest as a compliment.
If someone I didn't know asked me to see inside my house I'd decline. Simply because I'd have to do loads of extra tidying and stuff and no-one would want to see my kitchen anyway. Lol it's over 40 yes old. What's left if it?!
But you may as well ask politely.

I did this! Everyone was really kind and helpful and happy to show off their kitchens.

Awesome, I'll go for it!

It’s fine to ask. They can just say sorry, no, if they want to.

We only figured out how to get an en suite in our terrace because a neighbor showed us how they'd done it. We'd only met them that day. Go for it.

I’d just knock. Say if it’s not a good time you can come back later. Most people love this sort of thing. In my old house, people used to knock to see where I got my front door from. I’d have the business cards of the door bloke by the front door to hand out.

I also remember my Mum stopping by someone’s house and asking them what paint they used on their garage doors.

Yes! We had a look at a nearby house the same design as ours to see how they had extended into an awkward spot, after getting chatting to the owners.
I do however know someone whose neighbour asked to see their loft extension and they declined on the grounds of privacy! So it could go either way!
Good luck!

Someone who regularly passed my house, but I didn’t know as such knocked on my door one day to ask if they could come and look at the loft conversion.
I was happy to let them in to look. (Northern lass here)

Have a look at your local councils planning department website.

I asked to see the fireplaces in our neighbours' house when we were considering restoring the ones that had previously been removed from ours. They were fine with it.

They might find it flattering, as long as you don't completely copy all their design!

My sons neighbour asked to see there living room as its all open plan but with 3 distinct seperate areas and they wanted to see how it had been done as they are panning on making there house open plan