Relocating main entrance

[Sjoe]

So I've found a property that I'd like to make an offer on in the south of London. The property will require mordenisation which I'm happy with so I have the opportunity to put my own stamp on it.
It's a chalet style semi detached with a side main entrance which brings me to my question. Can I relocate the main entrance to the front of the house? Reason I'd like to this is so I can utilise the side plot for an extension. There are several properties on that street with their entrance at the front so I was wondering. I understand I might need to get planning permission however, I wanted to have some idea of how likely it is permission would be granted since I'll be changing the front if the house.

Also, the house has no upstairs bathroom. Is it relative straightforward moving plumbing upstairs and would anyone have some idea of cost ? Could I use this to negotiate on the asking price ?

Thank you in advance.

If it's the area of SW London I think it is, it's a conservation area so would need planning approval. There is no b permitted development. But Wandsworth council are quite development friendly.

Upstairs plumbing - really depends on where you put it in relation to downstairs plumbing. Cheapest way is go for directly above the bathroom below, as you can generally use same routes. Most expensive as furthest point from below.

The downstairs bathroom will already have been taken into account with the price so you can't use it to negotiate

@Rollercoaster1920 The property is actually in SE London not SW. Near Sidcup.

@Ariela thank you. This makes a lot of sense. I'll bear that in mind.

I need to see a layout of the house and, if you have one, a photo of your cat. (I'm not sure why but I see the request a lot these days.)

You will likely need to conform to modern fire safety if you are rearranging exits.

This will likely require you to either have the stairs face the door or have a sealed hallways with fire door (burn time of 30 minutes+) that connects the stairs to the exit door (so no open plan room) to create a safe fire escape from the upstairs rooms.

@Sjoe do also be aware that many architects tend to design an extension 'as they think would look best' without considering cost.
I had one insisted on 3 out of 5 bedrooms having en suite (when I said no more than one en suite) and I said only ensuite above the bathroom or kitchen (they were all over the upstairs) and no changing downstairs layout other than removal of airing cupboard to upstairs. Also wanted to put side entrance instead of back door when that point is completely blocked by parking. Complete waste of money

If you want to do an extension, that'll be a cost to you, you can't 'negotiate' based on that. Unless you feel they're overcharging for what they're selling as it is.

@FasterMichelin thank you for your response and to clarify, I have no intention on negotiating the price on the basis of wanting an extension. I mentioned the extension as the reason why I am wanting to move the main entrance from side to front.
Negotiating the price I was asking because the property only has a bathroom on the ground floor. No bathroom or toilet upstairs.

I need to see a layout of the house and, if you have one, a photo of your cat. (I'm not sure why but I see the request a lot these days.)
@TwoLeftSocksWithHoles that made me laugh so much 🙂

That's what I meant. The house is sold as seen and the price already reflects that there's no upstairs loo.

If you want one, the cost is on you.

The house I'm looking at doesn't have a utility, if I want one, I need to use my own money to add one, you can't 'charge' sellers for any additions you may want.

@Ariela 3 en suites do sound excessive for a 5 bedroom house. I'd go for one main family bathroom and one en suite in the master bedroom. Firstly it costs money and second you're going to be forevercleaning bathrooms.
Thank you for all the tips. Very useful for when I come to refurbish. I am also looking to expand the 3bed into a 4 or possible 5 bed. Could you give me a rough estimate of how much everything came to in your case please. The property I'm looking at is a chalet style 3bed semi with one bed room on the ground floor which I'm looking to relocate together with the bathroom onto the first floor. I'll leave a toilet only on the ground floor. On the first floor there currently 2 bedrooms and I'm planning to extend this out to add another 2 bedrooms. A lot of the chalets on that street have done a similar thing.

Moving a bathroom upstairs, the main issue is waste, you can pipe water to anywhere in a house, but the waste water pipe has to have a minimum fall of 1/110 to 1/40. That means the pipe horizontal run has to fall/drop 1cm for every 110 - 40cm of pipe. Too steep and the liquid waste drains off too fast to move any solids. But those are the guides above that work.

You have to consider where the current soil stack is and if you can go above that to make life easy, lots of pipes on the back or sides of houses show where the vertical soil stack is and often pipes run on the outside of the building a short distance to connect in.

I would look on your local council planning website. Often there is a map function that allows you to see all the properties that have submitted planning applications, find those altered houses, via the map or use their address in the search function and see their plans so you can see the internal layouts of them. My planning map allows me to see the properties outlined in red and I can click each one to see what they requested, ie single rear extension, or garage conversion. It also means you can use those plans if they are the same house as yours to get rough costs from a builder.

@Sjoe this was years ago so truly not relevant at all and the house has been altered since too.

As @WireItBackToZero says, look at other house plans on your council planning portal in conjunction with eg Zoopla or Rightmove house sold prices where you can still view the sales details and layout of the sold properties. I'd probably look on their first, then pick the houses you like the layout best to look up the plans, and check any plans more recently done too (search by date). You could consider knocking on recently renovated and ask who they used as builders and would they recommend (on the basis done one, it's easier to do another)