Extension and darkness

[Pickingmyselfup]

We are toying with the idea of having a rear extension (full width of house and 3m deep) to make our living space bigger. However, on Sunday we put up a gazebo just outside the patio doors, half the width of the house give or take and 3m deep and it's made the lounge so much darker!

My idea for an extension was 2 windows and a set of doors at the front with some skylights or something but now I'm not sure that will be enough. Bifold doors aren't an option, no room for the doors when they are folded and just too expensive.

The lounge itself is painted in a mid grey colour, light pink and cream accessories with a light brown laminate. It has one window facing the side fence as well as the patio doors to the garden and at the door to the hall there is a glass wall to let some light through.

I need to figure out how to stop it from being plunged into darkness if we do get this extension.

Any ideas? An extra window in the lounge? Another side window in the extension?

Cost is a factor, there will be no point spending a fortune if it would be cheaper to move. I'm getting some builders in this week to give me a rough quote.

Wouldn't be single or double story? If single, you could add roof windows or a roof lantern?

A single. My concern with too many windows is it ending up like a conservatory and being unusable for most of the year due to the cold and the heat.

If you’re not in a terrace, can you put a window in the side wall of the lounge?

We have a put a single story rear extension on the back and side of our house... we do have bi-fold doors which help and also select choice of mirrors is also helpful to channel light in. We also have sky lights which do make a massive difference.

Another alternative... which we explored but didnt go for was for a lightwell courtyard... have posted a picture below.. its the bit in the middle...and can be really cool and add a lot of light too.

I have considered an extra window in the lounge, that would give me 2 side windows then the open archway into the extension with sliding patio doors and 2-3 windows plus skylights.

I'm making notes of everything so that I can go through it with the builders.

If you do it sensitively, it shouldn't. Plenty of examples online.

Which way does it face? I added an extension across the back of my house, single storey with a sloped slate roof, French windows and sky lights, facing east.

The result is very light, with the added benefit that sunrise in spring and autumn heats the kitchen through the sky lights so it reduced my heating bill.

My walls are white on three sides, with turquoise and pale oak on the fourth side, and a grey porcelain floor.

If your room faces north, it would get less light

A friend has a similar extension, north facing onto a tree filled garden - and it's very light. They put patio doors at the skinny end and have 2 wide windows in the long end and 2 quite big skylights - it doesn't feel at all dark and is a lovely space. She's got a lot of mirrors and some very bright paintings.

We've got a south west facing extension and put in sliding doors at the end and 2 big lantern rooflights - it's not dark at all. We put mirrors that look like windows down one wall....

I have a darker and shaded sitting room since building my extension. Honestly, it's an absolute haven in the hot weather and cosy in the winter with floor and table lamps. It's perfect for watching tv because we don't need to close the curtains if it sunny out.
The extension is well built with normal levels of insulation and it is so hot (or cold, and poorly insulated for noise) compared to 1950's part of the house.
I'd say don't use lots of glass, you will bake. My architect wanted big glass doors, they would have faced the prevailing wind so I have a smaller 2 panel sliding door which is just right.

I think it's South East according to a compass app. It gets sun closer to the house in the morning then as it gets later in the evening the furthest end of the garden gets the sun as it travels over towards the front of the house.

Our lounge can get quite bright in the summer and curtains often get closed to prevent the glare on the TV.

We've done just this but we've got bifolds. Velux windows in the extension roof make a massive difference (west facing).

We had the walls painted the same colour in the extension and the living room which was a mistake as they look different colours due to the different light levels- close but different, so go for something to lift the living room.

You could get full height non-opening windows for light rather than bi-folds, plus a door which you were planning anyway? Then on the side have a window that opens.

We our current extension, the middle room is now the darker area. We are putting the kitchen at the back with the bifolds and window. The dining table in the middle and the snug area in the darker cosier area; this will also have the telly in this darker middle to minimise the risk of glare on the telly. Telly is currently in the back with all the light and we have to close the curtains in the day if anyone is watching due to glare

I was going to suggest this too. I have read lots of posts where people are having issues with their bifolds dropping after a while and almost becoming unusable.
If the extension roof has good insulation then having a lantern or velux windows won't make much difference to any heat loss and you'll get the light you need, especially if you get high quality glass.

Ok so it seems like there are plenty of options. I don't think it will be too bad if we are strategic with the window situation. I don't think putting in a new window in the lounge will be feasible, it seems like it could cost thousands and we would definitely be spending too much.

At the minute I'm estimating £60-70K for the extension build plus all the extra bits like plug sockets, adding a radiator, moving the boiler then another £12K for the kitchen.

It's just a matter of it being worth it, at the minute the house needs doing up so we will be lucky to get £220 I think. Right move suggests £260 but that I'm sure is it it's in good condition which it's definitely not. It thinks an extension would add on £45K to the value of the house, if we are spending £60-70K is it even worth it if we ever plan to sell which we might if the perfect house comes along or the kids have left home, whichever comes first.