Please help -2 options from builder re lounge wall- inc diagrams

[RememberBeKindWithKaren]

Hi all helpful MNers.

We are having the lounge extended and have got two choices about what to do with the back wall. Basically the interior of the new extension part, once it's plastered and ready to paint, it will come into the room very marginally more than the existing back walls. So we either 1- have a small dip from new part to old part, or 2 - they fill over the existing walls to make the whole thing level. Sorry for such awful explanation. Hopefully the pics will help.

So do you think 1 or 2 is best.

Also, pics don't show but there will be a steel up at the ceiling above the point where wall of previous room has been extended. Not sure how this affects things.

How deep is the gap?

I think the diagram says 2.5inches

I would infill i think

@Bruisername i think the dip will be approx 2.5 to 3 inches when it's plastered. It's looking a very long and slightly thin room at present but I think it will be fine when all our junk, I mean lovely furniture is back in.

I first thought the dip would be fine as it's a smaller version of the alcove opposite plus the steel above at this point shows the whole room once ended at that point. But then I think if we end up with a sofa along that part of the wall, then the eye would be drawn to the change in wall levels. And that's starting to bug me now.

I would infill on the side of the extension so the sofa will go along it without a weird gap.
I would not infill the other side - across an entrance way I don't think you would notice the difference. Might as well keep the extra few inches on that side, and save a few pounds not having unnecessary work done.

@Bobbie12345678 thanks for your response. That's a good idea but sadly the silly bay window area doesn't go up to the full height so it's really all one wall. Just a lot of glass that go almost to the top but not fully. So it's all or nothing for that wall if that makes sense,

Yes my thoughts too. Do that first and if you think it looks weird (it won’t!) you can always fill in the other side afterwards.

Oh… except if that is indeed a doorway does that mean there is wall above the door, so it has to be the whole wall or nothing?

I would infill then as it will make the room look fussy

and I don’t see a problem in the doorway if you infil - it just brings it a couple of inches further down the corridor

Thanks. Yes there is wall at the top so it would need to be the whole wall or nothing.

Yes definitely infill. One of the key features of good architecture is integration- how well the extension works seamlessly with the existing fabric of the building. Cheap extensions tend to have visible seams - pillars, beams - and they make the whole place look askance. It will be much easier to decorate and furnish the space without that awkward recess.

I wouldn’t infill
Architecturally it’s more ‘striking’ I believe to have a break. It will also link through with the beam.
Externally it’s also so much better if linking brickwork through. Nothing worse than an obvious line of old meets new on a flat wall. That can be lost with a break

You could also put a full height glass fixed window at the break point too. The wall could run flush with that

I Disagree. It’s not a feature of good architecture
Many excellent extensions respect old and new and define them with a separation

I wouldn’t blend, it never looks as good and doesn’t respect the architecture of the existing building

Ooh thanks very much for this. That's interesting. So you think we keep the dip in the wall where the new bit begins ?..I'm honestly in a total dilemma. I get what you're saying. And it would be a small echo of the change in floor depths in the opposite wall, at the alcove. But it's so small- perhaps 3 inches narrower in the new part. Isn't that a silly size of gap ?

One other impact is if we have any furniture along that wall it will look odd if it crosses the dip. There'd be more gap behind , say a sofa, and the existing wall near the bay. I don't know how odd that would appear.

The thing is, one wall is going to have all the different levels with the fireplace and alcoves and the wall opposite would be entirely flat. Perhaps that would be too much contrast ? I really don't know.

i think practically speaking it makes sense to infill if you intend to put furniture on that wall

Permission to be anars and talk in metric 😌
50mm is very small but any break would help
Id think in terms of brick dimensions. Assuming you have bricks
A brick is 102.5mm, 112.5mm with mortar. If placed on end that is (The length is 215mm. Which may be too much if you’re trying to keep the extension as wide as possible and tbh too much anyway. )
You just need a break
Id look at 100mm ( or if you’re building in bricks it’s 112.5mm brick plus mortar ) as a minimum.

.so that’s about 4inches Aparently
but I’d specify the brick dimension.

If you want it flat. Then you can create the break with some glass
It’s one of our tricks 😉 but it needs to be full height. Don’t let a builder plonk in a standard window.

If you can’t visualise the options make a cardboard model
Its more hands on than using apps

Ok thanks but what are we saying about furniture. I think there's a good chance we will buy a wider sofa than the one we've got now and it would go across the change in wall levels .As the TV is likely to be in front of alcove on left of fireplace. So you don't think it would be odd to have a bigger gap behind sofa in front of the older wall ? Going up to the weird bay area .

Thanks but I'm afraid I don't follow your comments about glass. We're in a conservation area so windows are funny old steel cased windows and there is no option to play about with windows..

Personally no
Flat walls are so boring
This will give you an opportunity to recess a radiator or use it to hang a big painting. I recently used a similar space to display a collection of snuff bottles

Ok
wasnt aware you were in a conservation area.
However if you can get a new window approved this is what I mean.
Excuse the crappy pic. We draw on computers these days and would you believe I struggled to find a pen🤣🤣 or indeed a bit of paper

I’d be interested to see the rest of the floor plan but tbh OP is this something you want to spend money on? Infilling seems the easiest way to make the room convenient for your purpose

maybe if you have a collection of little things you could have shelves in the new infill wall above the sofa height as per pp

this is the general idea
framing to match your existing.

Full height glass break.