Floor plan help

[TravellingSomewhere]

I’ve lived in my 3-bed mid-terrace in South London for 10 years. Thought I’d grow into it, but it’s still just me.

My kitchen and upstairs bathroom are getting tired and the boiler is very old, so I’m planning to replace them. That’s got me thinking about reworking the layout, taking some space from the garage to create a better dining area. Basically do a one time reno job.

Right now I rarely host because it feels cramped in the living room, and I usually go to my sister’s or mum’s instead. I know I wouldn’t entertain loads (maybe a few times a year), which is why I’ve put this off for so long just undecided.

I’ve sketched two layout options (phone drawings, sorry!) and would really appreciate thoughts on what others would do.

Non-negotiables / preferences:

• No rear extension, the garden is ~12m and not overlooked. I like the space and don’t want to feel boxed in as there is the side of the house on the side street at the bottom

• Keep some garage space, need storage for bikes, bins, and to retain/move fuse box + gas meter.

• Not a fan of fully open-plan seen it nearby and it’s not for me.

• Want to keep coat cupboard and larder as both are really useful.

• Prefer current living room layout with sofa facing the garden. I’ve tried dining by the doors but don’t use it enough to justify losing that view.

Things I’m considering (would love opinions):

• Running the same flooring throughout (hallway, kitchen, dining, downstairs loo) with underfloor heating for a more seamless feel

• In option 2, moving the front door, currently opens straight into the stairs which is awkward

• Adding glass bifold/partition doors between hallway and new dining space for flexibility (but this may be a load-bearing wall?)

• As I also need to replace bathroom upstairs and flooring up there too is ot best to basically hire once e.g. get all the work done once or do it bit by bit? wondering if doing it all together saves money on trades? not hald the house is still old wiring ...wondering if I should update that?

this is basically my forever home if I still stay on my own so lots to consider.

Budget:

Roughly up to £80k for downstairs (kitchen, boiler, flooring, possible garage conversion, etc.) and upstairs bathroom and flooring but this is very much a ballpark figure.

Or i just don't bother changing the layout for a 'few times a yr' entertaining and just refresh the kitchen, bathroom and floorong and get ufh.

For a small house, you have a lot of space in your hall which isn’t doing much. Here is an option that opens the hall into a new dining room. It should have more light and keeps the load bearing wall. I’ve added a full wall of storage (s) because the garage is a lot smaller. And a lobby in front of the loo because I hate seeing the loo from the dining table.

If you are allowed to add a porch on the front, you could consider that to add storage and space.

How about something like this?

Thanks for the ideas im not a big fan of front door opening up into a room and im looking to keep costs down.

Also the part of the garage that isnt integrated into the house is only 1.5m long thay isnt enoigh space for storage and I have to take into account the garage door is up and over..again another cost to change that.

can you add a porch to get more storage? And avoid having the door open into the room.

both my plan and the other same a lot of money by not taking down the structural wall between garage and living room. So I don’t think it will go over your budget.

what else do you use that enormous hall for?

The house two doors down did a complete reno so I know the flooring downstairs is concrete on the ground floor, so that is also something I need to consider if I am moving the kitchen to the front including have to lay down water and drainage pipes as the nearest drain runs across our garden.

I currently have a piano in the hallway, bookshelf as I like to read and console table against the walls that are free but I keep the middle space clear as its easy to move around the house better and not have to walk around things.

For the garage i need to store 2 bikes, bins when not in use, my tools, ladder, camping gear. Usual things. Its not much and righf now takes up just under half the space of the garage hence why I thought of just taking half the space to extend into.

I don't like houses where you have to walk through a reception room to get to the kitchen as you do in yours @TravellingSomewhere.

So, I'd be looking to change that (obviously you might prefer your existing setup!), as well as making better use of the large hallway.

Large halls are great (we previously had a whopper, but the house was huge) if the ratio between hall/reception rooms is balanced, but yours does seem weighted in favour of the hall. Do you have some large freestanding storage there currently?

We downsized to a Georgian cottage 18 months ago and we had to compromise somewhat in order to be near family and close to the beach. As a result we have a front door opening into a room - I hate them too, but DH persuaded me and the only way I'd agree is if it wasn't a living room. Ours opens into the dining end of our semi open plan kitchen (we actually moved the kitchen from another room at the back as originally it was a 'through lounge' which I hate even more!) and it works so much better now.

We're also in the middle of dividing up our integral garage. Ours will be 1/3 tool etc storage at the front (electric door) whilst the rear 2/3 is going to be a boot room/office with a wall of floor-to-ceiling storage. We already have a lootility elsewhere.

I really like both @parietal and @Tortephant suggestions which imo make far better use of the space and are an improvement on your existing layout.

Not really answering you in terms of what to change, but we have a similar lounge diner. I host only a few times a year and manage to change the room round when I do (making it more of a dining room for 8 people). It does mean lifting the chair and table and having a few emergency chairs and an extension to the table, but once the tablecloth is on it looks pretty good

Thanks I agree the ideas provided make better use of the space @LibertyLily I guess since its just me no plans of having kids and maybe I meet a guy who knows...I aways come back to the old age but how much sre you sctuslly gping to use that room for entertaining and this is why I am undecided.

@Snoods thanks ots good to hear from those who have a similar space and what they do. I did have my sister, mum and nephews other one day and it kind of worked if I moved sofa out the way and extended the table out its just a faff tho so hence with needing to replace flooring, kitchen and bathroom in the next 2-3yrs ive started considering the garage extension or just changing it up to make it a bit more better so I am more inclined to say hey come to mine for xmas.

Its hard because I love my big hallway, I come in dump my bags, shopping etc. whilst I take off shoes, coat etc. And I love space. Ive also grown up in a house where you have a hallway and walk through to kitchen etc so its probably why I find if hard to pull away from that.

At the moment the house works for me as it is just that dining room element

Hmmmm