How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

Cheers. Something to look wistfully at.

Where we are most people would just slap on a 6m extension to our place, but I really like our garden and patio size. So a couple of meters to give the space to change the kitchen layout, maybe free up room for a WC under the stairs, would be enough for me.

But you'd be a mug to drop £s on groundworks, plumbing, #40kkitchen, etc. for so little extra space from a VFM and resale perspective.

I guess that's why that wood extension stayed with me.

It sounds like you are in exactly the same place as we were needs wise. And yeah, our ground works were a large part of our cost.

That Yard one is lovely isn’t it?

Wondering how it would work given we’d be going straight out from the back, not side return (ground floor layout is a box):

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https://www.eckfordchong.com/harringay-residential-interior-alterations-extensions

Marmoleum range called ‘concrete’ which has some texture and a bunch of colour options - think you can get free samples off the forbo website.

👍

I used an all in one company. Architect wasn't great at coming up with plans himself but once I said exactly what I wanted and referenced other plans it was fine.

It was a generic box from the outside though and if I'd wanted something unique I probably would have gone with my own architect. Just didn't feel it was worth it for an outside that I'd rarely see though

Interesting, thanks - I guess even generic box on the outside could have zinc cladding or similar to make it look a bit better, if I want to fork out?

Do you mind me asking which company - London based?

EC stuff looks great doesn’t it - am tempted to drop them a message, its only the fear that it’ll come to a number starting in 3 that stops me…

Wonder how they got that wooden and glass one to pass thermal efficiency regs.

Hmmm… I’ll ask next time I see them! I’d guess it’s a different type of classification? Not part of the house but an adjoining structure like a conservatory? Total guess. Maybe it just passes normal regs?

If it is a conservatory then it needs doors from the rest of the house and a separate heating system. Maybe it has both of those.

Or maybe they just engineered it really well. But there's a lot of glass in there.

Looking at the pictures in detail, then yes, it's a fancy conservatory / lean to affair which can be closed off from the rest of the house.

Its got a radiator, and some sliding doors if you go through to the last pics, so maybe thats it?

Note that permitted development requires materials to ‘match’ the house - which is why an ugly generic 50k(ish) PD dormer box is clad in hung tile.

It shouldn’t be contentious to get planning permish for similar box but with zinc cladding - but it does change the application procedure - councils will have an ‘spg’ resi design guide which might actually be more restrictive than PD rights so is worth reviewing.

Also - re. “Architects” you absolutely don’t need one but in theory they should add value - increase the quality of outcome across the board and in the first instance help you to figure out what you want, need vs what you might afford.

I doubt the rear extension examples up thread are coming in at sub 100k (especially these days). But they are unique and by published/highly regarded design led firms - you get what you pay for - I’d argue they actually achieve a lot with relatively little budget.

Ah yeah, had forgotten about matching materials - seems a ridiculous rule if it ends up with those ugly boxes!

Cheers for the advice. I am definitely open to using an architect but my worry is (as much as anything) finding one I like who wants to take on what will be a small-ish job for them, and then a residual fear about what will be most cost efficient. Might see if I can get in the house first, then scout around for some more info then (hopefully also with a better idea what will give us the biggest QOL improvements)

seems a ridiculous rule if it ends up with those ugly boxes!

Stop knocking my ugly box!

I read about monitoring systems on the gas safe register

I have heard that there could be alternatives to having hatches fitted. Is this true?
Visual examination checks by engineers via inspection hatches is currently the preferred method recommended by the industry guidance that explains how to judge that a flue is working safely and effectively. However, where inspection hatches are not practicable industry has developed a safety system which is able to monitor the void for the presence of carbon monoxide and which cause the boiler to shut down if it is detected.

It looks like Baxi do a system but I can't seem to find details beyond this launch release from 2013

Am I right in saying that inspection hatches are only needed at joins in the flue? So if the flue starts in the large cupboard where it is easily visible and then runs straight through the ceiling void/boxed in section to the exterior wall i wouldn't need a hatch?

I’m sure yours is unique and beautiful in its own way

How much will inspection hatches cost me?
It will vary from property to property. It is recommended that hatches are at least 300mm x 300mm and wherever possible, be positioned within 1.5m to the side of any joint in the flue system. Therefore, some properties will only need one hatch, while others may need more.

We could in theory take our inspection hatches out now as we replaced the coupled flue with a single pipe earlier this year.

I’m sure yours is unique and beautiful in its own way

Hah that's pretty much our gaff summed up. It's special. Oh so special.

Ah yeah, knew I'd read that somewhere! Time to talk to a gas safe engineer I think...

Is it wishful thinking to hope that because my house is on a bit of a slope and the kitchen is a bit raised from the garden then I might be spared some of the costly groundworks on a future extension.

Standard Victorian semi... kitchen is a few steps down from the rest of the house then has a 1ft step out/down into the garden (and 2ft of crawl space underneath the floorboards).

Partner had an extension finished recently and some of the costs were fairly eye watering, but then she was extending a lower ground floor, in an older terrace with literally no foundations to speak of. Mine I would hope would be far more straightforward in terms of access and the amount of 'prep' needed.

The link @hugo7 posted (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00­0wvy2 at ~29:30) where BBC architect suggested essentially a 'cheap' raised base sounds feasible to me.
Not to actually have a raised extension, but just bringing the extension floor up to the rest of the kitchen floor level.
Though I have no idea what I'm talking about.

I'm not a structural engineer but generally any extension needs foundations into the ground to whatever depth is required by the SE/Building Regs Inspector. Ground conditions (soil type etc) , tree positions, the design of the extension, how it joins to the existing house - where the loads fall will be affect the foundation design.

Typically it would be a concrete trench but other designs might me used (mini-piles and a ring beam or possibly a concrete "raft").

On a slope - the external walls will be built up from external ground level and you'd probably use a suspended concrete beam and block floor to line through with the existing kitchen.

The BBC thing is too vague to judge but it seemed the motivation (cost saving) was primarily to do with creating a void for reworking drainage above 'ground' rather than having to dig it all in. Your sloping site might give you that option.

I used these https://www.danjamesconstruction.com/ who cover North London.

I found them very good but I know @brokenbetty used them for something architect designed and had some issues.

I guess that may also be an issue in that the loft companies who bang the conversions out probably prefer nice, easy designs.

I guess that may also be an issue in that the loft companies who bang the conversions out probably prefer nice, easy designs

Absolutely this.