How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

Are you thinking fixed head?

Yeh, was looking at this Mira one in particular

1 Attachment

In the 800x800 cubicles there's not much point having the fixed head. You end up needing to switch between the heads or switch off the shower so you can get some suds going on. With the handheld head you just divert it.

I guess other people might have a better idea how to use them.

You could have a nicer quality for the same money without the fixed head. There's some nice Hans Grohe around the £200 mark with the handheld shower head on a rail. Hans Grohe generally has a much nicer finish, the controls feel better and last longer.

Bit more progress this week. Some of the stud walls have gone in and the pocket door systems.

4 Attachments

Thanks for that. Food for thought. I do have a fixed head in an 800 quadrant at the moment and quite like it. Hadn't looked at Hans Grohe before, just found they have a similar dual set up with a much shorter depth so think that will work much better than the Mira.

I still very much enjoy our Grete Jalk France and Son set I renovated 1,5/2 years ago.
https://www.lfgss.com/comments/15934792/
They really are comfy too! I always doze off in 3, 2, 1.. when I take a lie down driving my girlfriend to despair.
Mind you, they're are a set for sitting in more than Netflix couch potato. And you need some cushions for the wooden armrests but it was the look and use we were going for.

Looks similar to Ikea Ekenaset, which is fantastic. Albeit I only have the armchair version

1 Attachment

The ikea looks similar to the Grete Jalk sofa, it's a pastiche/copy/inspired by a design classic.
(sorry, I have been triggered)

The Ikea Ekenaset is a reissue of the Ikea Esbjerg from 1957.
https://gizmodo.com/ikea-is-reissuing-amazing-old-designs-from-the-1950s-an-1661287987

I'm no expert but from a quick Google, I'm not sure if the Grete Jalk precedes that?

Either way if you want it for under £400 brand new, Ikea is the way to go

https://www.room-of-art.de/item/model-1183-in-teak-by-grete-jalk-for-france-and-son-2619/
Designed 1962.
https://www.pamono.eu/makers/france-son
France and son only lasted until 1964/67 depending on source.
So yeah, "copy".
I wasn't aware the ekenaset was a reissue of an original design. Probably not up to the quality of the original though.
We also have a nice IKEA table, originally desk, from the 80s.
But yes, design wise IKEA knows how to copy for the masses
looking at artek copies in the corner

I try to evade IKEA where I can, or don't buy new.
I just think that when quality is concerned, you don't want IKEA.

And I believe Tenderloin wasn't thinking the Swedish flatpackgiant when he asked the original question for Togo alternatives

Yes, as much as i like many mid century design classics (and own a couple) some of the prices asked for what amounts to well built care home furniture* are obscene.

*Wegner/Getama GE series chairs.

The Ekenaset is great quality - solid beech and will last forever

I am perfectly happy to be one of the masses though

They are nice. There are some very nice UK based tap manufacturers but they're a lot more expensive.

Starting to talk about a loft extension.

• 1950s two story semi
  
• would need a gable building up on one side
  
• no idea how to deal with the stairscase we have one of those funny recessed stairs into one of the rooms.
  
  
  

Where do we start?

Do you get one of those all in one firms round to work out ideas? In which case is it a soup-to-nuts affair, or do you still need to get an architect?

Our main question is how to deal with the stairscase, as that decides whether we loose a bedroom on the first floor, which decides what we need upstairs.

1 Attachment

I think cheapest is to put the stairs on top of, or next to, the existing stairs. Assuming your roof ridge line runs left to right not front to back, so there is headroom directly above the existing stairs, I would put new stairs there.

That would lose Bedroom 3 but you may be able to add eg walk in wardrobe or possibly shower en suite to bedroom 1 and make good use of the “lost” space.

If you put the stairs next to the current stairs, running the other way, you’d have to reconfigure the walls in the hall inc entry to bedroom 2 I think, and you’d still end up losing a lot of space in bedroom 3.

Source: I work in a office that has nothing to do with building/architecture/etc. but have renovated one single house (only).

There is a specific amount of headroom required on stairs [2m? Maybe more, I’ll see if I can find it] and you might be able to use that to help work out what would and wouldn’t work.

Because of that big landing you could shift the whole staircase backwards to meet the bathroom wall and wind the top of the stairs so they come up and a right angle. That could give enough room to get the new stairs in and keep the front bedroom.

Depends what downstairs is like though.

Depends what downstairs is like though.

1 Attachment

It's the fact that the stairs cut in to bedroom 3 where the box thing is that's a pain, as it means they're not that high as you come up them.

I wonder about them turning and then using the small landing at the top for the next staircase to go from.

In an ideal world I wouldn't really mind loosing bedroom 3 to a staircase + loads of useful storage space. But much like my desired mini-rear extension the economics comes into play. 4 beds are worth a lot more than 3 beds where we live.

As 2nd bathroom is a must. It all gets a bit cramped if you have to put two bedrooms plus a bathroom in the loft. Even with a gable.

1 Attachment

But I guess going back to the beginning, what's the first thjng we need to do?

I think my OH has unrealistic expectations of someone helping us design it, rather than just fogging us the easiest to build solution.

First thing I'd do is look at the council planning portal for houses like yours with loft conversions (your street or whatever) and see what they did.

^ that’s great advice. See what others with the same house have done.

I agree - don’t put two bedrooms in the loft. Won’t work well.

I reckon there’s a good chance that with a new turning staircase from ground to first floor you’ll be able to keep bed 3, if a bit smaller. You may have to see a bit of the underside of the new stairs in the top corner of the kitchen though. You’ll need a proper, measured plan done to be sure and see how much it will affect things.

Good shout.

Options are IMO:

A. Get a mesured survey (plans, sections, elevations) and then pay a qualified architect to do a feasibility study and go from there.

B. Get a loft company who ideally have a track record on the same street and house type - give them a brief, ask for drawings and then review their proposals very carefully before letting them do any work.

You cannot assess loft projects in plan - you have to consider the cross section - particularly the stairs - Building Regs Part K is your guide here.