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Hi all, Only my second thread so apologies if my knowledge is slim on things. We have pretty much secured our first house and the sale is moving through very quickly (first time buyers, no chain and a friendship with the owner). We have opted for a bungalow which was on a generous plot size in comparison to the house. a little different for a 21 year old but I see the potential to make this a very nice home. I would like some of your experienced opinions on where and how best to utilise the available space. My first thought for real change is that I feel it needs an extension. It isn't a big bungalow by any means but its adequate for me and my partner for now so we have time on our hands to search around for the best option. My thoughts are to extend out the full width of the house back as far as possible and open the current back kitchen wall to create an 'L' shaped open plan kitchen, diner and new living room (the rear of the house is south facing). This would free up the current living room as a new bedroom, making it a 3 bedroom bungalow which will add value, right? I need your help on how to best go about this. How would the roof design affect the extension, would it have to be a flat roof? My other thought is to extend out the back and leave the 'loft' space above the extension open for a possible loft conversion in the future but again, I don't know if it would be possible because of the roof without it looking out of shape. Also, the current 'sun porch is coming down ASAP. I am open to timber frame extensions etc and I have a lot of family and friends in the building trade which will hopefully bring the cost down. I don't know if its worth noting but we are the end bungalow, the house next door is a 2 storey building. Pictures attached. Thanks for taking the time to read and help.

The house insurance is due for re-newel and the quotes are quite steep. The house is structurally complete, wind and watertight, 50% plasterboarded and just needs bathrooms and kitchen fitted and it will be finished. The reasons the quotes are high it seems is because I am not using contracts people to do the work and using their liability insurance. What have people done in these circumstances? The company I used last year no longer deals with this type of insurance and some of the quotes are ridiculous. I have used Quoterack this morning to see what they come back with and tried Adrian Flux yesterday and their quote was silly money when all of the structural work has been completed. TIA

This is something fundamental to the approach to his design...getting rid of or reducing prejudices of what a house looks like. Houses, along with all buildings to my mind, should be designed from the inside out...sort out the needs, wants, desires, must haves and so on with as few preconceptions as possible.For many this is impossible and undesirable, but it does help to free up the thinking at the early stages. Ask serious estate agents and they will tell you that, given a choice, more people will aim for a Recency rectory or Georgian facade above all else...they will ignore the fact that are most likely inefficient and draughty, but they display a sort of wealth or status...so be it, and I guess many want to display that in a self build. Approached from the inside out you are unlikely to arrive at a symmetrical, balanced facade but you should end up with satisfactory and adjustable solution which will suit a site, and anyway unless you get the proportions right with the right window and even glazing bars it'll tend to look odd. Of course in your listings of must haves you may well have listed 'must look odd'...who am I or your architect to object. In one of the only books I've come across by proven, excellent architects is The Place of House by Charles Moore, Gerald Allen and Donlyn Lyndon and others, written from a West Coast USA perspective, you can read between the lines and follow the principles. Very reasonably priced copies are available on ABEbooks.co.uk...I recommend it. I'll briefly summerise a chapter on house form or arrangement of rooms...all will become clear. 1. Rooms bunched...Could be Georgian/Regency approach but tends to be the way many people build/live...almost a doll's House approach 2, Enfilade...a military expression for a line or row...a row of rooms, interlinking or consolidated with small courtyards. An intriguing and inventive example of this is by Peter Phippen of PR+P in Hatfield, Herts being only around 6m wide but a very long house, designed for a terrace. Google for a floor plan, as one sold relatively recently...indeed there is a bold estate agent that specialises in 'The Modern House'. 3. Rooms surrounding...the idea being rooms surrounding a garden or courtyard...as https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/house-and-homes-blog/gallery/2012/jun/15/homes-interiors 4. Pavilion...As it sounds, yet inevtably more geometric and dare I say symmetrical. This approach could lend itself to extensions of course...think of the advantages, access permitting...works can be carried out without interference with the workings of the existing house, until connection...more of this approach later. 5...Around the edge, this is a bit like a new home built on say two edges of a garden or plot, and on the boundary...a mix of points 2 and 3 really, which need imaginative approach to lighting and the blessing of neighbours.

While I am sure prices vary enormously, is anyone able to give a rought idea how much to allocate to knock down a property? Its a 1950's house with a horrible extension on the back. Some of the parts may be able to be sold to reclamation but assuming not, what sort of price would i be looking at? £20k or £50k?? More??