House renovation plans, please critique them.

[ianmac42]

Hi All,

 

New on here and first posting. Attached are the plans for our new house - a conversion of an old farmhouse and outbuildings. ANy suggestions on improvements we could make prior to planning submission?

Plans_V5.pdf

[ianmac42]

Any chance a moderator could approve my posting, or have I done anything incorrectly. Let me know if so, thanks.

Edited January 27, 2021 by ianmac42

[Ferdinand]

5 minutes ago, ianmac42 said:

Any chance a moderator could approve my posting, or have I done anything incorrectly. Let me know if so, thanks.

I thought I had on Monday night.

 

But it seems I only unhid the topic, not the post as well. Apols.

[ianmac42]

no problem, thank you.

[George]

Personally, I think the big glass box detracts from the old farmhouse. Which way is south? You might have sun streaming in and blinding you when trying to eat dinner/breakfast.

 

Is the main entrance into the glass box or the living room? If possible, you could swap the hall and living room, retain the original front door (build  a porch as well), but bring the stairs pretty much up the same place. 

 

The kitchen units look a bit small, but depends how much you like cooking.

 

You have 5 external doors but not sure there's a logical practical one... although I live on a working farm so priorities a bit different... I have muddy boots off, somewhere to wash hands, hang up coats, then into the kitchen. I also have a 'formal' entrance (the original old house entrance porch) and a side entrance from kitchen to patio. Obviously this is a bigger house so the other gym/side entrance does make sense. It's the glass box and living room entrances next to each other that don't make as much sense to me.

Edited January 28, 2021 by George

[ianmac42]

Hi George,

 

Thanks for the comments. The glass section is South facing, the sun will arc over from left to right when viewed from the kitchen end, it's a key part of the design.

 

The main entrance is from the North, into the hall area by the kitchen curved wall. Although we will usually go in via the boot/utility room and do as you say wash hands/boots and then proceed in to the kitchen.

 

The kitchen area units are just there as a reference, layout will be using a bigger island with units and sink or hob.

 

We would have kept the original porch, but it's on the wrong side of the house, all parking is to the North and East sides.

 

Thanks, Ian

[George]

Ah yes, I thought it might be the key design element!

 

Don't mind my opinion as I am a random on the internet, but for me, it doesn't fit well with the old building. Practically speaking, I have south facing bi-folds and the winter sun is a right pain, and I think you'll struggle to get blinds to protect you with that glass façade. 

 

The entrances makes more sense now although I'd still just keep the existing doorway if you want an entrance to the living room.

 

You may tell I also subscribe to Period Property forum!

[Roundtuit]

Don't want to pour cold water on your plans, but have you considered demolishing and building new?  It looks like there is a massive amount of work to do, you may have to make a lot of compromises on building performance and you won't get the VAT breaks a new build gets.  Don't get me wrong - I spent 10 years renovating Grade II Georgian townhouse back from semi-derelict to a great family home and don't regret it - but I know what it costs and how it compares to decent modern build, and unless the building has some conservation value, I'd seriously look at the sums versus new build  (and before anyone says it, yes, you can build 'character' into a new build ).

[ianmac42]

Roundtoit, thanks for the comments/ideas. Yes that's where we started the process - Renovate or replace. After working out both avenues, I want to keep the original house (1840s). No stranger to renovating old buildings, this will be my third and last...  said that on each one...

[Mr Punter]

You can build a new house that is a perfect replica of what is there, even reusing some materials.  You could even have some modifications.

 

I think the old building has served its useful life and you would be better with something warm, dry, comfortable and cheap and easy to run and maintain.

[Papillon]

I also think the glass entrance is out of scale and keeping with the rest of the house. 
 

it’s a little bit of a fad to have those now, in my opinion they are a bit of a self-builder trope.

 

I’d scale it down.