Ideas for 1.5 storey house conversion. Not spoken to architect(s) yet.

[LaCurandera]

Hi, 

These are only my ideas so far. We're in the process of appointing an architect and don't think I'd actually show these to them at first so we got their own ideas - but offering here for feedback.

Bit of background

• Yes, starting again would be easier, but doing this "feels" like it could be in specific phases that are both within our budget and also discrete. 
• Phase 1 would be the two storey extension in the rear, stairs and door move, first floor and roof. We don't have to touch the extension on the left side, and can do that (including pitching the roof) at a later phase. 
• I've tried to move doors to where there are windows (e.g. front door has current lintel there, kitchen window (in wrong place on original plans) becomes door in to utility. 
• We're digging holes this week to see if putting a second storey + roof is even possible on current foundations, so will need SE etc I guess. I know anything's solvable with enough steel, but that's £

First is the current layout,



External image for context




My own (so not costed, SE or via Architect, just making it up so far!)

1. I have no idea if we can build a proper second storey + roof on the foundations (finding out soon) but we want to convert.
2. It's basically taking out the middle chimeny stack of the house, squaring off walls and then putting a ~4m, two storey extension on the back.
3. To the left of the house is an old extension, currently flat roof but will (in time) go to pitched for Velux for Snug etc
4. To the right the old stores and outside toilet would likely need to go for access to the back with building work, and probably not replaced (other than a gate)
5. Moving stairs so front door is nearer middle of the house, larger hall. 
6. Adding internal door to garage, downstairs wet room. 
7. Upstairs feels unimaginative, but just wanted to check the floorspace could have the double bedrooms, family bath and ensuite. 
8. Also worried that back of the house would be slab front to the garden, so would consider making it slightly less deep than downstairs to have a pitched room or some interest on the back wall. 
9. All dimensions are off estate agent plans so it's approx at best. 

 

[Gus Potter]

Hiya @LaCurandera

 

Interesting project.

 

To get some structural feed back it can help a lot if you put some gridlines on the drawings. Put a grid over the new layout and transfer onto the old. Now you can easily see where the old walls and founds below relate to the new.

 

Sometimes when you want to put an extra storey on you find the old founds can't quite take the increased load. Before you throw in the towel you look to see if it's possible to spread the load out a bit and make the internal walls carry a bit more.

 

Also, if you can put a grid on it make it easier to refer to when making comment on the Architectural design.

 

 

 

 

[LaCurandera]

Thanks @Gus Potter

I don't know I can export floorplanner.com with Gridlines, I'll see. But this is the (badly) colour coded version. 

Red walls are existing
Light blue are completely new
Pink is roughly the area where the current chimney breast is (that touches 3 rooms downstairs) so would be taken out and new-new added. 

Edited January 22, 2022 by LaCurandera
Wrong image

[LaCurandera]

The shaded area here is basically the core of the original house. The area on the left is all later extension(s) in the 60s. 

 

[Gus Potter]

@LaCurandera

 

Well done, colour coding can be really helpful. Persevre with the gridlines if you can, it will pay divdends later when you get further down the road when you get your Architect on board etc. Also, well done for making a start on the layout.. if it's not your day job it's a often ahard .. and even if it is your day job.. it can be challenging (but enjoyable) to come up with a good concept.

 

On the layout my first impression is that I would want to explore shifting the utility, and GF bathroom to where the snug is.. that is the "working part of the house". I like your idea where you come in the front door and you get a line of sight right through into the back garden.

 

Much will depend on the aspect of the house and where the sun rises and sets etc. To get the best out of Bh also mark how your plans sit relative to North.. there are some real innovative folk on BH.

 

I see you have a big landing up stairs, but a modest stair case. When you come in the front door you almost enter a corridor.. I would look / explore to make the rooms upstairs bigger, reduce the upper landing size and spend the money creating more of a wow factor as you come in the front door. On practical point .. sounds great having a bathroom close to the main entrance.. but..!

 

If you like the idea of a "grand entrance, upper landing then you can sometimes achieve the same effect but the use of a roof lantern and some well placed mirrors to create the same effect while increasing the usable space in the rooms.

 

All the best and keep posting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[LaCurandera]

Thanks @Gus Potter, great feedback. 

Kitchen in the "new" 60s extension - good idea which I'll explore. There are services over that side (currently there's a bathroom roughly where the snug is) although boiler isn't. One consideration is that we are unlikely to go back further in that corner (where office is) as that's right on the boundary already and possibly much extra would be within 45' of a rear window of next door. Hence stepping in the extension. So we'd be taking out that left side wall where the stairs might go up which is internal now, but originally external. I'd tried to work with as many currently walls downstairs being unmodified (or at most doors filled in etc). Maybe being a bit braver would be good, although presumably costly.

Aspect, the plot is broadly NE at the front to SW, so the garden gets a lot of sun (see my awful hand-drawn compass on the plan!). Reading BH here I can see potential for issues with the glazing on the back, we'd considered a brise soleil across the back (also for visual interest too)

One thing I hadn't considered with the upstairs, is whether it's better for the rooms to sit roughly over the downstairs walls where possible, I'd just kinda plonked them all in. I'm not enamoured with my upstairs as well as how the back would look, and completely get what you mean about a disproportionate landing. TBH the staircase was just the one I found on the planner, so certainly could be improved!

On the sightline through to back from the front door, absolutely, it's one of my "must haves" if I can. 

I put the bathrooms broadly over the utility (which is currently the kitchen) as the boiler is already in there, next to back door (don't have to move), and there's an outside toilet so there is waste on that side of the house too. That right hand external wall will likely be a ~3m wide access with sheds etc, so I think could house an ASHP too and be near services. 

The side windows for the stairs and the bathrooms could be obscured glass, so thought better to have them on those walls for neighbours etc. 

Other thoughts are whether to have a porch in that front door area to avoid heat loss and store coats etc. 

I'm not expecting structural feedback, more just any gotcha's people can see even at this early stage. Plus, I'd really like to see what an architect would consider for it (although working within a budget!)

Thanks again.

[Gus Potter]

Hiya @LaCurandera

 

"Kitchen in the "new" 60s extension - good idea which I'll explore. There are services over that side (currently there's a bathroom roughly where the snug is) although boiler isn't. One consideration is that we are unlikely to go back further in that corner (where office is) as that's right on the boundary already and possibly much extra would be within 45' of a rear window of next door. Hence stepping in the extension. So we'd be taking out that left side wall where the stairs might go up which is internal now, but originally external. I'd tried to work with as many currently walls downstairs being unmodified (or at most doors filled in etc). Maybe being a bit braver would be good, although presumably costly. "

 

Don't get too hung up on the services for now, keep an eye on the where the electricity comes in though as shifting this can be an issue. Good point about the boundary issues, daylight and over shaddowing. You also have fire protection.. fire boundary conditions.

 

I would get an SE on board that your Archtectural designer has a relationship with. The SE will just keep a watching brief and give the Architect pointers as to where a small layout can be changed if need be that will save a fortune / bring the job within you budget.

 

Remember that this design is going to be an iterative process. To avoid wasted time and expense get the design team you need together early and let them bed in.. and get to know what you really want out of this house as you live in it over the coming years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CharlieKLP]

I think what you have come up with is quite good for an inexperienced designer, I have seen a lot worse than this so just wanted to say nice work on that. It’s an improvement on the layout in that it makes it more ‘modern’. I think the Snug area is a bit dark and the stairs and landing is not the best. The seating area in the Living area, you wouldn’t sit there it wouldn’t be pleasant.

 

I agree, don’t show them this. My advice would be to leave this to the designer to design. I think it would be a fairly simple brief for them. what a designer needs from you is images of things you like and the rooms you want, they don’t need a floor plan.
 

What I would do would be to give the view to the garden to the Snug rather than the Home Office. I’d also have seating in a flat roof extension at the rear. 

what styles do you like? And are you going to replace the pebbledash. I’d make it white render.

 

 

[LaCurandera]

Thanks @CharlieKLP

Agreed on the Snug / Home Office issue. Selfishly I'd like the HO to have greater daylight as it's where I'll be, then the Snug becomes more a cinema room really so less need of daylight. I'm going to play with moving the spaces around. with that area being basically long and thin I was trying to put rooms over there with less daylight requirement. Moving the utility and kitchen makes sense too over there (kitchen skylights etc) and garage proximity too, but I was just reusing the current back door in the utility as the right side has the main rear access, so putting a rear door where the office window it might just mean walking around 2 sides of the property to put bins out etc.

Living room - seating only indicative, but yeah, feels like an interview! But it's about 60cm different to our current one so have a reasonable idea of how it'll work in practice. More likely a 3 seater on the "back" wall and a 1.5 on the vertical wall with something (maybe a fireplace or TV) in the bottom right. 
 

Quote

I’d also have seating in a flat roof extension at the rear.

 
Do you mean have the downstairs go out further than the upstairs rather than the same as it currently is? I really like your image, very similar to what we imagined of an overhang, maybe a brise soleil and having the same floor height inside and "out". I'm going to have that one for the mood board if that's OK! It would also break up the rear elevation when looking back from the garden. We're leaning towards sliders rather than bifolds, but it's really early and do like that pic.  

 

Quote

what styles do you like? And are you going to replace the pebbledash. I’d make it white render.

Yes, expecting to go to white/off-white render. Generally, we like period principles, but for modern living. So things like ceiling height, but open plan day-to-day living area like this back room. It's on a road of predominantly 1920-30s 3 bed, bay semis. So we want the front to be in keeping, hence the double height bay at the front with probably a gable end over. Likely be a slate roof etc. No ceder cladding or black windows!

The back we're anticipating can be more modern (like your image) and we'd encourage it if it's right. 

But it's a rather ugly house at the moment, so knock back the pebble dash and render is certainly on the shortlist. 

Thanks again!

[CharlieKLP]

Have you thought about moving the Garage over to where the workshop is now? This is what I’d do. Maybe wouldn’t even bother with the snug and put the office there, but if you want a view down the garden it might be nice.

[LaCurandera]

Thanks @CharlieKLP, I'll take a look.