Single storey permitted development rear extension plans

[nightyard]

Hi everyone!  

 

We'd like to build a single storey extension on the rear of our 1970s detached 3 bed house and would be grateful for any input on our ground floor floorplan.

 

The reason we're looking at extending is to create an open plan living space , downstairs office and toilet. My wife and I currently use two of the three bedrooms as offices so we'd like to atleast turn one of them into an actual bedroom for guests/a little one in the future.

 

The architect we instructed to do the plans didn't really ask us many questions about how we'd use the space and the floorplan that he came up with means we would have to walk through the living room to gain access to the back of the property, which we don't really like.

 

After messing around in paint for a couple of hours, I've come up with the attached floorplan that doesn't involve walking through the living room to get to the rear of the property and still has an office and downstairs toilet. What are people's thoughts on the  architect's propsed floorplan and my sketch?

 

Thanks 

Michael

 

 

 

My floorplan sketch

 

 

Floorplan from estate agent when we purchased the property

 

House's current floorplan

 

 

 

 

 

Architect's proposed floorplan

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by nightyard
adding headings to images

[PeterW]

No.1.. lose the bifolds as you’ll never use them and in a space that small they will intrude. If you were going to use them you wouldn’t be asking about alternate routes to the back of the house …

 

No.2.. I make that pitch at about 13 degrees at most - ask him what tiles go that low..? 

No.3 .. the office has no window - it will be dark and not inviting, also may have BRegs issues with means of escape. 
 

No.4 .. put some roof lights in the extension otherwise the whole of rhe middle of the house will be dark

 

[nightyard]

31 minutes ago, PeterW said:

No.1.. lose the bifolds as you’ll never use them and in a space that small they will intrude. If you were going to use them you wouldn’t be asking about alternate routes to the back of the house …

 

No.2.. I make that pitch at about 13 degrees at most - ask him what tiles go that low..? 

No.3 .. the office has no window - it will be dark and not inviting, also may have BRegs issues with means of escape. 
 

No.4 .. put some roof lights in the extension otherwise the whole of rhe middle of the house will be dark

 

 

Hi Peter, thanks for your input.

 

In response to your points.

 

1. I'll give the bifolds some thought as you're right, they won't really be opened very often at all. We mainly just want lots of natural light entering the property. When I'm talking about alternative routes to the rear, I mean when walking between rooms. My wife could have her friends over to hang out in the open plan living space and I could be sat in the living room watching a movie. As much as I like her friends, I would prefer not to be disturbed by people walking through the living room to get to the toilet and back.

 

2.  We asked for the ceilings to be as high as possible as we like high ceilings and want the extension to feel spacious. I think he has found a tile that works at that pitch as I remember him briefly mentioning it on a call. I will ask him as you suggest.

 

3.  We were thinking that the office wall facing into the extension could be steel frame glazed (crittall style glass wall) which would let light in. 

 

4. The original plan was to have a couple velux in the roof so I'm not sure why they're not there. Potentially it has to do with the pitch of the roof? I'll find out.

Edited October 6, 2022 by nightyard
typos.

[Ferdinand]

Can we have a site and orientation plan, with indications of how your rear elevation and the area outside there is shaded? A Google Maps satellite photo would help, or perhaps Bing as they are usually clearer.

 

My 'fat at the back' extension (there when I bought the house) faces North, and is therefore quite shaded. It is sometimes rather gloomy, but the extension I have is two storey (it's a bungalow extended up, back and sideways), so no roof windows. Instead I have a conservatory at the side.

 

Peter is right about roof windows, but if you have shown us your full plot width interfaces with neighbours and access for roof etc maintenance become important.

 

You may be better with a door at one side and a picture window from say knee height, perhaps with a window seat. As soon as you have a huge galumphing bifold wall you end up either keeping it clear and nowhere to put anything, or not keeping it clear and never using it.

 

I'm wondering is where is that garage on your plot? If you have extra width more than the house width itself, then there may be something to be said for eg going a little sideways to get some sunlight into the kitchen diner where you spend your weekends.

 

I think one big issue you have not addressed is storage and utilities - where are washing machine etc going? I'd suggest partitioning off your washer and dryer if needed, and also consider having a wall of storage somewhere.

 

F

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