Plan change - is it worth it???

[Vijay]

I’m thinking of extending the drawing room floor, but just downstairs. Floor increase.jpg shows what I mean in yellow. I also thought I may be able to open up the doorway with a bigger door (in blue) but this may cause me structural issues in terms of supporting the ICF. Main reason for looking at this is when looking out the drawing room rear doors, to the left will be a 2.3m metre wall, but if it is brought out, the view will be into the garden.

 

Floor increase roof and roof 1.jpg shows basic sketches of the new roof which could either be pitched, flat or parapet.

 

I've also attached a ground floor plan (PDF)

 

I could quite easily adapt things at this stage, it would just mean new foundations. I still haven’t poured any concrete into the ICF at this stage and was just about to order floor beams. What I’m concerned about is planning taking 3 months and me stopping for that period.

 

Another possible negative is how it might look from the back of the house. At the moment is is broken up by having different depths and I wonder how it would look if the drawing room was flush (although maybe it would still be broken up at as it would only be a single storey).

 

Before I call the planners, I just wondered if this would be done on a minor amendment?

 

Any thoughts on this change, good or bad?

 

Cheers

 

Vijay

20170131 16005 Proposed dwelling ConstIssue.5.pdf

[Bitpipe]

From experience, NMAs are just that, non material. I got away with increasing front window sizes slightly using one but had another for front roof solar panels turned down (which was fine, they're allowed under PD anyway).

 

As it's at the rear of the dwelling, I doubt the planners would have an issue.  You could take a chance and crack on while do your planning update in parallel?

 

When we decided to extended the basement & adjust the front boundary treatment, the app (our third) sailed through. First (rejected) and second (approved) were the ones that generated all the attention from neighbours, the third did not get a single comment as I suppose they were resigned to it.

 

 

[PeterW]

That’s not non-material so you would need PP. 

 

Looking at that and knowing your floor plan I would just leave it alone as that’s a structural change too. 

[ProDave]

You already have support for the door opening.

 

Can you proceed with the build, but make the lintel the full width, not just the width of the door.  Dig and pour the founds for the extension now. Submit the amended PP application. Don't build the walls of the extension yet.

 

Worst case if PP is denied, is block in the opening and fit the door in the original place for now then consider it as a permitted development extension after completion.

 

If PP is granted then complete the extension as soon as it is approved.

 

 

[Vijay]

1 hour ago, PeterW said:

That’s not non-material so you would need PP. 

 

Looking at that and knowing your floor plan I would just leave it alone as that’s a structural change too. 

 

I agree if I changed the doorway in blue, then it might be a headache structurally.

 

37 minutes ago, ProDave said:

You already have support for the door opening.

 

Can you proceed with the build, but make the lintel the full width, not just the width of the door.  Dig and pour the founds for the extension now. Submit the amended PP application. Don't build the walls of the extension yet.

 

Worst case if PP is denied, is block in the opening and fit the door in the original place for now then consider it as a permitted development extension after completion.

 

If PP is granted then complete the extension as soon as it is approved.

 

 

 

I've thought that exact same thing. From what Bitpipe said abouts planners not worrying too much with the back of the house, that was certainly the attitude I came across when I put in the original plans.

 

How would new and old foundations be tied in together??

[Lesgrandepotato]

Its always cheaper to fix things at the plan stage, even if it takes time. If its what you want get the plans amended.. :-) 

[ragg987]

35 minutes ago, Lesgrandepotato said:

Its always cheaper to fix things at the plan stage, even if it takes time. If its what you want get the plans amended.. :-) 

Agree - else you might end up thinking "if only we had...". Also, what directon are the drawing room windows facing? If that wall is blocking your evening sun then your extension makes more sense.

 

Have you thought of putting something interesting to make a feature of that wall - maybe some hanging plants, or a planter on the ground with tall feature plants? (I do like prairie grasses).

[Vijay]

11 minutes ago, ragg987 said:

Agree - else you might end up thinking "if only we had...". Also, what directon are the drawing room windows facing? If that wall is blocking your evening sun then your extension makes more sense.

 

Have you thought of putting something interesting to make a feature of that wall - maybe some hanging plants, or a planter on the ground with tall feature plants? (I do like prairie grasses).

 

Sun rises and sets towards the right side, so the extension won't make any difference to sunlight.

 

Chatting to Polarwall this morning and that was his exact opinion, make it a feature and don't waste thousands on something that will make minimal difference. I'm still in two minds though 

[Mr Punter]

Instead of the single storey lean-to, If you move the wall back by 1 - 1.5m on both floors the difference in cost will be minimal and the LPA may accept this as a minor amendment.  It also means you will not have to provide support for the upstairs storey, which would likely be tricky otherwise.  There will still be some visual relief in the rear elevation but the remaining wall will not impede your view of the garden so much.

[AliG]

If I was doing that I would continue the first floor roof down at the same angle to hit the top of the ground floor wall, it would look much less awkward. The same as above the garage. As drawn it could look like an extension even if it is not.

 

I don't think that you can extend both floors as the roof would then obscure the some of the solar panels on the other elevation. It would certainly require a lot of changes to the shape of the roof, again making it a more material change.

 

As has been said though, if that wall is to the north of the window and doesn't shade it then it is much less of a worry to have it there and I would probably just leave it.

 

It might also create some shelter from the wind sitting out there depending on the prevailing wind direction.

 

Would you actually use the space in the drawing room, I purposely reduced the size of ours relative to the size of the house as often large houses have drawing rooms with loads of empty floor space that never gets used, especially if it is to be a rarely used formal room.

 

 

[Vijay]

20 hours ago, Mr Punter said:

Instead of the single storey lean-to, If you move the wall back by 1 - 1.5m on both floors the difference in cost will be minimal and the LPA may accept this as a minor amendment.  It also means you will not have to provide support for the upstairs storey, which would likely be tricky otherwise.  There will still be some visual relief in the rear elevation but the remaining wall will not impede your view of the garden so much.

 

AliG is absolutely right, couldn't extend both storeys out without major rework on the roof design and pitches - and that was something planning was anal about.

 

20 hours ago, AliG said:

If I was doing that I would continue the first floor roof down at the same angle to hit the top of the ground floor wall, it would look much less awkward. The same as above the garage. As drawn it could look like an extension even if it is not.

 

I don't think that you can extend both floors as the roof would then obscure the some of the solar panels on the other elevation. It would certainly require a lot of changes to the shape of the roof, again making it a more material change.

 

As has been said though, if that wall is to the north of the window and doesn't shade it then it is much less of a worry to have it there and I would probably just leave it.

 

It might also create some shelter from the wind sitting out there depending on the prevailing wind direction.

 

Would you actually use the space in the drawing room, I purposely reduced the size of ours relative to the size of the house as often large houses have drawing rooms with loads of empty floor space that never gets used, especially if it is to be a rarely used formal room.

 

 

 

I'm not keen on long roofs coming down 2 storeys and I know the planners will insist on the roofs in the development to be very similar - so that's a no go.

 

I have thought a lot about your last comment and it being actual space that I'd use and the true answer is probably not. I'm also wondering if the thousands (at least 4-5k I reckon) is actually worth it. Maybe it's nice being set back and having  the privacy from the garden.

 

I'm still in two minds but swaying towards leave things alone and get on with it lol