Kitchen extension query

@RedOnion
Some people have their fridge in the dining area, another has a breakfast bar at the end, while my next door neighbor got rid of the utility but still has the same issue of work surface and storage space. There are about 10 or less houses built this way as the others are 3 bed. The older 4 bed houses close to us (estate is continuously being built) have square kitchens similar to what we are thinking to extend to.
 
@DannyBoyD washer and dryer are stacked in the utility at the moment.
We have an architect coming on Monday so we may get ideas from him and be able to visualise a different set up.
 
@Premos the extension will not eat into our current garden space because we are extending to match the length of the current kitchen. I suppose if we don’t do it we will always consider doing it (if that makes sense). I’m so bad at design/imagining things if they’re not in front of me.
 
If you build it now, it will seem expensive at this point in time but in 10 or 20 years time looking back it will look cheap.

Will you need an engineer to look at it too as well as a architect?
You will probably need an extra steel beam or 2 in the ceiling under the existing back wall of the house.
 
MsCutha said:
We’re quite central at the moment, 5 mins to CUH and 15 mins to 3 other hospitals (one child has an allergy), husband works from home and I probably will in a few years time. We have 3 kids (10, 8, 2) and the older two play sports so lots of gear everywhere and good location also. We will lose this if we move 20 mins with the traffic in Cork.
Click to expand...
You would be mad to give that up with 3 children. You'll be permanently on the road. You mentioned the Lynch tunnel, and 20 minutes extra, then 30 minutes extra, so I suspect it's 40 minutes on good days, you're suggesting a nightmare for yourself. I'm speaking as a mother who moved house to avoid what you're proposing to do. So I had all the sports, schools, doctors and hospitals closer to me and so I could avoid the unbelievable stress of city traffic. Don't do it.

(the pictures really make a difference to seeing what you are writing about)
 
Last edited:
MsCutha said:
house sells for maybe 450k (4 bed semi valued at 440 last Nov),
4/5 bed house of 550/600k (max budget if we need to move).
Click to expand...
You did not give your mortgage balance remaining, your monthly payment and year left, plus your ages.

You're proposing an extra 150K, plus costs of say 15K. Will a bank give you an extra 150K and have you the 15K costs?
 
DannyBoyD said:
I'm taking it that the floor plan is your existing house.

Swap the kitchen to the other side, so you have a galley kitchen along what is currently your party wall with your neighbour.

That makes what is currently the kitchen your dining area.

You could think about making that kitchen window into french doors & the current double door into a single door.
Click to expand...
She could get rid of the double door in that case, and make the kitchen run there too. Put in a window instead, or window on wall opposite couch. Could even run the kitchen into that wall as well, currently she has the bins stacked there and it seems to go back a bit. She needs to put in a dishwasher for sure. Put the microwave up, and oven too if she has the space. Kitchen cupboards to go to top of the ceiling to give more storage.

Couch to go where oven is currently.

There is way too much 'stuff' right now on the kitchen counter. Child seat is too bulky, buy the Ikea white one instead.

I think with a 4 bed for 5 people, moving the washing machine and dryer upstairs might be possible in one of the ensuites which are probably not needed. Alternatively out into a shed. I'm wondering how there are 3 bedrooms on the 1st floor, one must be tiny.

I suspect hubby is holding onto utility because he knows it will be a kitchen full of clothes otherwise.
 
I would see what the architect says. You square off the kitchen, you would have significant space to redesign your kitchen including putting in a large Island for storage/seating/counter space.
There is nothing cheap about renovating kitchens but if you are staying in the house, I would strongly suggest doing it if you have the money. People talk about 'getting the money back' but if you are going to spend the next 20-30+ years in the house, who cares?
 
Bronte said:
You did not give your mortgage balance remaining, your monthly payment and year left, plus your ages.

You're proposing an extra 150K, plus costs of say 15K. Will a bank give you an extra 150K and have you the 15K costs?
Click to expand...
Apologies @Bronte
balance approx €250k outstanding,
monthly payment of €1436 (max 10% of monthly payment allowed).
20 years remaining, 4 year fix at 1.9% expiring Oct 2026
Ages 37 and 38 with 3 kids 10,8 and 2
We’re not set on moving just brainstorming. We’re in a good enough spot at the moment, good neighbours, we sure lifts for school, kid’s activities etc. so next to stay where we are for now.
 
We had the architect in on Monday and he described the kitchen as “not functional”. He did say yes we could move the kitchen to the wall but thinks it’s better if we can knock down the walls to make a bigger room.
He will be back next week to take measurements and will draw up plans.
We did consider extending 2 years ago but it was quite costly at ~18k now the minimum quote is almost double that amount. I can see us in 3 years time having this discussion again so want to avoid that.
 
We bought in 2008. We are just near completion of a complete refurb including an 2 storey extension. It took us 14 years of talking about it to finally pull the trigger. Extending will only get more expensive. The earlier you do it the longer you'll benefit from it. If its at all feasible I'd go for it if I was you.
 
If I was extending, I would make sure I was happy with the rest of the house. You have 3 children, how would it be to house 3 teenagers? I find that children get bigger, everyone needs more space and most of all privacy. Not only in the main room and kitchen.
If you ask me if my kitchen dinner would be nicer bigger, I would probably say yes. Would it sort the issues I have with my house, the answer would be absolutely not.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top