Tips for planning a side return extension

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sidereturn
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Tips for planning a side return extension

Postby sidereturn » Wed Jun 20, 2018 8:18 am

Good morning

We are planning a side return extension and we wondered whether you had any advice on design tips on maximising the space, where you got design inspiration from, where to buy kitchens and any pit falls we need to avoid. We have already appointed a builder. Thank you in advance. I am utterly clueless and slightly intimidated.
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PaintTheTownGreen
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Re: Tips for planning a side return extension

Postby PaintTheTownGreen » Wed Jun 20, 2018 11:02 am

Hi SideReturn,

Hello from Paint The Town Green! I saw your post and just wanted to reassure you and let you know that we think it’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed by a project of this nature but we would urge you to try to relax and enjoy the process! In terms of maximising the space and getting design inspiration, starting a look book is a really good idea. Pinterest is great for this. Even if it's only the door handle you spy in an image that you like, it's a great idea to file it for reference later. Magazines and Instagram are great sources of inspiration too. Pictures will help your builder enormously too and he will probably come up with ideas how to box clever, how to achieve a look more cost effectively or throw other ideas into the mix. In terms of maximising the space, paint colour can really help here too which is where we can come in. We are a local painting and decorating company with our own range of high-quality eco-paints. We offer a free colour consultancy at our showroom on Allfarthing Lane and having worked with many local residents and interior designers, we can offer years of experience and advice on both colour and application. There are a few space-maximising tricks. For example, using a slightly darker colour on a high ceiling can be effective. Or using the same colour on skirting boards all the way up to a dado can also create a feeling of space.

With regards to choosing colour, Paint the Town Green founder Phil recently wrote an article about how to go about deciding on colour for the home: 'How to decorate your home with flying colours'. It looks at how to start from scratch so I think in your case it will be a useful read. Here’s the link.

viewtopic.php?f=89&t=96104

Good luck and maybe we’ll see you one day at the showroom.

Jo
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robinm
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Re: Tips for planning a side return extension

Postby robinm » Wed Jun 20, 2018 11:55 am

We've just completed a side and back extension - and love it, we now spend most of our time in it!

With regard to planning, there's quite a lot to think of - here's an 'off-the-top-of-my-head' list of things that I was ignorant to going into the process. Don't let it put you off though :)

- If you can afford (and want) a rear extension at the same time, go for it as revisiting will be expensive
- Party Wall agreement can cost £1k+, dependant on number of neighbours it will effect.
- Where the beam (RSJ) will go, and will there be a bump in the ceiling.
- moving the boiler costs £££
- moving a electricity meter or gas meter costs £££
- letting your neighbours know and keeping them on board as the builders will need access to their property
- Skip hire can be expensive - a man and van clearance team can work out more economical, but some won't pick up rubble
- Ask the builder to quote for everything before at tender stage - any work you ask them to quote for when they're already 'in' will in our experience be vastly inflated.
- Light coming into the main room off the previous alleyway.
- Protect all areas the builders will have access too - dust!!!
- Make sure there is at least a 6 month clause where you keep a small percentage back until all snagging is done. Leaks can only show themselves after prolonged use and after heavy rain.

I'm sure there's many more things, but I've run out of time on my lunch break! Happy to help further, or if you want to take a look at ours (Balham), get in touch via PM.
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