Terrace House Extension

The ingenuity of London architects throughout the ages means we get a phenomenal array of building on our streetscapes. But there is one constant across the country – certainly across London. And that is the terrace house. Massive expansion in the late 18th century to the early 20th century means long residential streets chock-a-block with terraced housing appeared month to month. They were adorned in any number of ways, with friezes and spires, bow, bay and leaded-glass windows, lacy gables and columns. But the interiors were strikingly similar. The layout of a terrace house in Chiswick, West London, is scarcely different from one in Stratford.

This means architects have perfected many approaches to revitalising, renovating and expanding the terrace house. As our lifestyles change over time, solutions for upgrading bathrooms, maximising natural light, opening up communal areas and improving flow get more efficient and more sophisticated. Here are a few ways we can turn a standard Victorian terrace house into a dream home of epic proportions.

• Convert the loft
Most terraces houses have storage space in the eaves with potential for a bedroom or two and small shower room. Depending on your budget, you can extend your staircase into the second floor, push up the roof at the rear and get creative with the space. Some couples install an open bath in the boudoir space, replace walls with glazing and build custom storage beneath the rooflights.

• Extend into the side return
Victorian gardens tend to cut into the house at the side, creating an impractical void. Pushing the kitchen into this void can recoup some valuable space and open up opportunity for wow-factor design. Kitchen islands can move into the space, along with expandable tables, living spaces, utility rooms and alcove gardens. Advancements in steel-framed glazing allow us to fully open up the rear of a home with bi-fold, concertina or sliding glass doors and retractable ceilings. In warm weather, all distinctions between indoors and out evaporate.

• Open the common rooms
With an interior pillar or steel ceiling beam, you could completely eliminate the long interior wall separating the hallway from the living spaces. Removing that wall even partially lets natural light travel from the front to rear and back, livening up a dim lounge or kitchen.
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• Up your bedroom count
If you’ve already pushed up the loft and pushed out the kitchen, you could squeeze in an extra bedroom on the second-floor landing over the expanded kitchen. An extra volume half-way to the new loft can accommodate a single room, nursery or dressing room to support the larger master bedroom. Having the flexibility of an extra bedroom means you can expand a poky bathroom into one of the existing rooms or create a new bathroom altogether.

• Dig down
Most Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian terrace houses have a cellar beneath the kitchen – really just a coal hole to heat the house from below. If you don’t have enough height in the space, you could excavate, at a cost. You’ll also have to underpin your foundations, add climate control and tank the basement against damp. If you’re in desperate need of storage, or a small room for guests, this will make sense.

Terraced houses are a common sight in the United Kingdom, and many people want to renovate them. Here is some excellent advice on extending, remodeling, and updating terraced houses that will help you turn your house into something new.

When renovating, you should:

• Seek the proper consultation
• Consider the cost
• Consider the space you are renovating

How to Add Value to Your Property?

To add value to your home, you should do everything possible to increase its beauty. As buyers walk into your home, they should be awed. Remember, first impressions matter. So if they were from seeing a couple of houses before, ensure yours is what they keep reminiscing even as the day comes to an end. To do this, you should:

Decorate and decorate well. With some good decoration, your house can be the most beautiful one in the neighbourhood.

Focus on a few key features to create an eye-catching focal point that will mesmerise visitors. For example, if you have great flooring or unique windows, highlight them–but don’t overdo it, or visitors won’t know where to look.

What Are The Party Wall Laws For Terraced House Extensions?

As it is a terraced house, the party wall laws are different. It would be best if you didn’t build too close to your neighbour’s property line as this would be encroaching on their space, and they could take you to court over this. The good news, though, is that there should be no problem if you leave enough room for them next door- typically, this is six feet.

Of course, the best way to avoid any legal problems and complications when building or extending your property would be to speak with a qualified solicitor who can advise you on the legal stipulations. It’s always worth getting professional advice before making decisions that could affect you for years.

How to Add a Kitchen Diner Extension?

If you have a kitchen coming up against the wall of your property, it might be possible to add on and turn it into something much more helpful. This process would take some work as there are various constraints, including party walls, but with careful planning and sound advice from an architect or builder, this could create all sorts of extra space for your family to enjoy.

How to Create a Bigger Kitchen?

If you need extra space in your kitchen, it might be possible to add on an extension–or even remove flooring and walls from other parts of your home and put them into the room. It would help if you also considered whether you want a separate dining area or not, making designing a larger kitchen even more difficult.

How Much Does It Cost For A Terraced House Extension?

The price of an extension will vary, and it’s essential to consider the costs before you start work on your project. You need to know how long the whole process is likely to take, which materials you’ll be using (some are cheaper than others), and the cost of those materials.

How to Enlarge an Entrance Hallway?

One of the best ways to remodel an entrance hallway is by adding onto your stairs. If you’re happy to live with the space around them, it might be possible- however, this will affect how much room there is on each floor and make future extensions more difficult. It would be best to consider whether you need an elevator to make the building more accessible.

Whose Permission Will You Need?

You will need to get permission for any building or extension from the planning authorities. If you live in a terraced house, this is even more difficult as permitted development rights rules may not cover your project, and so you’ll have to apply for full planning consent before starting work.

How To Add A Downstairs Or Add A Basement?

It’s possible to add a downstairs extension or basement if you have enough space. The most important thing is that the ground slopes away from your house, so there won’t be any risk of flooding- so it pays to do some research in this area before getting started. Also, consider whether you want an open plan design, as this will make building a new house more manageable.

How to Create an Open-Plan Layout?

Step One: Decide the rooms you want to include in your project and their sizes. Remember, if there’s any significant difference between how long or wide they are, it might be tricky to get them all fitted into one space–so do your research.

Step Two: Draw an outline of your house on the ground or floor and then mark out where you want each room to go. You can use a drawing program on your computer if you prefer, but make sure it’s accurate before getting any building work done.

How to Move a Bathroom Upstairs?

It might be possible to move your bathroom upstairs if you have a downstairs extension. However, this will depend on the size of the room and what kind of access you will need, and it’ll also need planning permission before going any further.

Are You Adding More Bedrooms To A Terraced Building?

It’s possible to add more bedrooms if you have an upstairs extension- but this will depend on the size of your property and how much room there is already. You can also create a studio or office area by adding space onto the back garden, but keep in mind that it’ll be difficult for anyone to gain access without going through another room-so; it’s worth considering who will be using the space.

What Is The “Right To Light” Law?

The right to light law means that you cannot build anything on your property, which will prevent a neighbour from receiving natural daylight. If the window in question faces east, this is a problem as buildings get in the way of sunlight, and so there’s an obligation not to do anything that will obstruct or reduce access to light- at least without permission.

The main lesson from this blog post is that renovating a terraced house can be an expensive and time-consuming process. Therefore, if you consider getting started on your renovation project, the best thing to do would be to get in touch with one of the experts who will help you plan how much it should cost and what steps you need to take.