OK so it took about a month longer than expected, especially as there were only three of us in the chain! However we finally exchnaged last week and are moving on Friday 4th May. In March, I flew my Dad, a retired architect, over from his permanent home in Spain to measure up for the extension. I am very fortunate that my Dad and both brothers are Architects! So dad has done the plans, and now I just need to get a structural engineer over once we have moved in before submitting them for Building Regs. We have decided to stay within permitted development, which is 4 metres for a detached house, that way we wont have to wait months and months for planning permission! Although we have booked Christmas Dinner in a local restaurant....just in case we dont have a kitchen by then! We will be going to at least three builders for quotes, it will be interesting to see how they compare as my brother Paul has already given me an idea of what the extension should cost! I discovered some great 3D planning sites whilst we have been waiting and have had great fun planning. The IKEA kitchen site is OK, although a bit tempremental and you can obviously only use IKEA kitchen units, but its usefull for planning the layout. Another great site is MyDeco http://www.mydeco.com/ , I have the whole house on there and have even furnished it and it sends you 3D photos!
We are planning to knock through the current Kitchen and dining room and add a full width family room and dining area on the back with bi fold doors. Upstairs I am going to knock together the guest ensuite and family bathroom to make it bigger. Other than that the whole place is going to get a make over, i.e. windows, doors, floors, heating, lighting, electrics, exterior decor, staircase, ceilings, coving, bathrooms, kitchen, fireplace and then finally the decorating and garden! Phew, think I may be a bit busy for the next 12 months, but looking forward to it. Miles and I have both been compiling folders when we have come across pictires or websites of stuff we like, so I will share some of these as and when we start each project.
