‘We period updated terrace a with extension’ a modern AFTER

A contemporary, twostorey addition doubled the footprint of Will and Romy’s cramped Victorian cottage

‘We updated a period terrace with a modern extension’ A contemporary two-storey addition

House sitting for friends led to a big change for Will and Romy. ‘We loved the area and realised we could afford a house here for the same price as our flat in northwest London,’ says Will. The couple bought this terrace in 2014.

COMPLETE OVERHAUL The original footprint didn’t give the couple space for the kitchen-diner they were after, plus they were keen for the boys to have rooms of their own as well as wanting an office space for themselves. ‘There was an old extension with a kitchen and a bathroom, but it didn’t work for us.’

GETTING TO WORK ‘We knocked the old extension down and put a temporary kitchen in the second reception room. We worked in two phases: first we stripped everything out of the house and redid the electrics and plumbing; second, we worked on the extension to create the kitchen-diner.’

COMING TOGETHER Learning how buildings work, lead times, and how to position lighting were all challenges, but once the kitchen was in, things fell into place. ‘We now have a spacious kitchen-diner/living area, with sun shining through the roof light. It’s a fantastic space to be.’

A SIBERIAN-LARCH-CLAD TWO-STOREY EXTENSION GIVES THE FAMILY A SPACIOUS NEW KITCHEN-DINER, AS WELL AS A HOME OFFICE ROOM UPSTAIRS

Will Hulse and Romy Jakavicius live here with their sons,

Rupert, seven and Maurice, nine. Will is a technology consultant and Romy is a business analyst.

THE PROPERTY

A four-bedroom, three-storey Victorian terraced house in south London.

THE VALUE

for

Bought £780,000 in 2014; now worth

WHAT IT

THE HOUSE HAD A SHABBY, LEAN-TO EXTENSION THAT HOUSED A KITCHEN AND BATHROOM £1.3m.

COST

Construction ........................ £100,000

Builders’, engineer’s and architect’s fees ......................... £20,000