LIGHT FROM DARK
A glazed addition brought light to the north-facing aspect of the house Claire and Stephen Mcdonnell share with their children, Thomas and Ella
‘The house is a 1930s detached that had lots of rooms,’ says Claire. ‘It’s north facing, so very dark, with the dining room and tiny kitchen in the centre of the property. We wanted to add glazing at the back to let light into the middle part of the house.
‘We extended by two metres in an L-shape. We had enough space, so it was about making an open-plan family living area. Because the back of the house faced north, we knew the room wouldn’t get too hot, and we didn’t want curtains or blinds in that space. The glazing is Crittall effect. We wanted it to reflect the period of the house, and although the overall look is modern, it adds interest.
‘We moved the rooms that didn’t require much light to the middle of the house. There’s a utility room there, and a coat room. The family area at the back of the house is where we congregate. My son will play on the Playstation, we’ll watch TV, and we’ve got a woodburning stove. The extension gives us garden views and brings the outside in. You can see the garden from the kitchen as well because the back is all glazed.
‘We haven’t had to clean the glass yet, but we’ve got a special cleaner at the ready. We decided against an anti-glare coating for the glass – we were advised by the glazing manufacturer that we wouldn’t need it, being north-facing – and it hasn’t been an issue so far.
‘Before the extension, we spent our time in different rooms. This extension allows everyone to be in the same space but doing their own activities, and it lets you go out into the garden very easily. There’s also less clutter in the house – I tried to find a space for everything.’
COSTS & CONTACTS
Project cost Around £250,000 for extension and full house refurbishment with kitchen, joinery, internal finishes and new timber windows
Architects Uskuri Theobald, uskuri-theobald.com
GO AHEAD?
Although the permitted development (PD) regime allows some extensions to be built without planning permission, a glazed extension may need it. Your architect can advise. A conservatory, while falling under the same planning rules, isn’t subject to the condition that materials used in exterior work should be similar in appearance to those of the existing house. Adding one could be PD, as long as it’s built on to a house; there’s no restriction on PD rights in your area; and you meet the size criteria. See realhomes.com/ planning-permission for more.
DIVIDING LINE
What’s the difference between a conservatory and a glazed extension? A conservatory is useful as living or dining space, while an extension can fulfil many purposes. Aesthetically, a glazed extension can feel more contemporary, while a conservatory is often traditional in style. The latter will often have a more substantial frame and dwarf wall below the glazing. Cost wise, a conservatory will be less of an outlay, particularly if it’s made from UPVC.
ADDING UP
An extension featuring a high proportion of glazing will be more costly than other kinds at a minimum of around £3,000 per square metre. You’re likely to need an architectural designer and structural engineer. Large sheets of glass are trickier to transport, get into position, and install, which influences the final bill. Bear in mind that you may need to improve insulation in the rest of the house to compensate for the areas of glass to comply with building regulations, too.
GLASS BOX
Are you after an extension that’s made completely of glass? This type of statement addition is a possibility, and will need structural glass plus glass beams and columns. The glass can even be a source of heating. A glass box can be opened to the outside via sliding, bi-fold or hinged doors. Be aware that you’ll need to work with a specialist company in creating a true glass box extension. You could have a framed structure, though, and still achieve a contemporary, light-filled addition.