SMART CHOICES
Caspar Williamson, Kelly Bray and their daughter, Margot, extended their Victorian terraced flat to provide more entertaining space
‘We bought our home in 2017 and after living there for two years and undertaking a lot of DIY projects to save money, we enlisted Build Team to help us reorganise and extend the two-bedroom property,’ says Caspar. ‘Our kitchen and living rooms were small. Because we had a large garden, our friends often came round, which was fine in the summer – but it was difficult to entertain in the winter.
‘The work started in October and finished exactly three months later – we had a hard deadline because we couldn’t rent for longer than that. I was able to be on site every day and I think that helped speed things up because I could make decisions quickly. Kelly and I had a few plans we had to scale back in order to stick to our budget, such as foregoing underfloor heating and using fewer Velux windows. Looking back, we’re quite glad we did because the space is exactly the right temperature now in the summer and the winter, too.
‘When we mentioned we wanted to extend, Build Team suggested we add a pitched roof. Because we’re a ground floor flat, it would bring more light into the space and give a sense of a much larger room. We went out by four metres and so had to seek planning consent, but it’s made all the difference. We really wanted a bigger living space and an extra single room.
‘We saved money by reusing some of our old kitchen and buying the extra units. When we first moved in we installed a patio, so once we finished the extension we were able to reuse the paving in the courtyard area, too. We feel like we're living in an Airbnb every day: even the simple things, like having breakfast together before I take Margot to nursery, feel really special.’
PERMITTED DEVELOPMENT
You can perform certain works without needing planning permission for most terraced houses (for exceptions, see ‘Protected status’) under permitted development (PD) rights, though this doesn’t apply to flats or maisonettes. Single-storey rear extensions are permitted within a depth of 3m and a height of 4m, and must not exceed more than 50 per cent of the land around the original house; this differs for side-return extensions (see ‘On side’, p.79). A new fast-track approval process for double-storey extensions is now in place, too. Head to realhomes.com/planningpermission for more details.
NATURAL LIGHT
Getting light into the former rear section of an extension is important. However, careful planning for glazing is essential: a space with too much of it can create uncomfortable temperatures in the winter and in the summer. A good balance through careful positioning and the use of modern double-glazed and gas-filled units with low U-values will ensure year-round use.