EXTENSION UPDATE - new plans and an answer to how much is SHOULD cost!

Hi Laura, with regard to your comment about not being able to resuscitate someone in an emergency, my sister very recently passed away from a massive heart attack. If you are unsure of what to do ,you can ask Alexa, say Alexa tell me how to preform cpr and she will take you through it until help arrives. Hope this is helpful to know, as in an emergency panic sets in which is only natural. Sending love and positive energy to you and your family ❤.

Teddy is so big now! What a cutie. I think keeping some rooms closed off is a wise decision. God forbid we ever go into another 2020 scenario, you’ll have some private spaces for work or just alone time. I’m closing on a small old house in the NYC area and I’m shocked at the costs of doing even the smallest work to the house.

Your current dining room would make a wonderful library/ office, so cosy. Love the wallpaper you chose, absolutely beautiful and brings all the colours of your bedroom together. You are absolutely right to keep the wall to the lounge, you l’ll have the informal open plan areas at the back and the more formal area to the front, perfect. 😊

That floorplan seems like a great idea! Using your space without having to do too much to the front rooms will hopefully save some money. I'm excited to see how it all comes together 🙂

I love your sitting room so I'm very glad it's staying as is. I think you'll appreciate having a closed off room during renovations and then growing children years. I hope you're feeling better soon! Missed seeing Ollie.

Your house is so beautiful and I am wondering,do you really need this extension? I also live in a Victorian terrace and we have had work done, including opening the space between the kitchen and our living room. Well,last year we put the wall back. Sometimes we think that something will work and it may not. Your house is already very big, changing and renovating what needs to be done ( including the kitchen) will probably not only save so much money,but also sort the issues,if they're any. Also I want to add that your house is so beautiful already, that I would probably buy a book with pictures of your house. You have such a good taste.

That floor plan looks great🙂 Hope you feel better soon!

Laura, you are so enthusiastic about the addition. You make me excited about it too. It’s so good for you to be back. Teddy is growing so fast. Did he eat his avocado? Looking forward to next week. I hope you will be feeling better quickly. ❤

I love the plan you showed. Ticks so many boxes. We had a very similar lay out in a previous home & did the same with keeping the front lounge. The only regret I had was I wished we had moved the lounge door down to the other end of the wall (so down the bay window end) it would have made for a cosier/easier seating set up….corner sofa for example xx

So lovely to hear some positive news regarding your quote. 😊

Love the floorplan. For a couple of seconds I was stunned that you were feeding Teddy solids as I was sure he was only a few weeks old, lol. Time flies!!

You might like the YouTube or podcast xomacenna. Last podcast went through the 10 things I wish I knew before renovating. She is finishing up her kitchen. She is in the US but it’s pretty much questions we can all think about. She is renovating a cottage in Texas, herself and renovating her kitchen in California with a contractor. Some great thoughts and ideas. ❤

My cousins a quantity surveyor and it’s down to the single screw 😂 it will save you always always use one the savings are phenomenal and it saves you and then they can’t rip you off , it’s what big companies do

Using a quantity surveyor is a good idea for costings because now your builders doing quotes should all be pricing off the same document as opposed to individually guessing costs. The only problem I foresee is some builders won't be too happy that your so clued up and therefore they won't be able to hike up the costs to increase their profits which they naturally won't like. The good thing is you will weed out the dodgy ones who probably won't bother doing a quote for you when they know you already know what it should cost and the good ones will be pleased to have such an itemised document to work from as it will save them time having to estimate it all themselves.

Love the wallpaper, it looks like a Laura Ashley one? What a good idea finding a quantity surveyor. Look forward to seeing the extension come together, sure it will be another beautiful design/build.xx

I think I would like a bit more colour to the wallpaper. Maybe one with some brown or dull red?

Get well soon !!

I would keep the kitchen chimney and spare the expense and use it as an office or snug and build the kitchen around it just an idea to the other side and out alongside the patio door line end of house. You could have a library within it save your money for the actual kitchen part being moved.

Really interesting Laura. Will pass on to my daughter who is planning to extend. Many thanks.

My Dad used to be a Civil engineer and he always said that a quantity surveyor was the single biggest cost saver they ever had, so very good call! Granted this was for much larger scale building but still... I think you're making the right decision to keep the existing living and dining room walls up, it will translate better over time whilst still giving you the open plan visibility you want for now with littles running around (plus it helps contain the mess! Never underestimate the destructive power of a toddler! ) Hope you feel better soon 😊