before we can consider your dilemma we need to know 1. the distance from the external walls to all the boundaries and 2. what is the house built out of? (roof, floor and all walls) 3. how many people will be living in the house immediately? 4. what is your climate and 5. the plan needs to be carefully checked as it doesn't match the shape and measurements shown and if you add the correct measurements i can redraw the plan for you

Thanks.

on the left off picture the house is approx 1 meter to boundary. On right it's about 2 meter however that's the side with a easement that runs along boundry. Approx 8 meters to rear boundary

Currently a tin roof, weatherboard clad house on stumps. I would like the back half extension to be polished concrete.

Will be myself and two kids living in house.

sorry don't have more accurate measurements. Would love a rough plan or idea of what could be done

Just had a play with your floor plan and as OK mentioned measurements need confirming as they don't quite add up.

My idea is to try and use the 2 sheds as part of your new extension, I'am guessing that because they are already built they could be included into your new floor plan, cheaper than going up.

I have suggested a possible breezway to connect them from the new kitchen.

The small bedroom not numbered become kitchen and using some of bed 4 for it and the other part for your ensuite, plumbing for both kitchen and ensuite kept together which will save money. Being a stumped timber house any plumbing should be easy.

Trying to use the current laundry WC area as a family bathroom.

Just some ideas for you to consider, what are the childrens ages, they would love their own space if they are teenagers etc. cheers

Thanks. The back half of house is in pretty bad condition so we will demolish. We want polished concrete floors so we would need to start again anyway. The sheds aren't in that position.

ill take some measuresments and if people can help that would be great.

Did wonder about the sheds what with an easement down that side, but wasn't sure like the measurements, what's included in the lean to that you plan to demolish cheers

The sheds aren't permanent structures so I take it there is no issue with them being over the easement. Essentially the lean to would make way for new kitchen/lounge, main bathroom, possibly separate toilet, laundry and a butlers pantry (small I imagine). We will also consider putting a second level with extra bedroom and bathroom

subject to correct measurements and council approval my suggestion would be to demolish the old bathroom for direct access to the old family room, install a new family bathroom in bed 4 with space allowed for a future staircase upstairs to a master suite and extra bedroom and a few steps down to a new family, dining, kitchen and laundry with powder room and front bedroom kept as a lounge..Hopefully your building designer will be able to connect the new and old roofs and allow for appropriate setbacks, improve solar access along the north with highlight windows in the family room and a rear deck and there still should be plenty of rear garden and council might even allow for a garage in the front yard but, first step would be to check all measurements to make sure the proposal is likely to fit the available space and then confirm with council that the proposal is likely to suit regulations............in the meantime, a new bathoom and a coat of paint? would make life more comfortable until you're ready for the big renovation...

Wow that's amazing. Thanks so much. I'll consider this design

I agree that's a good plan, and I'am guessing expensive. I have been playing with Oklouise plans and suggest the following.

Keeping kitchen/Laundry/(Shower/WC) along the same wall to utilize existing plumbing

Not stepping that wall in.

Long narrow pantry/laundry behind kitchen with large sit up to island with sink and DW. with narrow open shelving behind kitchen wall

Second larger sink and Dish washer in Pantry ( F&P dish drawers are great single or double)

Outdoor kitchen with Bifold window servery.

Remove old bathroom and (stairs) so that you can use that space for family bathroom plus ensuite with perhaps taking some space from the bedroom. You would then have 3 bedrooms,Family bath and ensuite all on one level which is good for those with young families. You would use existing bathroom plumbing for this, the toilets would need to be plumbed though.

When renovating the "lean too" with your polished concrete floor perhaps you could consider a good roof space over this to be able to convert to a Master suite down the track , attic bedrooms are lovely.

Open timber stairs for this could run along the back wall of the family room.

An enclosed front Verandah could also make a great ensuite? cheers

because the "step in" is require for second storey the original rear skillion would need to be completely demolished and rebuilt to be suitable for a polished concrete ground floor with upstairs but the arrangements of the internal rooms is flexible

Andrew did mention that he planned to demolish the rear "lean too" so going by that it means a new room and roof would need to be built to work with the front of the house

I don't know the requirements for his area, that's why I considered that if he demolishes the rear end and re builds on the same foot print and by adding a skillion roof and windows he would be able to add attic rooms later or just have a lovely racked ceiling.

If the front verandah became the ensuite that would give the existing rooms a family bathroom and ensuite

With taller ceilings you can even add a mezzanine level a bit like the first photo if and when you want, study bedroom whatever extra space you might like cheers

This is worth looking at for ball park costs

http://www.amerex.com.au/blog/house-extension-costs/

Thanks!

My initial thoughts were to remove main bathroom, and use bedroom 4 for en suite AND family bathroom, moving passage wall to line up with front bedroom. Forgo the walk-in robe to give enough space. I would also remove walls between the kitchen and family room, opening up that space. This would in the interim provide 3 bedrooms and an open plan kitchen living area. Later when the lean-to is demolished it should be a simple process to plan the new kitchen and living areas to suit, returning the old kitchen space to a bedroom (3 bedrooms). I love the suggestion of high pitched roof with space for mezzanine area, or to eventually close in for attic bedroom (4 bedrooms). Those raked ceilings look fabulous, and if only part of the roof space is eventually built in for the bedroom, leaving some of that high ceiling open, this would give your ground floor living area a great feeling of space and light. Good luck with your project - you will be able to create a fabulous house for modern family life!

Hi Daniel,Have you considered the fire places in your floor plan, I hate to see character striped from old houses

Hey Daniel, I had not even looked at the orientation of the house! What a pity to have all those enclosed walls on the north! I think your basic idea makes a lot of sense, with the living spaces running the length of the house on the north side, and bedrooms along the south wall. (Unless of course you are living in Darwin! Or Cairns!) As a south islander (NZ) I place great value on north facing living spaces - we need to make the most of the light and warmth gained from a northern aspect!

Nancymiller48, in Darwin the northerly aspect is even more crucial: the northerly sun is too high to shine into the house, so is best for natural light. It's the east and west you want to block off as the low (especially evening) sun blasts straight in. Where I lived in Sweden they preferred exposing the houses to the east and west to get the most sunlight in a cold climate.

Siriuskey, no I hadn't, being a Queenslander fireplaces take a somewhat secondary priority with me. That said, it would be possible to incorporate them somehow even when removing the dividing wall, and still punch through some windows to the north. We really have too little information to go on. Location and some photos would help greatly!

Hi Daniel, thanks for taking the time to put the floor plan together. We were hoping to maintain the front two rooms as bedrooms and convert room 4 into a main bathroom and separate powder room. Room 3 we also hope to keep as a bedroom, perhaps installing a skylight for extra light. As far as double story extension, could that be accomplished simply buy building up from the rear, not going over existing part of house?

thanks again

That makes sense, Daniel. Here in the south we orientate our houses to the north so as to get the east, north and westerly sun! As much as we can! I built in Cooktown FNQ some years ago and we just made sure we had LARGE overhangs on all sides, very little glazing in the openings, just shutters that could be closed against cyclone or rain. Whole different concept to housing in our southerly climate!

Daniel, can imagine you don't deal with a lot of fire places in QLD but South of that we do. It's like any beautiful old building we need to respect and conserve what is already there, a new addition can allow for more sleek and modern design.

I had been very fortunate to own a beautiful federation house which was simply white inside with polished floor boards, fire places mostly timber, when we sold the new owners striped all beautiful arch ways and all exterior Fret work.

I have recently seen an Architect show his work on this forum where the Bull Nose verandah's and metal posts were removed "they weren't original", even though they would have been a 100 yrs, and were replaced with more modern square posts.

Look at what is happening on the North Shore Pacific Highway, the past government (Labor) has approved multi story apartment blocks along this highway destroying beautiful heritage houses and gardens to do this and losing any historic charm a big lose for Sydney and Australia , and while not doing anything to update ANY transport to support .this

Conserve what we have as is done in other countries for future generations cheers

Hi thanks.

north is on the left

Hi All - Thanks for your help so far. I had a concept design completed. Interested to hear your thoughts on the design.

Is the bathroom (2m), kitchen (1m) , dinning (2.5) and laundry (2) area wide enough?

Maybe Im not spatially aware....

I like this plan, it's better than what I suggested. The bathroom and laundry are fine. The dining room is a bit too skinny. It can easily be made just a bit wider though, say 2.8 or 3m (you don't want to reduce the terrace too much either). The kitchen could also be just a bit wider between the benches, say 1100, just to give you room to step around an open dishwasher while still having both benches easily reachable for working.

major issue is the new floor!!..are you now planning to have the rear extension at the same floor level as the original floor? if not, there should be internal steps down from the old hall to the new polished concrete floor of the extension and do you want the bathroom toilet and/or laundry at which level..."upstairs" same as the bedrooms or downstairs at the same level as the new living areas?? and the dining area would be better swopped with the kitchen for the best use of space and to create a more spacious living area..a breakfast bar servery to the terrace instead of squashed into the living area and will you be removing the chimneys in the front bedrooms? consider a family bathroom between beds 2 and 3?