ᐅ Floor Plan Change Dilemma – Experiences

Hello everyone,

We are about to renovate a semi-detached house built in 1984. We are considering changing the layout on the ground floor. The following changes are planned:

• The wall between the living room and the entrance area will be removed, making the living room larger and integrating the staircase into the living room.
• The existing conservatory is quite old and will be converted into a terrace (the garden is very small, so this will make the garden appear larger).

Basically, from our perspective, there are two options:

Option 1: The kitchen remains unchanged; the advantage here is that the dining area is integrated into the kitchen.
Option 2: The kitchen moves into the small room; the disadvantage is that the dining table will then have to be placed in the living room.

Now for our big dilemma: at the back of the property, the previous owner built a storage room. Both exterior walls lie on the neighboring property and are constructed from Ytong blocks, with a building height of 2m (6.5 ft). There are two considerations here:

• Remove the storage room (the roof is leaking anyway) and convert the area into a small garden or courtyard, which would bring more light into the office and kitchen.
• Keep the storage room, enlarge the light well (the existing entrance area will be connected to the light well), add a double glass door to the light well, thereby increasing the light in the kitchen.

Thank you very much for your opinions!

Before demolishing load-bearing walls, it is important to know what is above them. Pipes and electrical wiring are likely integrated somewhere as well. Are there any plans available?

Would it be possible to build an extension for the kitchen instead of a conservatory?

Go to an architect. They can possibly advise you on this. If in doubt, the architect will then consult a structural engineer to see if it’s feasible. This is not a DIY planning project.

When demolishing parts of a building on a neighboring property, you should first clarify the legal situation.

That’s where I step out.

Wasn't the garage originally located where the kitchen is now? Is it even allowed to have a living space there?

hanghaus2023 schrieb:

Go to an architect. They can possibly advise you on this. If in doubt, they will consult a structural engineer to see if it’s feasible. This is not a DIY planning project.

If you are demolishing components on a neighboring property, you should first clarify the legal situation.

I’m out.

An appointment with the architect is scheduled; of course, all changes will be coordinated with the architect in advance.