For the love of god, how much is a side return extension?

[Mick Mac]

When is a quote not a quote....

[Jeremy]

P.O.U.S.theWonderCat Wrote:

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> Because it would have been a complete waste of money in terms of capital improvement

I don't think it's really worth doing for financial gain. You might get your money back when you sell, but not much more. You have to really want it, and plan to stay there many years to enjoy it. Also bear in mind that you'll be living in a building site, without a kitchen, for many months.

[*Bob*]

Jeremy Wrote:

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> I don't think it's really worth doing for

> financial gain. You might get your money back when

> you sell, but not much more.

What do you do with money 'for financial gain' at the moment anyway?

Once you've tried wine, gold and art, obvs

[Jeremy]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> What do you do with money 'for financial gain' at the moment anyway?

God knows. Betting against the pound seems like a good start though.

[LondonMix]

I think both a side return and a loft add quite a lot of value. Just look at how much an unextended 3 bed sells for on Rightmove compared to a fully extended house with loft and side return. The total combined spend on both bits of work only needs to be around 100-150k (though obviously can be more). Converting the loft does seem to add more value though.

[*Bob*]

Agree LM. Realistically, most of the people that can afford to buy houses around here now are also going to want to extend those houses as much as they can as soon as they can. So if you've done the work on their behalf, you certainly aren't going to be losing out when you sell.

And you get to enjoy living in it before you do sell (erm.. after the building work anyway) which - personally - is the only reason I'd do any work in the first place.

That said, my own feeling is that it's the 'budget' jobs which will suffer when it comes to maximising returns. Already a few houses recently sold on our street where budget extensions are being re-done by the new owners who see the previous attempts as not up to scratch - this was reflected in the prices they sold for.

[red devil]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> When is a quote not a quote....

...when it's an estimate

[*Bob*]

red devil Wrote:

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> ...when it's an estimate

When it's one of those 'Ryanair' building quotes.

Ohhhh.. you want to sit down in a seat? You want to take clothes with you? You want to make use of the breathable air in the pressurised cabin? You should have said. Well that's all extra, obviously,

[Jeremy]

*Bob* Wrote:

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> Agree LM. Realistically, most of the people that

> can afford to buy houses around here now are also

> going to want to extend those houses as much as

> they can as soon as they can. So if you've done

> the work on their behalf, you certainly aren't

> going to be losing out when you sell.

I think LM's right, a loft conversion definitely adds more value to your home.

I'm not totally convinced about the kitchen extension though, especially not when you add up the true cost of getting it done to a good standard. We're actually planning one at the moment, but we are planning on staying put for quite a long time - I'm not convinced we'll make money from it, but that's not why we're doing it.

[LondonMix]

Weirdly I think a side return adds more value to a house with a loft than one without. I think having the entire house 'done' somehow adds an additional premium, in part because then the living and bedroom space end up more balanced.

Either way, we've done ours to stay put in as well. My friends in Nunhead though do up houses every two years and sell them. Their goal is to eventually be mortgage free. There in the middle of their next project right now.

[*Bob*]

3

[red devil]

Balance is indeed important if you want to maximise a propery's value, but that balance should also include the garden. The problem with some of the houses is ED is that the gardens are small to begin with, so after extending you're left with a pocket handkerchief of a garden, totally out of kilter with a 4-5 bed family house...

[*Bob*]

2

[red devil]

sshlllndendnil nslkk lksoiidokdek sosjoplp...

[*Bob*]

1

*BOOM*

[reds]

LondonMix Wrote:

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> Weirdly I think a side return adds more value to a

> house with a loft than one without. I think

> having the entire house 'done' somehow adds an

> additional premium, in part because then the

> living and bedroom space end up more balanced.

>

> Either way, we've done ours to stay put in as

> well. My friends in Nunhead though do up houses

> every two years and sell them. Their goal is to

> eventually be mortgage free. There in the middle

> of their next project right now.

Do your friends always carry out loft and aide return extentions to maximise profit??

[Mick Mac]

There is something comforting about "spending" money that immediately adds value.

Loft conversions are great value in London currently - for about ?60k you can get two bedrooms and a bathroom - that could add 150k to the value of a house. If that takes you from a 3 bed to a 5 bed, that's worth doing.

But having said that they aren't appropriate for every house, some houses in ED are already 5 bedrooms without a loft conversion.

I agree with RD about the small gardens of some ED houses can then be top heavy, but its not a perfect world and people seem more and more accepting of this as it becomes the norm.

[LondonMix]

Actually no-- the last place and the current place they are doing are just refurbs and lofts actually. I think that's more down to limited funds to invest though than 100% max profit optimization. There is less money to be made though in doing the side return from what they've told me.

reds Wrote:

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> LondonMix Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Weirdly I think a side return adds more value to

> a

> > house with a loft than one without. I think

> > having the entire house 'done' somehow adds an

> > additional premium, in part because then the

> > living and bedroom space end up more balanced.

>

> >

> > Either way, we've done ours to stay put in as

> > well. My friends in Nunhead though do up

> houses

> > every two years and sell them. Their goal is

> to

> > eventually be mortgage free. There in the

> middle

> > of their next project right now.

>

> Do your friends always carry out loft and aide

> return extentions to maximise profit??

[Seabag]

I think near everyone who looks at a semi, which hasn't got the 'side return' quietly thinks in their mind or mentions to their partner, in the car, on the way from the viewing

"And there's always the possibility of adding 'a side return' to maximise the space"

Or

"I wonder why they didn't do the side return thingy?"

Personally, I've fantasies my own for the last 15 years, I feel next year (as I do pretty much every year) will be the year it happens. I've considered and dismissed: All Glass, Part glass, part roof + velux, Crittal, Aluminium, Re-Claimed industrial. Oh and all wood, or wood and skinned with folded zinc

I'm still no nearer and equally undecided.

[red devil]

How about incorporating all of those Sb, the shanty town look will be in by then...

[????]

What's wrong with a couple of poles in concrete and some corrugated plastic sheets (transparent)?

[LondonMix]

SB- unless you aren't overlooked, I'd avoid all glass. Personally, I think extensions that try to blend with the existing architecture (reclaimed London stock or whatever) will age better as trends come and go than anything trying to be specifically 'modern'.

I like the look of Crittal a lot and there is every reason to think bifolds are becoming a bit passe but honestly, given how small our garden is, bifolds work lots better when we are having loads of people over for party / BBQ as our kitchen / living area and garden genuinely become one big space. Just decide based on what your house and lifestyle dictates.

[red devil]

???? Wrote:

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> What's wrong with a couple of poles in concrete

> and some corrugated plastic sheets (transparent)?

I know sometimes people fall out with their builders, but that's going a bit too far...

[Mick Mac]

LondonMix Wrote:

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> SB- unless you aren't overlooked, I'd avoid all

> glass.

Surely not. Its all about space and light, isn't it?

[LondonMix]

Personal taste-- I think 100% glass extensions look great but I'm not a huge fan of the goldfish feeling. Of course there needs to be roof glazing and I have a fully glazed back wall onto the garden but full glass would leave me feeling a bit exposed.