House Layout Change

[Trendsetter]

TLDR: Who is best to make recommendations on house layout change?

I bought my house two years ago. It's a self build bungalow from the 1980's. I want to redesign it as I feel the layout just doesn't work. I don't think the space is well utilised at all. However I don't know who would be best to contact for what I want.

I don't want fully sketched architectural plans (and the associated cost). I also don't want to get a builder out and waste their time when I don't even know what I want. What I want is rough sketchings of different potential layouts for the house. I need to keep the 4 bedrooms but think I could create an extra room or two with some imagination which I lack. I wrestled with ChatGPT for an hour and lost miserably.

Any thoughts? Would an architect do this kind of thing? Or interior designer? Anyone done similar with a timber kit house who wants to weigh in? I have, helpfully, included an image of the original drawings in case anyone has any immediate thoughts.

[gangzoom]

Trendsetter said:

However I don't know who would be best to contact for what I want.

I don't want fully sketched architectural plans (and the associated cost). I also don't want to get a builder out and waste their time when I don't even know what I want.

No one here can give the answers, you need at minimum a structural engineer and builder on site. An architect however is who you really need to come up with a vision and plan.

I would suggest if you are serious about remodeling the house you need to first over come the mental barrier of cost. If you do want to get work done it will cost you ££££, lots of £££££. In drawing fees, structural surveys, building, making good, decorating etc etc. it's also not just the ££££, it the decision making, arranging trades to come quote and do work, than the time it takes.

We were in a similar position a few years after moving into our bungalow. We didn't want to extend out but did want to make the doomer bedrooms more usable. We had no idea where to start or what it would involve. In the end by the time the structural survey was done I had some idea what works might be needed, but I wasn't prepared for what reality looked like. The 'shaded' bit in the drawings ended up needing demolition, it was where the old kitchen and living room was - both perfectly good rooms.

Personally I really enjoyed the process and plan to do it all again at some point, but you need to accept any building works wouldn't be cheap, quick, or easy.

Edited by gangzoom on Monday 23 February 07:16

[Trendsetter]

I appreciate that this work won’t come cheap unfortunately! By cost, I really mean that at this time, I don’t need fully detailed plans. I essentially want someone to give some different floor plan suggestions to see if we can make better use of the space. Never having done any significant building work, I’m just not sure if this something an architect would do.

The whole place needs a lot of redecorating and remedial works anyway. I figure if I’m going to change the house, I may as well do that before laying lots of new floors.

[gangzoom]

Architect will show you a vision, potentially something really exciting you wouldn’t have thought about, but they don’t really care too much about cost as they aren’t paying.

A surveyor will produce structural drawings based on what you/architect wants. They might have to do some trial hole digging to explore current foundations etc. Their job is to make sure the building can pass building regs if build to plan.

A builder will build/quote off plans produced by the surveyor, some might just ‘wing it’ if you point to a wall and ask them to move it. You than have electrics, plumbing, plastering, decorating.

All of the above takes time and money to sort out. None of it is hard but it’s a lot harder than buying a new build or a renovated house which is why most people don’t bother.

From my limited experience of doing renovations on our home, if you are going to go to all that effort you might as well do something that really works for you/family, so getting the initial design right is key.