The Right Extension For Me

There are variety of ways you can make your home more space efficient, be that through a house renovation or with an extension. Here at Home Tales, we specialise in home extensions across London. One thing that is blindingly obvious to us, after years of experience and countless designs, is that there is no ‘one size fits all’ extension design. The perfect design is different for each person, and it’s our job to create the design that is right for you, your family and your lifestyle. We thought we would talk you through some of the recent extension designs we have created. We’ll explain how we came up with the proposal too, to give some context to each design. 

Ground floor extensions typically add functional space, particularly if they are in a house (not a flat). They are most commonly used to create a larger kitchen, but there is often additional space to spare for a living area or dining area. In a ground floor flat, a ground floor extension might enable an extra bedroom to be formed. First floor extensions and loft conversions typically create new bedrooms or bathrooms, or sometimes we use them to add a walk-in wardrobe or an office. If you are wondering how you should extend, have a read through the pros and cons of each option below. 

Loft conversions

Loft conversions are arguably the most efficient form of home extension, as they don’t pinch space from elsewhere. The floor area is already there, and while it might be used to store your camping equipment and Christmas tree, it doesn’t contribute much to day to day life. 

The most common form of loft extension is a dormer. This is opens up the rear pitch of your room (the one overlooking your garden) to make it a usable room. Mansard extensions are similar but the angle is pitched. Some councils find this style of loft extension to be more sympathetic and in-keeping with the host property. 

We recently completed a loft conversion in South West London, which added a whopping 31SQM onto the property. This enabled the addition of two double bedrooms and a bathroom. This added an entire new floor onto this modest 3-bed home. We included 3 Velux windows on the front pitched roof, and two windows in each of the bedrooms overlooking the garden. There was a level change in the property, so the landing had to account for this. There is even a large amount of eaves storage, spanning the entire width of the property. 

The Ground Floor Extension

Ground floor extensions completely transform the living, dining and kitchen area within your home. There are a variety of options when it comes to designing your ground floor, and we encourage all of our clients to think beyond the extension itself. When you extend, the entire ground floor plan can be modified to account for the new space. You want to create a floor that works in unison. 

Here is an example of typical mid-terrace Victorian property. Once the side infill was added, the client decided to remove the wall between the living and original dining area to create a larger living room. They added a sizeable WC in which also houses their mega-flow system. The rear room is large enough for a large kitchen, with island, and a 6-seater dining table. 

First Floor Extension

While less common then ground floor extensions and loft conversions, first floor extensions offer lots of options. You can make bedrooms larger, add bathrooms, create a study or a playroom, or even add a walk-in wardrobe to your master bedroom. We recently completed a first floor side and rear extension on a 2 bedroom maisonette in Crouch End, as well as a bathroom refurbishment. The extension completely transformed the property, allowing for a spacious, open-plan kitchen, living and dining area. We removed a chimney breast to maximise the space available. In total we added an impressive 25SQM to the property.

Basement Extensions 


Basement extensions are complex and expensive to do, but they can offer a huge amount of space, in some cases the entire footprint of the property. We don’t offer them here at Home Tales, as they require a specialist set of skills and expertise. If you want to explore the option of a basement, do some research into your local councils’ policy on them. Some local boroughs don’t allow them or make them very difficult to gain approval for. 

If you are thinking about extending but aren’t sure which option is best for you, give our team a call today on 0207 043 2378 or email us at hello@hometales.co.uk. You can also book a home visit within minutes via our online bookings page. A site visit will enable an architectural designer to meet you at your property to discuss your project in more detail. Following the visit, we will issue you with a quote for the works. 


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