Bungalow on an awkward plot - to buy or not?

Germanshepherdsmum, it is a valid point. But large open plan kitchens have been used in the last two decades not in only large properties, but even small flats have open plan kitchen/living/dining these days. We have a kitchen/diner now, and this where we (hardly ever) entertain guests. You just have to keep kitchen tidy. I spend all day in that room, I love the feeling of space, I only need to heat one room most of the time. And the lounge is only used in the evenings to watch TV, and even then it is mostly DH that sits there to unwind after work. In any case, he loved this idea over the prospect of taking the chimney down.

Reading between the lines of your post I wonder if you have already made your mind up? No property is going to be without drawbacks and compromises often have to be made. However can't help ' feeling ' this property is not what you really want ? My advice for what it's worth is to think very carefully before going ahead - good luck with whatever decision is made.

Are you going to put in an offer on this bungalow?

Personally, do not really understand this thing about large kitchen/diners/living rooms. Think I can see how they work when you have children at home, can be preparing a meal and keeping an eye onthem doing homework, etc. However, for older people, think they are horrible.

In the seaside town in which I live, a lot of the very large older buildings are being made over into very smart, expensive flats. All have a Living room, with the kitchen at the end of it, and there is no way I would want to live in one of them. Firstly, how do you deal with cooking smells if not able to close the door and open the window. ALso must be aleways on edge if kitchen is slightly messy, any visitors cannot help but see it when enjoying a cup of coffee inthe living room. Do really want to keep kitchen as a separate room which can be closed off.

Both my bathroom and En-suite shower room are totally internal, no outside walls whatoever. One extractor fan covers both. Extremely successfully no problem with either damp, mould or smells), I actually like internal bathrooms, etc as they are so much easier to keep warm.

Found the comment about toilet being other side of wall to dining room rather strange. I assume that person would never have an en-suite.

A lot of expense and upheaval. Would you be able to live in the property while the work was being done and would you be adding to or detracting from the value of the property? The proposed living room/snug is very small for the only separate living area (furniture takes up space) and the new ‘social kitchen’ won’t be large enough for much socialising. I know you said you spend most of your time in the kitchen but does your husband want to do that and would you want to entertain guests in the kitchen (all the detritus of the meal on show and very little room for furniture)? This idea wouldn’t really give you two living rooms by the time you’ve factored in the furniture. It would give you a larger kitchen/diner and a very small living room. Open plan kitchen dining/living rooms are very popular now, but generally in larger properties than this - and you may depend that what is fashionable today will soon be quite the opposite. You are constrained by what this property actually is - a small bungalow. It obviously isn’t what you really want and I don’t think it ever will be.

Somebody just gave me a totally different idea. To make the lounge/diner into a big social kitchen/diner at the back and make the current kitchen into a cosy living room at front of the house with an optional divider between that you can close or open as you wish. Then the chimney can stay and be opened into the snug room. Then we would still have 2 living rooms. Would 3.6x3.6m be enough for a snug where the DH would relax with his tablet or we both watch TV?

Hetty58

I like a square (not arched) opening, with a pair of pocket doors. That gives the option of one large room or two smaller ones.

What a good idea!

25Avalon

From what I’ve read arches are actually back in! They date back to Ancient Rome and Greece by the way. They are not old fashioned but if you just don’t like them then you just don’t like them.

I believe that everything has its place. It depends on the style of the property. In my opinion, arches look great in classical or grand properties with higher ceilings. This particular bungalow is build in a cottage style with small-ish brown frame windows. Every time we move the house I decorate and furnish it in keeping with the style of the property, whatever the style is.

I like a square (not arched) opening, with a pair of pocket doors. That gives the option of one large room or two smaller ones.

From what I’ve read arches are actually back in! They date back to Ancient Rome and Greece by the way. They are not old fashioned but if you just don’t like them then you just don’t like them.

Germanshepherdsmum

I agree, archways are very old fashioned. Why can’t your husband use one of the bedrooms as an office? That’s what we have always done.

That's exactly the plan - to have smallest bedroom as an office. We don't need a dining room as family gatherings are extremely rare. We will make do with a small table in the lounge.

I agree, archways are very old fashioned. Why can’t your husband use one of the bedrooms as an office? That’s what we have always done.

25Avalon

Could I give you another thought? Instead of knocking down the whole wall you could have an archway. But that’s me as I love archways.

Archways I like too, but they have gone of out of fashion

Could I give you another thought? Instead of knocking down the whole wall you could have an archway. But that’s me as I love archways.

I have another question. We are thinking of taking the wall down between the lounge and the kitchen. Would you or would you not? What is your experience? We currently have a very large kitchen/diner and a separate large lounge. We often use them a separate living rooms for me and DH, as I literally live in the kitchen/diner with my laptop and he lives in the living room that is combined with an office. I am a bit worried about losing a separate living space if we knock the wall, but the kitchen itself is not that big to become a kitchen/diner. So the dining table would have to go to the lounge. Any suggestions?

My husband re-assured me that extractor fans can be going into the roof if necessary, and there are some efficient ones these days, especially in new builds and very often in apartments. Of course, it can also go outside via an en-suite. In our loft style apartment we open skylights in bathrooms, they are far more effective than extractors. So we have to see, but this is not a deal breaker.

One of our bathrooms has no external walls. The extractor fan vents out through the roof. It’s very efficient.

I made the comment as the floor plan shows the main bathroom is right next to the sitting/dining room with the toilet on the adjoining wall with no outside wall or window. OP acknowledged this comment by saying I am wondering how effective mechanical extract fans are at eliminating bathroom moisture.

I must say I thought it was an odd configuration because the only wall for an extractor fan would be the one into the ensuite and consequently the main bedroom.

And, believe me, I've seen some very odd room layouts in the time I've been looking!

DrWatson… some odd comments on here. One said "The bathroom toilet so close to the dining room would put me off", well, it's a bungalow, not Buck House, so it's not going to be a country ramble between them, is it?!

Why the sarcasm? I made the comment as the floor plan shows the main bathroom is right next to the sitting/dining room with the toilet on the adjoining wall with no outside wall or window. OP acknowledged this comment by saying I am wondering how effective mechanical extract fans are at eliminating bathroom moisture.

Without putting too fine a point on it, what is done in a bathroom doesn’t just create moisture. It’s relevant for guests as well as the owners. Some people might be sensitive about these things while others won’t give a toot. Or they might toot like an elephant and all that follows and just not care.

It’s not an insurmountable problem. Maybe the room can be reconfigured but it all has to be factored into cost.

I think a lot of people like corner plots as you are not as overlooked (generally) I personally prefer them

Have you made an offer?

Germanshepherdsmum

Ah, I understand Sherlock. 🔎😊

I don't!!

🤔

DrWatson
You've spelt neighbour(s) correctly six times; when I type the word, the admin at GNHQ don't object at all.

You could try changing your spell checker to an English UK one, perhaps it's set to American English.

Ah, I understand Sherlock. 🔎😊

Germanshepherdsmum

Don’t you think it’s the spellchecker on your device which is causing you problems? GN know nothing about your post until it’s posted.

I think DrWatson could be having an off day, everything's wrong with the world. Neighbours, other posters on the thread, even GNHQ 😁

I would also knock on neighbours doors and ask about pros and cons of the area.
If you are chatty you will get more info.
Pros and cons conversation may lead to more info re that particular house. And if they were all built about the same time you can say "have you had to make a lot of changes to yours" or whatever.

I have had great advice from neighbours on several occasions one was renting and said ^i would never buy a house here - and told me why!! 😱 - and only one was snippy ever.