Extension to Bungalow - Maximising Light

Curly_Wurly

Hi there,
We have a detached bungalow on a 1 acre site, built around 2001, by the previous owner that we bought from. Currently 1800 sq ft. We have 2 small kids and are finding storage a problem for mainly toys and kits and are looking to build on a playroom and nice play area for the kids. We also would like another bedroom too for guests or any more kids that might appear! :-o :-)

We have a kitchen/conservatory - the conservatory is used for all toys at the moment. We are looking to extend the conservatory down about 8 foot to make a better open planned kitchen/dining/living area and put a stove at the end to make it used more as I spend most days when i'm home in the kitchen. We have seen an architect and he suggested building 2 rooms to the front of the house which is southfacing so would be ideal. We have 2 large bay windows to the front of the house - that's our bedroom and the livingroom - this leaves a considerable space or courtyard area in the front making plenty of room for 2 rooms - only thing is that the hall windows letting in the light would be gone. The builder has also taken a look and said it wouldn't be a huge construction putting 2 rooms to the front of the house. His main concern was our long hallway - normally nice and bright because of the 2 hall windows - but if there's going to be 2 rooms blocking this up, can anybody suggest the best way to maximise the light in the hall? I know rooflights would be an option but depending on the pitch of the roof and the apex, etc can it be done? The builder isn't fond of rooflights as he said they can be noisy with rain and then dirt and the rest sitting on top. Does anybody have any ideas? Sorry for the long post!

Thanks again,
CurlyWurlyxx

JimmyMW

Curly_Wurly wrote: »

Hi there,
We have a detached bungalow on a 1 acre site, built around 2001, by the previous owner that we bought from. Currently 1800 sq ft. We have 2 small kids and are finding storage a problem for mainly toys and kits and are looking to build on a playroom and nice play area for the kids. We also would like another bedroom too for guests or any more kids that might appear! :-o :-)

We have a kitchen/conservatory - the conservatory is used for all toys at the moment. We are looking to extend the conservatory down about 8 foot to make a better open planned kitchen/dining/living area and put a stove at the end to make it used more as I spend most days when i'm home in the kitchen. We have seen an architect and he suggested building 2 rooms to the front of the house which is southfacing so would be ideal. We have 2 large bay windows to the front of the house - that's our bedroom and the livingroom - this leaves a considerable space or courtyard area in the front making plenty of room for 2 rooms - only thing is that the hall windows letting in the light would be gone. The builder has also taken a look and said it wouldn't be a huge construction putting 2 rooms to the front of the house. His main concern was our long hallway - normally nice and bright because of the 2 hall windows - but if there's going to be 2 rooms blocking this up, can anybody suggest the best way to maximise the light in the hall? I know rooflights would be an option but depending on the pitch of the roof and the apex, etc can it be done? The builder isn't fond of rooflights as he said they can be noisy with rain and then dirt and the rest sitting on top. Does anybody have any ideas? Sorry for the long post!

Thanks again,
CurlyWurlyxx

I am currently building my own house and I have an internal corridor in the house so i had similar problems, i have come up with a solution however as i am only started the block work i have no idea if it will work or not. Basically you build and internal light shaft which links up with a roof light, line the shaft with a polished surface ie aluminum and then in the hall you install a frosted glass window into the side of the light shaft, it should appear like a frosted window to the external, or at least thats the theory anyway.

Begs

Curly_Wurly wrote: »

Hi there,
We have a detached bungalow on a 1 acre site, built around 2001, by the previous owner that we bought from. Currently 1800 sq ft. We have 2 small kids and are finding storage a problem for mainly toys and kits and are looking to build on a playroom and nice play area for the kids. We also would like another bedroom too for guests or any more kids that might appear! :-o :-)

We have a kitchen/conservatory - the conservatory is used for all toys at the moment. We are looking to extend the conservatory down about 8 foot to make a better open planned kitchen/dining/living area and put a stove at the end to make it used more as I spend most days when i'm home in the kitchen. We have seen an architect and he suggested building 2 rooms to the front of the house which is southfacing so would be ideal. We have 2 large bay windows to the front of the house - that's our bedroom and the livingroom - this leaves a considerable space or courtyard area in the front making plenty of room for 2 rooms - only thing is that the hall windows letting in the light would be gone. The builder has also taken a look and said it wouldn't be a huge construction putting 2 rooms to the front of the house. His main concern was our long hallway - normally nice and bright because of the 2 hall windows - but if there's going to be 2 rooms blocking this up, can anybody suggest the best way to maximise the light in the hall? I know rooflights would be an option but depending on the pitch of the roof and the apex, etc can it be done? The builder isn't fond of rooflights as he said they can be noisy with rain and then dirt and the rest sitting on top. Does anybody have any ideas? Sorry for the long post!

Thanks again,
CurlyWurlyxx

Is a light tube/pipe an option?

Curly_Wurly

Don't know if a light tube is an option 'cos i'm afraid i'll have a dark hallway with beams of light along the hall making it look not so great...I don't know maybe i'm wrong...