A major refurbishment of a family house in Hove
Sussex
Scale: 230 m2 2500 sq ft
Client: Private
Contract: Traditional
Stage: Complete
Contractor: Kersh and Co
Images: GD Impact
We first visited this house as the clients were deciding whether to buy it and they required a second opinion. The house sat on a nice south facing plot and was large enough to be a great family house but it had some interesting issues. The house had been extended in the 80’s – badly… The main entrance was straight into a tiny kitchen, plus the house had two staircases both of which were in poor locations and in order to access the extension at first floor level you had to step over a steel beam! The living room faced south towards the sea which would have been perfect except that there was another extension containing the downstairs toilet blocking the best part of the view.
The brief from the client required a modern family home with a family room, utility room, new downstairs toilet, study, snug, master bedroom suite, two equal sized kids bedrooms with a family bathroom and a guest bedroom and ensuite. Additionally the flow of the house needed to be resolved with a single staircase and a more defined entrance.
We prepared several options and agreed a final design with the client and gained planning consent for a two stage proposal that included a new large porch and entrance, the removal of the existing WC, new dormer roof extension for the master suite and new windows throughout.
Including within the remodelling was a significant upgrade to the heating system, the existing gas fired boiler and radiators were replaced by an air source heat pump and underfloor heating. All single glazed leaded light steel windows were also replaced with a double glazed high performance aluminium system. The voids in the brick wall cavities had previously been retrofitted with insulation and were performing well.
The finished house now has a much more defined and attractive entrance that also contains the downstairs toilet and a utility room. The entrance links to a central wide hallway connecting the family room with the study, staircase and snug which all flows coherently. The family room has large opening doors facing due South with a view unobstructed by the WC extension (demolished). The family room contains a living area, dining area and a kitchen that links to a pantry, utility and plant room. Upstairs the centralised staircase leads to two equal sized kids bedrooms, a family bathroom, guest bedroom suite and a master bedroom with ensuite and dressing room.
Another Yelo home with a resolved internal layout is here
