Extending a Cambridgeshire Home

The homeowners for this impressive renovation got in touch with their local Refresh team before they’d even completed on purchasing the property; eager to expand the living space of their new home both outwards and upwards, with a ground floor extension and a full loft conversion in the pipeline Refresh have completed stage 1 of the project.

Extending Up and Out

With both a ground floor extension and a loft conversion to enact and a keen homeowner eager to get started, the Refresh Renovations team scoped out the property before completion had even taken place and agreed an ambitious project plan. Refresh has taken the homeowners through the planning stages for both elements of the project, taking on the extension first and planning the  conversion for later to help the financial cost be spread out and as manageable as possible for the customers.
Everything was designed, built and finished by the Refresh Renovations team and associated contractors, along with the management of planning permission applied for and gained from the Local Planning Authority, architectural drawings, custom carpentry, plumbing, rendering, plastering, flooring and decorating. This took the stress and effort out of the hands of the homeowners, giving them plenty of precious time to settle into their new home.
The homeowners were quick to move into the new property as their current home no longer provided sufficient space for their growing family. With a new baby in their brood, it was important to them to find their dream living space and to develop that opportunity further; increasing family living room areas downstairs with the ground floor extension and converting the loft into an additional bedroom (fit for guests immediately and a child later on).

A light and airy dining kitchen

Overcoming Obstacles and Moving Goalposts, Together

The budget was set and agreed ahead of any work being completed, but during demolition works it was discovered that one of the partition walls to be removed was partly structural. This required a halt to works and an ad hoc plan to be made in conjunction with all related parties, which did have an impact on the amount needing to be spent. £5,000 + VAT was added to the overall project cost to maintain safe removal of the wall, and time added to the project timeline was nominal – all thanks to Simon Kelliher, the Refresh Renovations Project Manager, and the expert contractors involved, all willing to work flexibly around the issue.
The discovery of this structural impact while the project was already undergoing has since had an impact on other Refresh Renovations projects, too – with in depth explorative works being carried out prior to any job quote or initiation as standard procedure.
Another obstacle the renovation team had to face was the weather. Carrying out the extension in winter did mean that conditions were cold and damp and so the bulk of the build, which was intended to last across 12 weeks, faced some interruption; but the hard work of the team with some extended hours meant that it wasn’t stretched any further than it needed to be.

Sleek modern cabinetry

Extending Family Space

The ground floor extension saw the existing kitchen removed and refitted to provide a much larger floorspace alongside additional countertops and working areas, overlooking a new dining area with full-length sliding doors leading out to the garden. This gave a considerably larger space for cooking, dining and socialising as well as a clear line of sight outside for days where the children would want to play both inside and out. A skylight in the ceiling alongside bright walls and light interiors complemented by the vast glass doors keeps the whole aesthetic vibrant and airy, with spotlights fitted to illuminate the room further in darker conditions.
The homeowners themselves acknowledge that the new protracted kitchen is now their favourite room in the whole house; allowing for the maximisation of precious family time even when they need to be preparing food or cleaning up which would previously have withdrawn them entirely from seeing their children.
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Spacious open plan living

An Expert Team

This ambitious reno project involved a whole host of specialist contractors, each the highest trained in their own discipline. Simon Kelliher managed the team which included architects, plumbers, builders, carpenters, plasterers, bricklayers and decorators. Utilising the professional network of Refresh Renovations’ contacts, the extension was finished to the highest possible standard; evidenced to all who have visited the property since, and the team is looking forward to beginning stage two of the build.
The award-winning project management approach taken by Refresh Renovations has again evidenced its success in this fantastic extension-conversion combo, demonstrating that the careful usage of expert contractors alongside an open and transparent communication approach is a great facilitator for excellence.
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Thinking about a kitchen extension?

Why not Get in Touch and book a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our Refresh Renovation Specialists.
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