French Gardens was built in 1956 and was actually the show home of the road back in the day! The same couple lived in it as their family home from brand new until their passing. This was one of the few houses left on the road that hadn’t been renovated over the years.
The house was very dated, it had barely been touched, which made it a perfect project. Green velvet curtains, red and green carpet, pink bathrooms suites, you name it.
This was a big gut job as well as a double story rear and front extension and a single story side extension. This would double the house in size and also give it a complete facelift which it desperately needed. Curb appeal was going to be the driving force of this project.
Check out a previous blog post on how to create curb appeal by clicking here.
Here are some before shots.
Work started on a very cold February morning.
The first task was the demolish lots of little timber workshops in the garden, there were about five which went all the way down to the end of the garden. They also took down the front porch which was where the small double story front extension was going to be.
The 70’s extension ‘summer room’ was demolished to make way for the large double story rear extension.
Whilst at the front, the scaffolding was going up for the front extension and new roof.
Internally, walls were coming down and steels were going up. There was no turning back now…
The rear extension seemed to go up very quickly.
Internally we were starting to see the new layout now all the walls were down and the new stud walls were in position.
The external rendering process starts which transforms the exterior.
The new roof structures were complete. This made such a diference.
The bi-folding doors are just under 3m each and are white aluminium.
On the home stretch. Plaster boarding…
Now we really were on the home stretch. Plastering…
Whilst outside, the roofs were being tiled and the timber porch built.
Now for the internal fit out.
We replaced the dated wrought iron railings on the staircase with simple yet classic chamfered spindles which came primed ready for a top coat once installed. The hand rail was also replaced which was stained in a light oak colour. It was an easy way to transform the stair case for a small cost.
The budget for the kitchen was quite limited so the units were sourced from Benchmarx in a handleless design whilst the Neff appliances and Quartz worktops elsewhere. The applicances consisted of a single oven, micro-combi, warming drawer, extra wide induction hob, extractor hood, fridge/freezer and dishwasher.
Good bye scaffolding!
We had the front door made by a local joiner which consisted of two clear glass side lights and a 4-panel door with bolection mouldings and finished off with chrome ironmongery. It was spray painted in Farrow and Ball Pigeon.
The windows installed are timber casement in white with chrome ironmongery.
We decided to add a garage and an extra reception room last minute!
Mean while in the garden, the space was cleared of all shrubs, new fencing was errected and new turf laid.
Operation driveway.
The five month build had come to an end. We couldn’t have been happier with the end result. We had completely transformed a dark and ugly 1950’s property into a light, airy and open plan family home. The house was un-recognisable.
The house was purchased for £570,000. The renovations cost £250,000. The property was sold for £1,125,000.
Here is the end result.
Claire
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