The Lowdown On Building A Kitchen Extenstion

From navigating the planning process to the correct procedure for building regulations, architect James Dale outlines the best approach

- Rebecca Foster

When planning your kitchen extension, the first thing to think about is how you want to use the space. Ask yourself how the new kitchen should work compared to how it currently functions. To form the brief, your architect will need a set of plans, your proposed budget, a time frame and a list of things you do/don’t like. Any other information about the address – for example, if you live in a Conservation Area – will be helpful for your designer at this stage.

1 Be realistic about your budget when it comes to achieving the design you want. If you’re working with a fixed amount, you might have to make design compromises. Work with your architect as part of a collaborative process to create an extension design that works for you.

2 If you’re adding a kitchen extension to a house in an urban location, party walls are one of the main aspects to consider. Another element to think about is space – for example, not every terraced house can accommodate a kitchen that’s large enough to incorporate an island. As an architect, it’s like putting together the pieces of your client’s brief like a puzzle to make sure the kitchen doesn’t feel overcrowded.