Transforming a bungalow in Norwich

We are seeing more and more of these interesting projects, where homeowners are seeking to transform bungalows dating from the 1970s and 1980s.

The beauty of working with these homes is that there can be incredible scope for remodelling and extending the accommodation they offer.

Many already have rooms with generous proportions and often sit on sizeable plots; the opportunities for creating an additional floor of accommodation can also make them exciting.

Very often, however, their external appearance may be off-putting to potential owners – what is worth noting, however, is that we can often completely transform the way they look.

Take this particular bungalow in Norwich, for example, what was most striking about it was its lack of kerb appeal.

The building itself was typical of many of its age: drab brickwork, unattractive plastic windows and unsightly flat roof extensions.

The property was also undersized when it came to providing adequate space for a growing family, especially in terms of bedrooms.

Initially, the homeowners had looked at a single storey extension, but the plot was too restricted to achieve enough additional space to make a difference.

As a result, we looked at an upward extension: replacing two thirds of the existing roof to create a further two good-sized bedrooms and a family bathroom at first-floor level.

As the existing house had a low roof height, we needed a solution that kept the new roof as low as possible.

Furthermore – as is often the case, when you add a beautiful new extension to an old property – we realised any work would only put the remaining older parts of the building to shame.

To overcome this, we came up with a split pitch solution, which enabled us to integrate the garage with the house under one elegant roof and keep the roof lower on the street side.

Windows were added on the vertical wall, where one pitch meets the other and elegant dormers were added to maintain head height.

Pitched roofs also combined with the existing pitched roof to form a welcoming new entrance porch.

We discussed with the clients new self-coloured render to over-clad the existing brickwork and new roof tiles throughout to bring the whole house up to date.

This did increase the cost, but it was worth it – the end result really justifies this decision and greatly improves its kerb appeal.

Neighbours were wary of what the finished property might look like but mostly they were supportive and appreciated the idea of changes towards something more pleasing to the eye.