From Bland to Grand: Assessing Potential

The era in which the house was built will also influence the project and its costs, as engineer Nigel Lewis of Space and Style Home Design, a practice that specialises in this kind of work, outlines:

1950s: Houses built in the 50s tend to have reasonable size rooms with sensible ceiling heights, which means rooms can be opened up to create larger spaces without feeling cramped. Roof pitches were generous and so there is usually scope for conversion. Larger plots mean there is often freedom to extend. They will almost always require totally rewiring, re-plumbing and insulating.

1960s: The 60s saw the introduction of panels of different cladding materials, and so when extending it is often best to introduce a new cladding material to unify the whole building. Single-glazed picture windows, often up to corner and eaves, tend to lend themselves to contemporary-style transform - ations, or will have to be altered in form for a period-style makeover. Rewiring and replumbing should be straightforward, as should the addition of insulation into the roof and cavity walls.

1970s: Smaller plots leave less scope for extensions. Re-cladding is likely to be necessary to simplify the palette of materials, often comprised of panels of stone, timber, hung tiles, etc. Box-like form can lend itself well to contemporary-style transformations, with the removal of fake Georgian-style windows. An open plan stairway will rule out a second floor loft conversion.

1980s: The introduction of ‘executive homes’ with fake period features such as dormer gables over windows, timber beams and porticoes, identical the length and breadth of the country. Free-spanning trussed roofs and fewer load-bearing walls make it easier to open up the space, but low ceiling heights mean all new structural loadbearing beams have to be raised into the floor structure above. Loft conversions are more complicated and expensive due to trussed roofs, and sometimes impossible due to the low pitch. Windows tend to be smaller as developers avoided having to put double glazing in to meet energy requirements. Room sizes are often small to make room for estate agent ‘must haves’ such as a utility room and en suite shower room. The use of timber framing complicates alterations to the original structure.

The good news is that post-war houses are generally less expensive to remodel than period houses, and tend to have fewer loadbearing walls and better foundations, which means more design freedom and scope to build upwards without having to underpin. Either way, they offer huge potential for those with a touch of vision.

Design Details

Roof Covering (above left: Another very dominant feature. Avoid large-format concrete tiles. Natural materials are invariably better than man-made substitutes. If you replace the roof covering you will be required to upgrade the insulation levels in the roof to meet the Building Regulations.

Cladding (above middle): Remove unattractive materials such as cheap brick, concrete tiles, cracked render and fake beams. Unify the exterior with new cladding materials such as render, timber boarding, handmade brick, and consider upgrading insulation at the same time — either in the cavity or externally behind the new layer of cladding.

External joinery (above right): External joinery and porch canopies are an important component in many styles and can help give a bland property character, providing the detailing is appropriate.

Read more:

• From Bland to Grand: Post-War Renovations
• From Bland to Grand: Planning & Costs
• From Bland to Grand: Case Studies