@Ascender Mike, the bot quoted my pictures from some time ago. As we were about get started, COVID got in the way of doing the extension then costs went up and I realised we'd get much the same amount of additional space but a cheaper build cost with a permitted development extension - that would have had a vaulted pitched roof (I was always a bit uncertain how much noise the flat roof/lantern would make below the bedrooms when it rains).
Every time I discussed with my wife how we deal with the logistics of getting the work done, we got to the point of it being a massive hassle. My wife insisted we could stay in the house but we have so many cats and dogs it would have been very impractical. And I have a bit of a habit of working with colleagues who do never-ending extensions and I did *not* want to turn into one of them.
Anyway, a few things together made it sensible for us to move rather than do the extension:
- My wife said she feels sad when she gets home because it reminds her of our cat who was run over outside a couple of years ago (by the DPD man);
- Once we've had the work done the house will be lovely but it's still not close enough to my offices;
- The neighbour in a mirror image of our house died and their house has sold for way more than we expected.
So we're buying somewhere else and will be selling in the new year. With planning permission that remains valid because the local authority accidentally granted a validity period of 5 years not 3
