www.PrideRoad.co.uk
Manchester 0161 711 1018
Cheshire 0161 711 0677
North West 07989 744 336
  • Home!
  • Workshop from £300
  • Using an Architect
    • Find out the potential of a house before you commit to buy
    • What does an architect do?
    • Inside the mind of an architect
    • How much will it cost?
    • Why Use an Architect?
    • How long will it take?
    • Architects are Signposts
    • Do I need Planning Permission?
    • Community Infrastructure Levy >
      • How much is the CIL?
    • What next?
    • What our clients say
    • FAQ for Architects >
      • Using an Architect
      • Chartered Architect in Manchester
      • ts and cs
  • About us
    • People >
      • Lisa Raynes >
        • Vote Lisa for RIBA Council
      • Magdalena Haener
      • Simon Casey
      • Alan Varley
      • Guy Shorrock
    • Services >
      • Sustainability >
        • Photovoltaic Layout, Rolls Crescent School, Hulme, Manchester
      • Architect in the House
  • Projects
    • Homes >
      • The Quoins Chorlton
      • High Peak
      • Morgeous Mansions
      • Wilmslow Luxury House
      • Chorlton kitchen diner
      • Whalley Range Reconfigured >
        • Whalley Range Design
        • Whalley Range Reconfigured: more photos
      • Northenden New Build
      • Garden Rooms
      • Didsbury Loft Conversion
      • Cheadle Porch
      • Chorlton Victorian Terrace
      • Chorlton Semi
      • London Flat reconfiguration
      • Chorlton Extension
      • Sale Extension
    • Housing >
      • Whalley Road
      • Salford Residential Development
      • Residential Development Carlisle
      • Masterplanning
    • Student >
      • Sheffield: Common Room
      • CRM Student Common Room
      • Ranmoor Student Facilities building, Sheffield
    • Socially Motivated >
      • Asbrook Neuro Rehab
      • Christ Apostolic Church
      • The Quoins, Chorlton
      • Disabled Adaptations
      • Nursery Adaptation
      • Shelter
      • Lifetime Homes
      • ABI
    • Heritage Lottery Funded: Lapwing Lane Canopy
    • Commercial >
      • Office extension in Irlam
      • Retail
      • Butchers
      • Meat Industry
      • Taking the leap from home-working to premises
      • Looking for Offices?
      • Office tips
    • Leisure and Sports >
      • Flixton Cricket Club >
        • Healthcare
    • Religious >
      • Christ Apostolic Church
  • Kitchens
  • MiniGuides
    • MiniGuide to the North West >
      • Greater Manchester >
        • MiniGuide to Chorlton
        • MiniGuide to Didsbury
        • MiniGuide to Cheadle and Gatley
        • MiniGuide to Sale >
          • Offices in Sale
        • MiniGuide to Whitefield
      • Cheshire >
        • MiniGuide to Timperley >
          • Offices in Timperley
        • MiniGuide to Altrincham >
          • Offices in Altrincham
        • MiniGuide to Wilmslow
        • MiniGuide to Knutsford
        • MiniGuide to Lymm
        • MiniGuide to Poynton
        • MiniGuide to Holmes Chapel
        • MiniGuide to Chester
        • MiniGuide to Frodsham
        • MiniGuide to Warrington
        • MiniGuide to Macclesfield >
          • Offices in Macclesfield
      • Liverpool >
        • MiniGuide to Ormskirk
        • MiniGuide to Liverpool L19
        • MiniGuide to Liverpool L18
        • MiniGuide to Liverpool L37
      • Lancashire >
        • MiniGuide to Longridge
        • MiniGuide to Bolton
    • MiniGuide to Holiday Destinations >
      • Miniguide to Helsinki
      • Wonderful Copenhagen
      • Miniguide to Egypt
      • MiniGuide to New York
      • MiniGuide to Venice
      • MiniGuide to Mexico and Guatemala
      • MiniGuide to Puerto Banus
      • MiniGuide to Hong Kong
      • MiniGuide to Llandudno
      • Miniguide to youth hostelling
  • Press and Awards
    • Awards >
      • Women in Business Award: winner
      • Women in Business Award: shortlisted
      • RICS awards: from the judge's view
      • Women in Construction Architect of the Year: shortlisted
      • Grafters Architect of the year: shortlisted
      • Women in Housing
    • Radio >
      • BBC Radio Manchester: 30th September 2015 Manchester Curious
      • BBC Radio Manchester: 22nd October 2013 Paper review
      • BBC Radio Manchester: 3rd Sept 13
      • Red Shift Radio Scarlet Ladies 12th July 2013
      • Red Shift Radio
      • BBC Radio Manchester: 9 Jan, 2012
    • TV >
      • ITV: May the Best House Win
    • Video >
      • KAN: Knowledge Action Network MMU
      • Lapwing Lane Canopy
      • SPG: debate
    • Press >
      • MEN 18th feb 2015
      • Homify
      • Selfbuilder and homemaker
      • Lift Off: 14 July 14
      • Jewish Telegraph 11th April 2014
      • Mancunian Matters: Campaign to save Lapwing Lane Arcade
      • Jewish Telegraph 22nd November 2013
      • Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
      • Architects Journal: the Women Issue
      • Jewish Telegraph 8 February 2013
      • The Accountancy People: Jan 2013
      • Place North West: What to expect in 2013
      • The Place North West: SPG Guide to Practice
      • Jewish Telegraph 16 Dec, 2011
      • Jewish Telegraph 18 Nov, 2011
      • The Times Bricks and Mortar: from bedsit grunge to a great family home
      • Flixton Cricket Club appoints Raynes
      • The Place North West: International Womens Day 2011 Survey
      • Manchester Evening News: Lisa is the Ace of Space
      • The Place North West
      • Independent: Queens of Construction
      • Manchester Confidential: Where are all the Women?
    • Events >
      • SPG Treasure Hunt 2013
      • SPG Guide to Demystifying Development
      • Make your office work for you
      • SPG Guide to Practice >
        • SPG Guide to Architects Practice: Review
      • SPG Guide to Success for Architects
  • Contact
  • Archiblog
    • Archive Blog
  • £50 John Lewis voucher
    • John Lewis ts and cs

Find out the potential of a house to extend before you commit to buy

I'm often approached to accompany clients on viewings before they make an offer on a house or property, to see if it is possible to extend it or reconfigure it. For example, in Hale I looked at a ground floor shop with flat above, with a view to converting it back into a family house. Once the client was comfortable with the opportunity,an offer was made. I was then commissioned to do a one day design workshop, before exchange. That way, the client can hit the ground running with building works when they are in possession of the property. 

Conversely, following a concept design workshop, here's some testimonials from clients that have changed their mind about extending....

The design workshop was really useful and allowed us to work through a lot of ideas. Perversely though, I think it has put us off doing the extension! You are right in that the extension over half of the return would be lots of hassle and money for not much additional space. However, we don’t want to lose the amount of garden required to cover the whole of the return.
We therefore feel that we will simply spend some money on a new kitchen and a general refurbishment of the downstairs space.
Thank you for your time. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend your services.
Kind regards, Alice, ground floor extension, Hale

We both thought your work was excellent, and indeed it addressed many of the requirements we had. I still have your plans on file.
After some consideration, we actually decided against proceeding, due to the fact that we would still have struggled with the small and relatively dark garden. If we had built up on the side, it would have resulted in less light to the garden. To be honest, both Viki and I find this hugely frustrating, as we actually like the close we live in, but struggle with the property and its layout.
Your services however were very good, and we would be happy to recommend your services to anyone who asked. If you could work a miracle on our garden issue, I would be more than happy to listen!
There are now four of us! 

Viki and Mark, ground floor extension

It's not all doom and gloom. for a small internal reconfiguration the one day design workshop is enough to get quotes and make the changes....


Hi Lisa!
Builders start tomorrow.  It will be completed in 3 weeks.  So all finished by the end of the month!
Really enjoyed the session.  Very informative, insightful and helpful.  Helped speed up the project.
Annie Edward, kitchen reconfiguration, Worsley


From my perspective,  I thought that the service was excellent.  Whilst what we have now is pretty much what Joy and I had already discussed between ourselves and with a few others, the session gave us the opportunity to explore and consider options we probably wouldn't have thought of without your support.
We found the session very useful and was exactly what we needed to give us some ideas on what could be done with house. 

Joy and Jon ground floor reconfiguration Chorlton