Extensions and alterations Archives

Knighton Road

knighton road

The Brief

Following a previous loft extension/conversion, our client approached us to further extend their Victorian home in Redhill which contained a galley kitchen and small rear dining room.

The client desired a generous open-plan kitchen/dining/living space with strong connection to an enlarged patio and the lower garden area. A new utility room with external access and a boot/coat room were also required.

Our Response

The rear extension was carefully designed to add space and improve flow, while remaining sympathetic to the design of the original building.

The approach to the rear of the house was angled and widened to improve flow and provide views right through the house to the garden beyond.

The new arrangement provided space for a new boot room and utility room. The utility room has external access and glazed external and internal doors allowing light into the middle of the enlarged plan.

The extension features exposed timber rafters and brickwork walls to give warmth and texture to the space. The decorative ends of the rafters support the new zinc roofing and provide shelter and solar control to the sliding glass doors.
Steps and planters lead down from the new dining terrace to the lower garden area.

CLIENT TESTIMONIAL

“We are delighted with the work that Reigate Architects have done for us. Simon designed a loft conversion that is in keeping with our period property and is light, pleasing with plenty of storage. I found that the fee structure was clearly laid out from the start and we were very happy to use their expertise in managing the build.”

“We invited Reigate Architects back for a second renovation to our home, which was a ground floor reconfiguration and extension. The difference the design has made is clear — everyone comments on it. What we now have isn’t a standard kitchen extension, but a space that feels intentional and works for both family life and entertaining. We were open to Simon and Lauren’s ideas on layout and materials, and it really paid off. The whole process felt smooth from start to finish.”
– Barbara (Redhill)

Nutley Lane

Our Brief

Set on Reigate’s most picturesque residential lanes, close to the High Street, this Victorian detached home required a complete rethink of its layout. Our clients wanted to introduce a smoother flow between living spaces and improve spatial efficiency throughout.

The brief focused on creating an additional bedroom and bathroom, expanding the kitchen and dining area, and extending the lounge. A key priority was to strengthen the visual and physical connection between the interior and the garden, ensuring the home felt brighter, more open and better suited to modern family living.

Our Response

Our design approach focused on improving ‘flow’ and maximising natural light, while maintaining the integrity of the property’s original character. By removing the existing annex and reconfiguring the underused side return, we were able to introduce a new part-single, part-double-storey rear extension that sits comfortably within the existing structure.

At ground level, the extension creates a generous, light-filled kitchen and dining space with direct garden access, enhancing both functionality and connection to the outdoors. The upper storey provides a new master bedroom and reconfigured bathroom, achieving a refined balance between modern comfort and period integrity. The result is a considered design that is sympathetic and transformative.

Mornington Place

Mornington Place (Camden)

THE BRIEF

Reigate Architects was appointed to remodel a one-bedroom Grade II Listed flat in Camden Town, London. The brief was to improve flow and practicality to introduce modern upgrades sensitive to the building’s historic character and Listed status.

OUR Response

Respecting the flat’s historic fabric, we reconfigured the internal arrangement to optimise space and usability. A key intervention involved opening-up the small kitchen to form a connected dining area, now with direct access to a private courtyard. The reworked hallway strengthens the relationship between rooms and accommodates bespoke integrated storage, improving practicality without compromising on character.
The shower room was enlarged and repositioned to increase comfort and accessibility, and new damp-proofing and acoustic enhancements throughout ensure long-term performance, while preserving original details. A neutral interior palette creates a calm, versatile backdrop for the occupants.

Windmill Cottage

WINDMILL COTTAGE

Brief

Our clients were ‘down-sizing’ and purchased this attractive terraced cottage overlooking a village green.
Our brief was to turn the dwelling into a modern/forever home whilst maintaining the character of the cottage.

Response

The staircase was relocated from the rear to the front of the cottage to provide more space for a new kitchen. A seven metre long oak timber beam creates a full-width opening from the kitchen to the new zinc-roofed extension. A full-width rooflight provides light and ventilation into the middle of the plan. A circular oak post supports the roof and narrow-profile sliding glazed doors provide views of the rear garden. The ground floor level now accommodates a new utility room, pantry and WC. At the first floor level a new dressing room and ensuite were provided to the master bedroom. A new sedum-roofed oak-framed double garage was constructed to the rear.

TESTIMONIAL

“Of all the architects I have dealt with privately and in business over 60 years, Simon Walter and his team were by far the most ‘user friendly’. They did not carry the oft found delusions of grandeur or self-importance and they listened very carefully indeed to their clients desires and wishes, putting up reasonable structural and aesthetic objections where they saw fit… we have a small gem of a retirement home of which we are proud, and which above all gives us comfort and pleasure”.
Paul D

Cockshot Road

The client's Brief

The new owners of a Victorian detached property in the heart of Reigate, expressed a deep appreciation for the house’s original features, fittings, and finishes. Their vision was to maintain the integrity of the property while incorporating modern elements to enhance its functionality and aesthetic appeal.

Our Response

Our design approach was guided by respecting the property’s charm and period features, to create spaces that not only complemented the original design but also enhanced the overall living experience.

A new family bathroom was provided in the sloping-roofed space above the new garden/study, the design of which was informed by the existing conservatory that it replaced. The bathroom is illuminated by south-facing rooflights and the steps down into the bathroom have been hinged to provide secret storage for toiletries. A glazed-roof verandah creates a sheltered area from which to enjoy the gardens. The new open-plan kitchen/dining area benefits from natural light received from a large south-facing bay window – a perfect place to enjoy a book.

Moores Road

Brief

Our client had recently moved into this 1930s bungalow which had already been twice extended. Having moved from a Passivhaus, the client brief required not only internal remodelling but also significant thermal upgrading to create a home with very low energy use.

Response

We introduced high levels of insulation to the external walls, roof and floor. Windows and external doors were replaced with new Passivhaus-standard triple-glazed items. The upgraded heating system included underfloor heating, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery, and solar PV collectors.

Mid Street

MID Sreet

Brief

This characterful house had a generous entrance and parking courtyard, but access to the courtyard was via a narrow drive squeezed between two neighbouring properties and a boundary wall.

Response

We proposed a new vehicular entry point directly off the highway on the opposite side of the courtyard. The courtyard itself was completely re-planned incorporating a new garage block and attractive planting areas.

West Reigate

Brief

Our client purchased this dwelling to become their ‘forever’ home. A full refurbishment was required.

Response

At the front of the property we designed a new free-standing timber-clad garden structure with a sedum roof containing garden/bicycle storage and a home office. The existing ‘boxy’ front porch was retained but remodelled and the new porch roof was extended to provide a sheltered seating area overlooking the sunny front garden. We removed a rear conservatory and replaced this with a new kitchen/dining/living room with spectacular views of the North Downs. The existing loft bedroom was enlarged with a new metal-roofed dormer and an en-suite shower room was added. The family bathroom was completely refitted.

North Reigate Two

North reigate Two

Brief

Our client has a beautiful south-facing garden (and green fingers). At one end of the house the previous living room provided only limited views of, and connection to, the existing patio and garden beyond. The rear elevation of the house was long and lacked interest.

Response

Our L- shaped rear extension projects less than one metre in each direction. Uninterrupted views of the garden are provided by frameless glass junctions and two-way sliding doors without corner post. The first floor is supported by a circular oak post. Untreated oak cladding, pergola and fascias provide warmth and interest to the rear elevation. To provide space for an outside table and chairs a ‘bump’ was introduced into the existing low garden wall to the patio edge. The new garden room is now our clients’ favourite space.

TESTIMONIAL

“We have worked with Simon at Reigate Architects on two projects to update our house and make it brighter and more modern. We are delighted with the result and very appreciative of the care with which the projects were handled. When a problem arose which was not of RA’s making, they responded with integrity and good humour. We have no hesitation in recommending them.”
Michael B

Outwood Lane

Brief

Our client had a long south-facing garden but this sloped steeply upwards immediately behind the house. No garden area was directly accessible from the ground floor rear of the property.

Response

We formed terraces at two levels connected by an external circular staircase. We enlarged the kitchen and provided a new garden room with glazed doors leading to the lower terrace and framed views of the upper terrace and garden beyond. A downstairs shower room and remodelled front entrance completed the design.