When we buy our first house it is  likely to be a ‘resale’ i.e. one that has been lived in before and not straight off the drawing board.  The sheer cost of buying a house these days requires a great deal of thought before entering any contract to buy.  Usually the house has been viewed, as one of several similar in the price bracket and for some reason, it will stand out and pull at the heart strings of the would be buyer.   Then the fun starts.   The estate agent will generally suggest improvements that might be considered once the buyer has taken possession.  These will have to be costed up by a renovations contractor or an experienced DIY fan before any such renovation or redesign can take place.  Very often a buyer will have been influenced by the lifestyle programmes on commercial tv; there is a plethora of inspirational shows that encourage the hanging on to or acquisition of older houses with a view to turning them into truly light and airy spaces.

Looking at a typical 1970s semi dtached for example – the need for natural lighrt and open space are two important factors – ensuring every room has access to natural light & desired space after renovations is mandatory.  Enlarging doors and windows is the perfect way to increase natural light across rooms.