How do I bathroom / kitchen / extension? etc.

Does such a thing exist as a drawer that would be compatible with a unit like this?

Under-sink cupboards seem to be places where cleaning products go to die, and a drawer would be preferable, but I can't seem to find any that would work unless my Googling is failing.

Surely you could have a kind of wire-basket type thing with a strip missing through the middle of it, mounted on runners at the side and maybe with a little wheel or something at the back?

If you put shelves in you can fix open sliding drawers to the shelves. Was at a clients today who was showing me their new ones. They got them from amazon but I don't have a link. If it's under a sink a lot will depend on the plumbing.

Cross posting from architecture thread-

Our 1920s semi has a drop from floor level to garden level (about 1.5m maybe) - we currently have a patio which overlooks the garden but I'm wondering if an extension will be too difficult (read: expensive) given the height drop. Has anyone seen any good examples of extensions dealing with this?

Broadly I guess we either have an interior (few) steps down to a new room, so that room is closer to garden level, or build (I guess expensive) reinforced foundations to build out at the same level - which will also mean it sticks out pretty high compared to the surrounding area / gardens?

Fun challenge - lots of Victorian terraces have steps down into rear outriggers obvs. So there are heaps of examples of those.

Forum’s own @dbr has a wicked spilt level arrangement in a post war (?) place too. But only couple of steps.

Defo one other on here I can’t remember who - Had lovely high ceilings which should defo be a goal if possible.

Trawl dezeen / don’t move improve.

I would defo step down for value / ease if the plan can suit it. Otherwise you’ll end up with a crawl space under - which for it to be usuable and not a rat pit - would equate to another half storey of construction cost - dividing floor and then a ground slab and foundations.

The height of the new external walls will define foundation depth - but adding in a dividing floor would add some load.

We had a ~400mm step down into the garden that I wanted to retain. Means higher internal ceilings and I really like the division of space. Feels quite 70s conversation pit.

You should do two steps down into the new room, timber frame flying out over garden on larch posts, glav steel stair down to garden.

Or glass if you want to keep it low key

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Deffo step down if budget allows; the seamless connection to garden, and spectacular ceiling height will be worth it.

Our extension drops just under a metre down from the living room, wasn’t prohibitively expensive to dig down to achieve it.

All I can see is cracked skulls, that is insane.

Naoshima?

Edit -yes, just found a very similar photo from a couple of years ago

You'd definitely want a leaf blower to keep that clean.

On the other end from the artisanal glass blocks:

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Going to sound like my grandma here, that would be an absolute cunt to keep clean.

https://youtu.be/Ly6ZhQVnVow?si=XVgy8UzhJBZl9Py2

Your grandma had quite a way with words

Any idea if timber frames on screw piles are at all 'standard' these days? I see the approach occasionally and for places that have a few steps down to an outrigger and then another step down to the garden it seems like it'd be sensible and, presumably, cheaper to assemble than digging...
this popped up that reminded me today
https://www.instagram.com/p/DEnGs0Yszsr

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If I did ours again / the next thing I do will be timber frame. Probably just build it myself.

Guess what was my second thought after „oh nice”?
It’s an office by bast studios. Whoever on here posted the coffee place they did, thanks!

But the big blocks approach you did is very nice!
Can see why timber frame is nice though, and probably very sustainable.

Looking for alcove cupboard inspo. How come 99% of alcove cupboards have an outy?

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We're doing timber frame at the moment, I looked at ground screws but struggled to find impartial recommendations for them, especially in London clay. I also got the impression they might end up being more expensive as concrete foundations are so well established, the materials aren't expensive and everyone knows how to do them, even if they're more labour intensive. I didn't get quotes though, so that could be totally wrong.

Even with a timber frame extension we'll still need 1m deep concrete strip/pad foundations because of the clay. I have managed to get the structural engineer and building control to agree to reduce the strip width to 450mm from 600mm though.

The extension you linked to is very eco for sure but: I wonder how they'll deal with services, they've basically created a rat hotel and our structural engineer specced a steel across the outer wall/sliding doors with ours because in his experience you get cracks otherwise (we've swapped this out for a flitch beam to save some money/carbon).

Groundsun quoted me £990 each per screw pile in 2023. Factoring in the need for a steel underframe, additional design costs and complications it just wasn't worth it in our build either. As a rule I think, when building something don't go for the unusual option.

I’ll tell you why I did it that way.
If the bit above the cupboard/lower unit is the same depth it looks too heave and oppressive. If you make the base the depth of the recess and reduce the shelves to a point they look good, they are too narrow.
If you bring out the base it makes it appear much deeper and you can run near full depth shelves. The ratio is changed by the step out.
As clear as mud.

Makes perfect sense.

My folks is the same I think.

Just didn't know why.

Your example is providing a reason - you can put plants/flowers/ornaments on the lower unit and they aren't in the shadow / squashed under the shelf

Big ol step down on this minimalist banger.

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