Two extensions. Two makeovers. Time to move

You buy a place, and make a few improvements. Then you make a few more. Then you look for another house to improve

What is it that makes someone decide the time is right for a move? It can be an expanding family, a new job, or change in financial circumstances. Or it could be something more subtle – you just feel that the time has come.

Liz and Francis Neo first considered moving house two years ago, then changed their minds and stayed put. Instead, they made considerable alterations to their Edwardian terraced house. The results were so successful that it was featured in an interior-design magazine.

"Back in 2001 we wanted more space. We had already spent a lot of money doing the house up, but were short of downstairs living/dining space and felt that the house had become top heavy," says Liz.

When they bought the house in 1996, it was very dark with walls covered in brown paint. It still had two small separate living rooms leading to a small kitchen down quite a steep step. Upstairs there were three bedrooms and a largish bathroom, which cut into the sunniest bedroom.

The Neos turned the two living rooms into one, painted the house in warm Mediterranean colours and converted the loft to put in a master bedroom with en-suite bathroom. This meant that there was room for friends to stay, but they did not really have enough living space for more than the two of them.

"We also had a small garden, which we had landscaped and which was great in the summer, but not very hospitable in the winter," explains Liz. "It had become more imperative for us to be able to entertain at home rather than eat out all the time. We also wanted more light in the house and a better sense of space".

The couple loved where they lived and very much wanted to stay in the area. However, by 2001, prices were soaring and the only larger houses nearby involved a considerable increase in terms of size and money. So they changed tack and decided to have some plans drawn up for altering their home instead.

Although the Neos both work in finance, Francis had trained as a civil engineer so had some idea about what was structurally possible. Liz had always had a passion for interior-design magazines, so she had strong views about how she wanted the house to look. "The first thing was to find a good builder, one who was reliable and who would make the job relatively stress-free," she says. "We both work long hours and didn't want to be continually called away from the office."

To give them the space they desired, they had a wrap-around extension built using the old alleyway to one side and extending 12ft into the back garden. "It turned our 11ft by 14ft kitchen into 28ft by 14ft, which was quite a significant increase," says Liz.

The living area is open plan, but the areas for cooking, preparing and dining are clearly defined. At one end, there is a sofa, where friends can relax and enjoy a glass of wine. "We were going to keep the whole space open, but our builder persuaded us to create a cloakroom and utility area, with extra sound-proofing, so we could take the washing machine and tumble drier out of the kitchen and not disturb the rest of the house when they were on," says Liz.

The living/dining room was originally two rooms, but the Neos asked a carpenter to re-create the original plasterwork, cornices and skirting, and the room is now seamless. They redecorated to give the whole house a lighter feel, and, to balance the size of the bedrooms, they created a smaller, but much more high-tech bathroom. They also paved the garden, rather than having lawn, so it is more useable throughout the year.

The work took six months and was finished just over a year ago. So, why do they want to move when they're so pleased with the results? "We actually enjoyed doing a big building project and we felt we had done a good job. So we thought, maybe we should trade up and do the same again. Mortgage rates are very low just now," says Liz.

The Neos also feel that two years down the line, their requirements are slightly different. They no longer feel so strongly about staying in the same area and are looking a little further out, where there is a wider choice of larger houses.

"We have reached a point where we feel if we don't move now, we never will," explains Liz. "The timing is right now."

The Neos' four-bedroom house in Engadine Street, SW18, is for sale through Foxtons, (020-8605 2900) for £520,000.