Five bedroom house - how many car-parking spaces would you want/expect?

[champagnesuperdupernova]

Currently we have parking for about 5 cars 6 at a push
We are thinking about reducing this to three generous spaces which would give us a much bigger and more usable garden.
We have 2 cars atm and dc unlikely to need more for a while.
Thoughts?
TIA

[VivaLeBeaver]

Sounds fine.

[GooseRocks]

Three spaces is plenty I would have thought. Tbh 2 would be enough if there is on street parking for visitors as well.

[KalSkirata]

I'd go for the garden but then Ive never had a house with parking and dont consider it.

[rockdoctor]

Three sounds plenty, but I would also expect enough space to be able to drive in and out easily if that makes sense.

[oreocrumbs]

I had 3 in my mind before I read your OP. Agree it has to be 3 easy to use spaces, not a case of having to move 2 cars off to get the 3rd out though.

[purplewithred]

Your Planning Dept may have a point of view on this, and especially on turning space to ensure you can drive forwards into your drive AND out of your drive again.

[member]

I'd have considered 2 enough, probably because I've been researching garage conversions & it seems to be generally agreed that loss of a garage is ok if there are two spaces on the drive.

[trixymalixy]

When I saw your thread title I thought 3 spaces. No need for 5 or 6!!!

[Hulababy]

I would expect 2, ideally without having to juggle cars. So a 2 car wide drive, rather than 2 car long. Would expect a garage as well ideally though.

[pepperrabbit]

A condition of our planning permission to extend our house from 3 to 5 bedrooms was that we had to provide 3 and a half parking spaces....
Though, I have to say next door, in their 3 bed house have had to convert the whole front drive now their sons are both old enough to own cars and show no signs of leaving home and they have 4 cars between them.
If you're thinking of selling at some point you might want to stick at 3/4 spaces?

[minipie]

at 3 and a half parking spaces

Where I live (london) there are lots of 5 and 6 bed houses with no off street parking at all. It's a bonus if there is space for one car never mind 3!!

So I'd say, 2 parking spaces max, and have a bigger garden.

[Pannacotta]

2 spaces is fine, 3 at most. Plus bigger garden.

[Gentleness]

Depends on how much street parking there is but even if it is not busy, then I'd say 3 should be the minimum. If you stay there another 10-15 years and have 3 kids at home with cars, or want sell to a family with more than 3 vehicles, you're going to have problems. I'm bitter though - our road of terraces has no off-street parking and families with 4 vehicles make it really difficult for the rest of us.

[Rhubarbgarden]

I'd say two is plenty. Nicer to have the rest as garden.