Ground floor extra bedroom - pointless in value terms?

[narmada]

We are hoping to extend our very average 3-bed semi and for practical reasons (visiting GPs) need a fourth bedroom.

We originally thought double-storey extension and a new upstairs bedroom (downstairs, bigger kitchen/ diner, utility and small office).

As is the way of these things, now the first quote is in we are beginning to think about scaling down our grand designs.

So: what's the collected wisdom? Would a new ground floor (double) bedroom increase the value of the house as much as an upstairs one? I am guessing not....

We've budgeted about £50,000 max and are in Greater London (the very outskirts though). I am now thinking this is woefully inadequate...

[MarthasHarbour]

i would say it is a good idea, your future buyers could be (a) parents of teenagers/20 somethings who would want a downstairs bedroom, (b) families with either an elderly relative or a relative who struggles with mobility and would want to sleep downstairs.

Our house next door is a dorma bungalow (2 small bedrooms upstairs and 2 bedrooms downstairs). An elderly couple have recently bought it as it is much easier for him as he has Parkinsons Disease, i dont think he has set foot upstairs, but his wife must as the light is on regularly

[jaynebxl]

We are in the process if buying a house with the fourth bedroom and en suite downstairs and we are delighted with the layout. Perfect for grandparents coming to visit, or for any guests really.

[narmada]

Ooh good, thanks for your feedback everyone. I hadn't thought about the accessibility thing.

[thenightsky]

I would think an extra ground floor room would be worth more than an upstairs one as it could be a study or anything.

[SquinkiesRule]

I would love on downstairs bedroom so long as there is also a downstairs shower room as my mother ages, I would like for her to be able to stay with us and eventually live with us as needed.
Dh also hates sleeping upstairs so we could use it as our bedroom as we got older too.

[cece]

We have a downstairs bedroom with ensuite. It's great for visitors. Plus ds is eyeing it up now she is nearly a teenager.

[Francescarose]

My friend debated exactly this and was told by estate agents that a ground floor bedroom wouldn't add value as people would always see it as a three bed plus study/ snug etc rather than a four bed. Seems a bit did but that's what they said! We are actually adding a ground floor bedroom currently but not counting on the value going up for that reason.

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

My next dream house would have a 4th bedroom downstairs with a shower room. For exactly the reasons other posters have mentioned. Guest bedroom, MIL bedroom when she got too old, and after she's gone, a teenage playroom/family room. It's very versatile.

[Startail]

Extra room is always good.
Our extension was built as a laundry room I suspect, has plumbing for a washer.
Previous owners used it as a single bedroom for grandpa.
We use it as DHs study.

Personally I wouldn't call it a spare bedroom as I need a double room for my parents to call it that, but it's very useful extra space.

I'd love to be able to have it as a proper laundry room, but DH would not be impressed.

[narmada]

francescarose, see, that is what is worrying me re. estate agents. If we spent money, we would want to know that notionally we would recoup it were we to sell. Not interested in profit but do need to cover our backs financially.....hmmm.

Thanks everyone else for replying too

[Tigerbomb]

We have a ground floor bedroom (4th) with a huge ensuite bathroom. It was the reason we bought this house as my DS (25) can have his own space. We have now put in a external door so he can come and go as he pleases - it's like his own little flat.

The house was £4k dearer then a similar house further up the road - but we thought it worth it for the extra space (it also means that the third double room upstairs is now my library).

[Tigerbomb]

With our ageing population it may also be a bonus for downstairs bedrooms and shower room.

My DM has said she will move in when she gets too old to manage by herself

[stella1w]

I think it wd be better if it was ensuite as that adresses the privacy issue for guests and mobility issue for older folk. And if it cd be designed in a way that it cd work as an extra recption room

[DonkeysDontRideBicycles]

I can't advise on budget but additional space is always welcome. One person's bedroom can be another person's study or rumpus room. More people work from home than 10 or 20 years' ago, perfectly reasonable to have an extension added on or garage converted. It's not just office space, an artist wants to have space and light, a childminder is glad to have space that doesn't intrude on the family living room area. Or room for hobbies, exercise.

[Trills]

Extra space is good, and a 3 bed with a study would be worth more than one without, but I would not consider a downstairs room to be a "bedroom".

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

narmada if you look at it another way, a double storey extension costs more than a single storey. So you'd expect a house with a double storey (hence extra upstairs bedroom) will fetch more in the market. After all, you can't have an extra room upstairs without an equivalent extra space downstairs isn't it?

[jaynebxl]

Trills sometimes a downstairs bedroom definitely is a bedroom, especially if it has an en suite!

[FunnysInLaJardin]

When we bought our house we looked at a house with a bedroom and ensuite on the ground floor and tbh it felt a bit odd. Sort of disjointed. We are now extending our house into the attic and had to think where we would put a second shower room. We did consider downstairs off the playroom but again it felt a bit odd! We are now having an ensuite off our upstairs bedroom.

I think it is really down to personal taste and agree that an extra room is better than no extra room

[Murtette]

What would the layout of the downstairs be with the new bedroom as this can affect how versatile it would be for you in future years/potential purchasers. Would it be fairly self contained (and with an en suite) and so good for elderly relatives/young adults still living at home/a nanny/a lodger as well as being a good study for someone who works a lot from home & so may want to be away from the rest of the house a bit? Or is it more integral and therefore only for visitors who are quite involved and could alternatively be used as a rumpus room?
FWIW, when we were house hunting, we looked at quite a few chalet style bungalows which had two bedrooms upstairs & two downstairs and didn't like any of them but that's because we have two very young children and couldn't work out who'd have which bedroom... would the children be upstairs without us? Or would one of them be upstairs with us and one downstairs? Three beds upstairs and one downstairs could have worked for us provided the downstairs one wasn't attached to the sitting room or kitchen as then guests would be disturbed by the children early in the morning.

[narmada]

Thanks all for your replies. Really helpful- layout would mean downstairs bedroom would be en suite but would also be accessible through an exterioe side door and there would be a door between kitchwn and then a short passageway to bedroom.

Because of where we live anyone buying our house would likely have either pre school kids or just approaching secondary age - we are in catchments and every housw on street has sold to young families.

[TooMuchRain]

I think if it is en-suite it would be attractive to buyers who are looking for somewhere with space for guests and/or family members with mobility issues - though as someone else said a single storey provides less overall space than a two-storey extension so naturally people will want to pay a bit less.

[HJBeans]

I'm currently looking to buy our first house and would pay more for a downstairs bedroom as my mum has mobility issues. Would need a downstairs bathroom as well, though, but wouldn't need to be ensure. Am sure stepfree bed and bath options would attract a lot of buyers for similar reasons.

[HJBeans]

ensuite not ensure. Stupid phone..