Extension - more downstairs space or loft conversion? WWYD?

[hallamoo]

We have 4 DC, DD1 - 11y, DD2 - 7y, DD3 - 4y and DS - 1y. We have a good size 4 bedroom house. Downstairs, we have; large lounge, decent size dining room, kitchen/breakfast room & utility. Car port but no garage. All 4 bedrooms are doubles (bed 4 - small double).

We have a budget to extend and realistically we could either go for a loft coversion so that all DC have their own rooms (and poss an upstairs study), or we could extend the kitchen to create a large kitchen/dining/family space, and turn the existing dining room into a kids den.

So, what do you think would benefit us most? More downstairs space or more bedrooms? We don't have the budget to do both.

I swing from one to the other - all very confusing!

Any thoughts? advice on room sharing for those with 4 older DC?

TIA

[Earlybird]

If you extended, would you still have a good-sized garden?
Is it likely you might have another child?

[DonInKillerHeels]

I'd definitely do more downstairs space. You don't have much time left in the greater scheme of things before DD1 is off to university and sharing rooms will be much less of an issue. (I'm the eldest of 4 and when I went off to university my parents moved my bed and stuff in with my sister, so that we shared during the vacations but my sister had her own room most of the time.)

[hallamoo]

Absolutely no more children! We are done, done, done! Our house is newish, so garden is not huge, but still a good size for a new house. We would reclaim part of the garden back by taking up a hardstanding which is in the back garden (odd building regs about needing 3 car parking spaces, so one is in the back garden, beyond the car port). We would create another parking space at the front of the house.

[RandomMess]

Den could be a bedroom if you really needed an extra one so I'd go with downstairs space.

[Essene]

It might be worth bearing in mind that if you convert your loft, you lose any storage space you might have up there already (or the potential to have storage space in your loft). IME, the one thing families need more than anything else is storage space!

[ilovemydogandMrObama]

we have a loft conversion, en suite, and honestly think we should have extended downstairs and put in more storage space.

[Earlybird]

I'd add to your living space downstairs rather than convert the loft. As others have said, will leave you with storage space - which is always a need.

Also, extending gives you more room to share as a family instead of space where people can shut themselves away.

[hallamoo]

I'm thinking along the same lines as everyone else, DH is keener on more bedrooms, so need to convince him that downstairs is the way to go.

Also, am slightly concerned about future moody teenage girls making my life difficult by having to share rooms - any advice?

[PorkyandBess]

I would think the most important thing would be to give the kids their own bedrooms.

When they get to teens, no-one wants to share a room.

Although, having said that, by the time your youngest are teens, the eldest will prob have left home.

#nohelpwhatsoever

[Vickles]

You didn't say how many bathrooms upstairs you have?

My brother has 3 older teenage kids - and, 2 older girls have a shower cubicle and sink in their bedrooms! Not for me, actually in their rooms... but, after having got a water pump to help the pressure.... they're not all queueing for the bathroom in the mornings.

You need to think about upstairs space, when they get older... as they will most likely be heading upstairs to their bedrooms with their friends.

We have a loft bedroom, with an ensuite and a huge walk in wardrobe (in the eaves) and a loft (in the eaves). So, we certainly are not short on storage space (3 kids - hopefully 4 one day!).

It sounds like you have a huge amount of space downstairs already to be honest.. but, I know I can't see it in person.

3 daughters - heading to teen age.... DEFINITELY increase the space upstairs - bedroom and bathrooms. You will need it! Just think of you all trying to get out of the house in the mornings... all queueing for the bathroom! No wonder your hubby wants to increase upstairs, as he'll know he'll probably be at the bottom of the list queuewise!

My brother - had a summerhouse in the garden... and the older kids would go with their friends in there at night, with the outdoor lighting and radiator. It was lovely... they also would revise out there sometimes.

I have to say, I thought they got the balance - upstairs and downstairs - just right. The teenage son would live in his room, or sit on the computer playing games downstairs in the dining room/study... open through to the large lounge (with doors) with loads of sofas, beanbags - big tv and fire... really lovely.. then a kitchen with a sofa in it.

Upstairs, with no loft conversion, was 4 bedrooms (1 double with shower/sink, 1 double shower/sink, 1 kingsize (shower) and 1 double room. Then family bathroom.

Hope that helps.

[DonInKillerHeels]

Those keen on the extra bedrooms have missed the part where you have a 10-year age gap between no.1 and no.4..... your littlest can share until no.1 goes to university, then no.1 can share when she comes home on vacations.

"Also, am slightly concerned about future moody teenage girls making my life difficult by having to share rooms - any advice?"
Your teenage girls won't have to share rooms, see above.

I do get the point about extra bathrooms though, although the six of us managed fine with a single family bathroom (in Australia where everyone has at least 2 showers a day)...can you install an additional loo and shower room downstairs?

[DonInKillerHeels]

One more thing; I was the eldest, same set up as your family, so when I was 11 DSis1 was 9, DSis2 was 4 and DBro was 2.

From the time I was 13 I shared a bedroom with DSis2. This worked fine because I was the only stroppy teenager in the room though I did insist that the room was divided in two with a full-length screen for privacy. I did my homework on the dining room table, even though I had a desk in my part of the room.

[hallamoo]

Thanks everyone. Upstairs we have a family bathroom and an en suite. We have a downstairs WC which is a good size, could perhaps fit a shower it it - hadn't thought of that!

We have to go through the existing dining room to get to the kitchen so couldn't really turn into a bedroom but could turn into a kids den if we extended downstairs. Kitchen is big enough for a table and at the moment we eat in the kitchen, but as soon as DS outgrows the high chair, the table won't be big enough for 6, so we'll have to eat in the dining room.

We don't have a garage, so I'm worried about losing storage space if we convert the loft, also about the house becoming 'top heavy'.

What about if DD1 doesn't go to uni, or goes to a local one and lives at home? What if none of them ever move out??? With tuition fees and house prices, this could be a real possibility.

I'm not against a loft conversion per se, but think I've been seduced by the idea of a big kitchen/dining/entertaining space.

Really wish we could do both, but finances just won't allow

[PerimenopausalMyArse]

I'd go for the extra living space, and definitely an extra shower in the downstairs loo. We have three showers between five and they are often all being used in the morning!

I absolutely maintain that the secret of a happy family life is space - when the kids get bigger you want them to be able to bring friends home but that is so much easier if you are not falling over them. As others have said I would also be reluctant to lose the storage in the loft.