Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this house IS big enough

284 replies

Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 11:28

For 3 kids and wfh (needing an office)

im not sure it is, but surely it should be and I’m missing a trick as to how we can make it work, DH and I have decided we’d like another child.

it’s a new house (6yrs now) so I took a pic of the floor plan from the developers. It’s pretty generic but it’s tight on space.

the front double is our bedroom, built in wardrobe and the space by the ensuite is a chest of drawers that we really need.

the smaller back ‘double’ (on floor plan) is more a single tbh, but that’s my eldests room. Front single youngest. Other double is a guest room/ office.

we really need an office for wfh. There’s no place for stud walls due to the windows.

we do have a garage though and a classic new build garden aka small.

what do you think? Can another kid fit here?

yabu- no way
yanbu- yes with some outside the box thinking that I’ll share :)

OP posts:
Wigtopia · 23/06/2024 11:54

Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 11:38

Those two small boxed off spaces are storage, slightly bigger than they look. The one by the loo, so off the living room is where all the toys live.

under the stairs, general crap, lol pushchair lived there. We’ve got a few boards in the loft so suitcases but you couldn’t store much there, you can’t convert up due to potential mould.

then the single garage that’s probably the dimensions of the lounge

Show quote history

Can you explain what you mean about unable to convert the loft due to potential mould? It might be that part of a loft conversion that you need a re-roof and some soffit vents that will sort mould issues. Definitely worth looking into if you can afford it as it will likely be less disruptive/stressful than moving to somewhere bigger.

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 11:53

Nellieinthebarn · 23/06/2024 11:42

Just turn the garage into an office, and park on the drive. Or what about the loft? would that be feasible for either an office or bedroom?

TBH we already park in the drive and use the garage for storage lol, so maybe I need to look into that.

any idea of the cost anyone?

OP posts:
jeaux90 · 23/06/2024 11:53

@rainbowunicorn sure of course parents do ...without their sanity intact though.

I prefer my teen to be visible and won't let her have a TV or game in her bedroom so I built an extension so we could have two spaces.

OP is looking at having another kid, I think the house is way too small for 3 kids and WFH.

Arewealljustloosingtheplot · 23/06/2024 11:51

I feel like it’s a bit tight, upstairs and down. I disagree with people who don’t think you need an en-suite!! Of course you need more than one shower when you’re a family of 4+ . Storage seems very lacking but that’s fine as long as you are organised.

the kids could share, mine used to when they were tiny ( even though we had loads of spare rooms) they would hate it now though so defo is something with a lifespan.

i would move the office out into the garage or a garden room ( we have one we use as a bar) but I would say that if you could extend then and office / study / game room downstairs would be life changing as your kids grow.

WiseBiscuit · 23/06/2024 11:51

Garden office. We have one, DH put it in himself for £11k.

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 11:50

rainbowunicorn · 23/06/2024 11:46

You really don't, plenty of families manage perfectly well to bring children up to adulthood without 2 lounges.

Show quote history

Was going to say, we never had two lounges growing up. Just the one. Friends hung out in bedroom or the main lounge

OP posts:
Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 11:49

rainbowunicorn · 23/06/2024 11:38

Why are you using a double for a home office? Do you really need an entire room as an office? Use the single as a guest room with a sofa bed in, if you do need a room for the office then that can be in there as well. Any way you can make a work station under the stairs as an office area. If you can the you could use the single guest room as additional storage area.

Ease, eldest was the back single as it was the quietest room and then youngest the front as it was closest, the front single was the study before and the back a spare.

OP posts:
rainbowunicorn · 23/06/2024 11:46

jeaux90 · 23/06/2024 11:37

Honestly no.

Also you need more downstairs space as kids get older, they want friends over or sharing an Xbox etc, effectively you need two lounges with teens.

You really don't, plenty of families manage perfectly well to bring children up to adulthood without 2 lounges.

anicecuppateaa · 23/06/2024 11:45

Unless you have lots of visitors, spare room is low priority. Office space in the garage/ summer house and give each child a bedroom. Change sofa to sofa bed for occasional visitors.

Nellieinthebarn · 23/06/2024 11:45

BlackBean2023 · 23/06/2024 11:44

I have a garden pod that I work from. It's my favourite space because it's mine!

Ooh lovely.

CassandraWebb · 23/06/2024 11:44

Have a desk space in your bedroom? That's what we did when we were both working from home.

Or lose the en suite and turn that into an office?

Or a little office pod in the garden?

Or two children share?

BiscuitsForever · 23/06/2024 11:44

I think the only real option is a garden office or the garage becomes partly an office. I do think the downstairs space would be tricky with 3 children though.

BlackBean2023 · 23/06/2024 11:44

I have a garden pod that I work from. It's my favourite space because it's mine!

rainbowunicorn · 23/06/2024 11:43

Yeah, you don't need an ensuite, convert your ensuite to an office. We have one bathroom with 4 adults and it is fine. Have always only had one bathroom / toilet never Neen much of an issue.

ThePoshUns · 23/06/2024 11:43

Or build an office/ summer house in the garden?

Nellieinthebarn · 23/06/2024 11:42

Just turn the garage into an office, and park on the drive. Or what about the loft? would that be feasible for either an office or bedroom?

stealthninjamum · 23/06/2024 11:42

Do you have many visitors? Do you really need a double to be a spare room? I’m not sure the house is big enough for a third child unless two share the office.

You could manage - lots of people manage in smaller - but it seems a bit cramped to me

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 11:41

commonground · 23/06/2024 11:38

The bedrooms are too small for sharing, so you need to free one up.

Options:

You put a small office space in the garage (stud wall?)

You put a small fitted office in the cubbyhole by the downstairs loo (fold up desk, clever shelving). If you can take the wall down there so it is like a dogleg corner of the living room, that would work.

You don't have a third kid.

You move.

I think the second double is probably big enough to share, because it’s got a double, a chest of drawers, a wardrobe and 2 sets of desks and a filing cabinet in atm and it doesn’t feel to cluttered.

ive wondered on the garage, but I’ve heard you need planning permission

OP posts:
ThePoshUns · 23/06/2024 11:41

Could you remove the door /wall of the living room cupboard and make that an office area? I wouldn't waste much needed bedroom space on one.

orangeblosssom · 23/06/2024 11:41

One of your children would have to share a bedroom which would make it harder for them to have their private space and study their homework. Not ideal.

commonground · 23/06/2024 11:40

Yes I concur with the bathrooms ^ You could turn your ensuite into an office. You have a downstairs loo.

BusyCM · 23/06/2024 11:40

Move the downstairs loo to under stairs and then knock through existing one to the cupboard behind to make a an office.

TheCultureHusks · 23/06/2024 11:39

And yet there are THREE bathroom spaces. Honestly new builds are ridiculous on that front.

I would convert the garage to an office space. If for whatever reason that can’t work I would lose at least one bathroom area and convert to an office space.

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 11:38

Procrastinates · 23/06/2024 11:34

Technically yes you'd all fit although the two youngest or two oldest (depending on genders and gap etc) would have to share after baby left your room. However it doesn't look like you have a lot of storage space so it probably feels quite squashed already.

Those two small boxed off spaces are storage, slightly bigger than they look. The one by the loo, so off the living room is where all the toys live.

under the stairs, general crap, lol pushchair lived there. We’ve got a few boards in the loft so suitcases but you couldn’t store much there, you can’t convert up due to potential mould.

then the single garage that’s probably the dimensions of the lounge

OP posts:
rainbowunicorn · 23/06/2024 11:38

Why are you using a double for a home office? Do you really need an entire room as an office? Use the single as a guest room with a sofa bed in, if you do need a room for the office then that can be in there as well. Any way you can make a work station under the stairs as an office area. If you can the you could use the single guest room as additional storage area.