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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:
PiggieWig · 24/06/2024 14:21

My hatred of hoovering stairs started when I lived in a 3 storey house, but other than that it was fine - and mine were toddlers when we lived there.

WayTooManyTabsOpen · 24/06/2024 13:35

@Coconutsandpalmtree

One of my friends grew up in a 2 bed sharing a room with her 3 sisters and the downstairs area was a single combined living room/diner/kitchen. And this was in the 80s/90s not pre war 😆

Obviously not ideal, but none of them are suffering any trauma from the experience!

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 24/06/2024 13:28

Arewealljustloosingtheplot · 24/06/2024 13:15

But there won’t be 5 of you if you move in elderly parents and they would basically mean no one else has access to that bathroom? So then you’re 2 toilets and one bathroom for 5?

sorry if I’ve got confused with your proposal!

we have 4 loos and 3 showers for 6 of us. I wouldn’t even consider any less ( though we do have teenage girls!)

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perhaps but comprises may have to be made budget wise, esp if we want to go disruption to the kids as minimal by staying in the same area

theres one other on the market 6 bed even has a library and a drawing room and a game room, cool 1.5 m. Slightly out of grasp 😅

OP posts:
Arewealljustloosingtheplot · 24/06/2024 13:15

Coconutsandpalmtree · 24/06/2024 13:08

There’s a shower room adjoined to it?

theres 3? Ideally an ensuite would be there but is 3 loos for 5 people not sufficient?

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But there won’t be 5 of you if you move in elderly parents and they would basically mean no one else has access to that bathroom? So then you’re 2 toilets and one bathroom for 5?

sorry if I’ve got confused with your proposal!

we have 4 loos and 3 showers for 6 of us. I wouldn’t even consider any less ( though we do have teenage girls!)

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 24/06/2024 13:09

buttnut · 24/06/2024 12:55

We live in a 3-storey and it’s a bit of a pain. Plus side is Dh works night shifts so is handy having a bedroom at the top of the house as he doesn’t hear any downstairs noise.

Will have preference for a 2-storey when we move though :)

It’s an extra storey to clean too right? 😅

for older kids I can see it being handy because they’ve got a bit more space and privacy but younger less than ideal

OP posts:
Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 24/06/2024 13:08

Arewealljustloosingtheplot · 24/06/2024 12:54

I think if this is for added elderly parents then it isn’t big enough. though occasional use for guests would be fine. Not a perm bedroom.
defo need more bathrooms too.

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There’s a shower room adjoined to it?

theres 3? Ideally an ensuite would be there but is 3 loos for 5 people not sufficient?

OP posts:
buttnut · 24/06/2024 12:55

We live in a 3-storey and it’s a bit of a pain. Plus side is Dh works night shifts so is handy having a bedroom at the top of the house as he doesn’t hear any downstairs noise.

Will have preference for a 2-storey when we move though :)

Arewealljustloosingtheplot · 24/06/2024 12:54

Coconutsandpalmtree · 24/06/2024 12:51

Yeah my ideal isn’t a semi but I suppose something has to give at some point, obviously this is just hypothetical. But I don’t love that it doesn’t have an en suite

extra room downstairs could be ideal for an older parent though I’m wondering less stairs etc?

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I think if this is for added elderly parents then it isn’t big enough. though occasional use for guests would be fine. Not a perm bedroom.
defo need more bathrooms too.

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 24/06/2024 12:51

Arewealljustloosingtheplot · 24/06/2024 12:30

i really don’t like 3 floor houses ( because usually the downstairs is smaller ) I much prefer the semi , though o wouldn’t buy I semi so I’d keep looking! That floor plan is much better though. IMO.

Edited to add - I don’t believe any rooms that are downstairs are bedrooms ( unless an actual bungalow ) so I couldn’t buy that if I actually needed 5 bedrooms ( which I do!) perfect for games / study / office though and I think they are better downstairs!

Edited

Yeah my ideal isn’t a semi but I suppose something has to give at some point, obviously this is just hypothetical. But I don’t love that it doesn’t have an en suite

extra room downstairs could be ideal for an older parent though I’m wondering less stairs etc?

OP posts:
Arewealljustloosingtheplot · 24/06/2024 12:30

i really don’t like 3 floor houses ( because usually the downstairs is smaller ) I much prefer the semi , though o wouldn’t buy I semi so I’d keep looking! That floor plan is much better though. IMO.

Edited to add - I don’t believe any rooms that are downstairs are bedrooms ( unless an actual bungalow ) so I couldn’t buy that if I actually needed 5 bedrooms ( which I do!) perfect for games / study / office though and I think they are better downstairs!

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 24/06/2024 11:53

I’m not planning a move in the immediate future so this is a hypothetical, which is better?

a) 5 bed 3 floors (floor plan attached) I don’t love the whole 3 stories thing with small kids I’d rather have all bedrooms on the same floor- plus then an older parent… extra flight of stairs

or b) 4 bed upstairs and then an extra room downstairs that’s shown as play area that could be guest room/ play room/ study. Downside of that is that the house is a semi, our is a detached and I’m not sure I could go back.

both are in budget for things as they stand right now (aka rates still relatively high)

MN uploading images may flip them around

To think this house IS big enough
To think this house IS big enough
OP posts:
updownleftrightstart · 24/06/2024 11:41

I would struggle with 3 kids in that space, but then I know people with 5 or 6 children who live in a smaller house and they cope.

I think that is necessary changes very much depending on your budget. I am currently looking to buy and getting quite frustrated that nothing we view is big enough. In a way it would be much easier if our budget was 300k less as we'd lower our expectations and find something really easily.

PiggieWig · 24/06/2024 11:27

I’d love a garden office! I’m quite jealous OP. As it is, I live in a three bedroom terrace with only one bathroom (shocker!) and a small back yard with two young adult sons and a semi-resident girlfriend.
How we make it through the day I have no idea 🤷‍♀️

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 24/06/2024 09:27

Twoshoesnewshoes · 24/06/2024 08:57

Yes, just from
my own research and experience of friends .garden room 7 to 10k
garage conversion - 12 to 17k (no plumbing or fancy extras)
conservatory from 20k

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Very interesting!

ive seen some garden offices that are the same size as a shed so this very well could work!

OP posts:
Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 24/06/2024 09:25

Fluffyhoglets · 23/06/2024 23:05

I'd love that house! We brought up 2 kids in a smaller 4 bed house than that with only one bathroom and no second lounge! They survived!
I cannot believe some of the comments you've had!

Yeah they’ve been vile haven’t they!

personal faves include that it’s not big enough for even 2 children.

one needs 2 living rooms

that the garden is tiddly

OP posts:
Twoshoesnewshoes · 24/06/2024 08:57

Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 22:46

In order of cheapness?

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Yes, just from
my own research and experience of friends .garden room 7 to 10k
garage conversion - 12 to 17k (no plumbing or fancy extras)
conservatory from 20k

PiggieWig · 24/06/2024 08:49

Ive seen some garden rooms that are almost like tiny homes with a mezzanine bed and space for a sofa and desk underneath.

Another option could be a caravan, thinking outside the box a little.

Fluffyhoglets · 23/06/2024 23:05

I'd love that house! We brought up 2 kids in a smaller 4 bed house than that with only one bathroom and no second lounge! They survived!
I cannot believe some of the comments you've had!

justasking111 · 23/06/2024 22:56

Went to a garden centre which sold office pods. There was a log burner in one 😂

Was very swish, light and airy. I think I'd want blinds fitted in the summer though.

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 22:46

Twoshoesnewshoes · 23/06/2024 22:34

Office pod
then garage conversion
then conservatory

In order of cheapness?

OP posts:
Twoshoesnewshoes · 23/06/2024 22:34

Office pod
then garage conversion
then conservatory

Original poster
Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 21:56

PiggieWig · 23/06/2024 18:02

Would a small conservatory or orangery work on the back, to create extra space for WFH?

Also, I’m wondering how much you need a guest room? Do you often have people to stay?

googling orangery

not enough to warrant it, worst case eldest could get a trundle bed and then there’s an extra bed if Nan comes to stay.

we’ve got space for a small one yeah, that could be nice, although I’m wondering what’s cheaper… garage conversion, office pod, or conservatory?

any one know?

OP posts:
Shefliesonherownwings · 23/06/2024 20:07

We live in a standard 3 bed semi in the south, our bedrooms are probably slightly bigger than yours so overall similar in terms of total square foot. We also have 2 under 4 so still pretty small children.

I WFH permanently and DH does a couple of days a week too. We built a garden office in our not huge garden. There’s room in there for a good sized desk, plus a two seater sofa and we have a projector in there which we use with the kids to watch movies on and DH and I like going in there in the summer evenings to watch tv so it definitely doubles up as another room with multi usage. Still plenty of room in the garden for playing as well as garden furniture. Think we got the office for about 8k so I’d definitely look into something like that OP. DH just works from the dining table when he’s at home.

PiggieWig · 23/06/2024 18:02

Would a small conservatory or orangery work on the back, to create extra space for WFH?

Also, I’m wondering how much you need a guest room? Do you often have people to stay?

80smonster · 23/06/2024 17:57

Coconutsandpalmtree · 23/06/2024 15:12

We already own the house!

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Apologies I did not understand this as had only read your first 2 OPS. Good luck with the garden studio or loft conversion!