Would you do a loft conversion or a second floor extension for master bedroom?

[xksismybestletter]

We have three primary age kids and a three bedroom house. We are planning some kind of extension to add a fourth bedroom, and a kitchen extension downstairs.

I'm thinking a loft conversion could be desirable so I have space from the kids, but I'm not sure if I will miss them too much up there, while they are still quite young.
Any thoughts? The house could accomodate either I think

It will depend on the layout of the house and what you can fit in, but, if ether option gave you the same space, I'd go for extending the first floor rather than going into the loft.

I live in a house with a lot of stairs and I'd prefer one staircase less if I could have got the same room in another way.

Personally, whilst I love loft conversions I'd go for the second floor extension with young children. Call me paranoid but I need to be sleeping on the same floor as them in case of a fire or from a more practical point of view to hear any shouts for other things (drink, I'm not well, I had a nightmare etc) before they wake up everyone else.

Thanks for your thoughts. I am thinking that as they get older they won't be shouting out in the night, they will be wanting distance. And likewise will I.

I can hear my youngest breathing in bed currently over the corridor!!

The house can achieve either nicely.

Go for both and get a spare room out of it at the same time? Assuming the finances can somehow be tweaked of course.

Otherwise I’d go for whichever will give you the most space for the least cost. With loft conversion I’d definitely need an en suite too rather than running up and down stairs all night.

But if you’re worried about not hearing younger children you could always put the older one in the loft and have you down with the others.

Alternatively echo dots everywhere and “Alexa, wake mum and dad.”

3 young children and had a loft. Loved it! Loved thr feeling of space from them. It wasn’t a massive house though so could still hear them in the night etc

I’d do second floor extension, especially if you are already extending the kitchen.

It will be better for resale.
Also putting in stairs is expensive.

Loft. LOVE mine. Although our kids were 12/9 when we did it, slept on the same floor until then. But now with teens it’s really brilliant. Think ahead…

Thanks, we wouldn't want to do both. Not that desperate for guests and kids can always shuffle around for guests.

We will also put in a study downstairs which guests could sleep in. It would have an en suite, and we will probably put a shower on the ground floor too

I love sleeping on a different floor to my children. If you have 2 adults in the house it also gives more distance from the lik img space in the case of a lie or early night.

That's said we are a small terrace with very little landing so the rooms although on a different floor are not so far away I cannot hear them.

If you do a loft conversion get A/C! We had an attic room and it was awful in summer.

Our house has been extended, and our bedroom is in the extension. It actually also feels slightly separate - you get a lot less noise as you are the other side of what was an external wall. I'd get quotes and start from there for your decision.

Yes I think it is about thinking ahead. Youngest is 6 so not a baby although he acts like one oldest is 9 so we are approaching teen years

I love our loft conversion.
The architechts did an amazing job as we saw a few houses on our street that were a bit meh and had low ceilings.

It has a large bathroom (big walk in shower and double vanity) the bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and is spacious. (even with a superking and 2.5 built in double wardrobes each there is a lot of space).
I also have a smallish "powder room" where my make up hair dryer jewelery and bags etc are kept.
We call it the nest - i love it!

@xksismybestletter ours were 5 and 9 when we did it - it was just in time another year and they would have been really annoying each other we sharing. I do t think k that's too young to be on a separate floor as long as it's near stairs. I put the youngest by our stairs so she was closest.

We did our loft recently, master bedroom and fairly large en suite shower room. We love it. It's a huge, bright space with an incredible view we didn't expect. We have 2x velux windows at the front and french doors at the back.

Contrary to a PP who mentions aircon, we found that it was by far the coolest room in the house during the hot weather and the all 4 of us ended up sleeping, working and playing up there for a couple of weeks!

We hear the kids fine if they call out.

Love the responses thanks!!

I’ve just moved to a house where the master bedroom is a loft conversion and I love it. Lots of space, lots of light, a lovely ensuite. I have 2 and 4 year olds and if I leave my door ajar at night I can still hear them if they need me in the night so it’s not a problem from that point of view.