Would you choose more space or a warmer house?

[SugaryYuck]

Have posted a ridiculously long version of this on the property board but I doubt anyone will get through all the detail to advise me so I'm trying again...

In a complete nutshell - I have finance available to improve my house but not enough to do all I need/want to do so it's basically a choice of either

A) extend and move kitchen to achieve a large open plan kitchen, a shut away utility area and a separate study. Currently have a small kitchen only big enough for 1 person to comfortably work in, and study area in main living area. 4dc so space will become more limited as they grow.

B) insulate 1st floor which is currently un-insulated and is of unusual construction which means insulation will be costly. Replace windows - some single glazed, some crappy old draughty but double glazed currently.

So option A makes things nicer space wise, and option B makes things more comfortable and energy efficient.

Which would you do?

More space for me every time, personally. But given that it's your current house (I was expecting this to to be a "would you buy House A or House B" type thread) then only you know whether the lack of space or the cold feels like more of an issue to your family at the moment. If the cold is making you all miserable and the space doesn't feel like a huge issue you might have different priorities.

I would say a but depends where windows are.

I would do A then hopefully save up and chip away at replacing the upstairs draughty windows, as they could be done bit by bit?

B

Space wins. Add value then move.

I would do B and keep saving for A.

I would insulate.

If you aren’t planning to move any time soon I would insulate because I’m miserable when I’m cold.

It honestly depends on the age of your children, if most of them are younger than 10, you still have at least a few years to save for plan A but if they are mostly older than 10 then you will need A first. Also, it depends how bad the insulation and lay out of the upstairs is. My parents have 5 children I'm the eldest and moved out around 4 years ago but visit regularly. My siblings are between 10 and 18 now. My parents a few years ago did the upstairs basic layout redone, then the kitchen and study restructuring and partially decorated, then the upstairs radiators etc., then the downstairs décor finishing off, and now working on their en suite and dressing room reconfiguration and garden re landscaping. They also during the restructuring moved from a 3 double 1 single bed with 2 baths one loo, to a 5 double deb 2 baths one loo, larger kitchen, study area and snug mainly now the decor needs fixing , some of the windows need sorting soon and the landscaping.

I'd say warmth, purely because I'm living in a large cold house and it's miserable. I struggle with not being warm. Extra space is just more to clean, more to heat. I would love a small kitchen (our previous house was perfect) - I hate cooking and get sick of clearing clutter off all the work surfaces, plus as there is extra space people just dump everything in there on their way in.
The only thing I would struggle with not having is a utility room, as I hate the washer being in the kitchen.

I live in a large but freezing house, so personally I'd choose warm, we currently lose heat ridiculously fast, struggle to keep the place above 15°c as there's no insulation at all so our energy costs are high, plus there's constant cleaning and I cannot express enough how much I hate having to walk up two staircases several times a day, I'm only mid 20s but my knees aren't built for it.

It's a tough one. I would have leaned towards warmth but given you have 4 kids, I would advise space.

For me A everytime. But i live in big old drafty houses with water bottles and good slippers from oct to mar

I would say space as you can benefit from that all year round and it's only colder for so many months of the year and then during the cold spells you can wear more jumpers, better slippers, wear vests, gilets etc or use tricks to seal the windows, for the single glazed, cover with some sort of insulation and then keep thick curtains closed. Look up how to keep the heat in. You can always replace the windows when you have more money. Are there any grants you can apply for for insulating your home?

Space wins every time, I would certainly go for the extra space. You can always insulate in later years....or even put a warmer pullover on? (I keep my house cool, I can't stand UK's over-heated houses anyway!)

More space. Then I'd get everyone fluffy dressing-gowns and sheepskin slipper boots until I could afford to insulate and replace windows.

I'd extend, the government my well throw some money at youbm in few years to insulate. With dc I can't imagine not having a utility

How cold are you now?

I would say B because I live in a cold house with space - we don't use the space as we are fucking freezing and ony ever hover around duvets, blankets and the sparse radiators.

A fluffy dressing gown only goes so far.

B if it’s going to be a forever home, and considering the fact that heating bills are going up.

How cold is cold though?

What’s the temp in main living area and bedrooms?

I grew up in a house that only had a fire in the main living room and double height ceiling and no double glazing, a very early Victorian house and it was very cold. Frost on inside of windows, is it that bad?

Thank you all. Some more info.

It is the forever home.
Children are 8,9,10,14

14 yo beginning to exhibit an interest in cooking.

Currently freezer is in garage because no space for it inside and you have to go outside to get to it, all weathers... utilities are all in small kitchen.

Ground floor and whole side wall are insulated as brick built with cavity so I had them done in the green deal this summer. 1st floor is timber frame with upvc cladding - no insulation and basically like a slightly upgraded shed in construction. Government grants this far have only covered brick built cavity and solid walls. Nothing for weird half timber 60s clad bits, despite them being pretty common across the country.

There are two flat rooves, both not insulated. 1 a dodgy 70s extension which houses current study but would be replaced if extension happens. 1 sort of non porch bit sticking out at front - houses front door and downstairs loo but cannot be closed off from rest of house (no way to do it no matter what layout won't allow)

Main open plan living area is not too bad cold wise - but hallway and bedrooms get very parky.

Watch some episodes of tiny house nation. Then get yourself warm. Save on heating and use savings to save up for extension. Ask the kids what they would prefer too. They are old enough.

I want to say insulate as it is miserable being cold.
But with four DC the extra space downstairs might make up for cold bedrooms for 5 months of the year. It's a tough one OP.