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Original poster

Is it better to live in a big house?

140 replies

rosiesunflower · 09/06/2022 11:32

We've sold our small house and ended up renting a big house. We'll big to us anyway.
I feel so much more relaxed and calm. I have space for the first time. I get all the extra cleaning and things like that but overall the space is outweighing anything else.

We're now looking to buy again and everything has changed about what we thought we wanted in our next home. I feel like I can never go back to a small house again. Has anyone gone from a smaller house to a bigger one and regretted it? I'm talking quite a large house ie 4000 sq ft plus. Our house we sold was 1000sq ft! I suppose it would be very long term purchase. We only have one primary aged dc.

OP posts:
Original poster
rosiesunflower · 09/06/2022 18:06

@Lovinglife45 you have not failed. I was actually very happy in my 1000sq ft house it's just I've now lived in a bigger one and been quite taken aback at how much easier I'm finding living in it. Had I never lived here I'd never have known.

We do have large items for hobbies. These seem to have grown in size since moving here. I like that I can't even hear dh unless I want to. Maybe that's a product of long marriage?! I do like dh though but enjoy my space these days.

Dc has a large play room. We do have a big garden too which is nice but that is an upkeep! We also would look to have a live in nanny if we lived in a bigger house because I really don't like being with someone in my home and the idea of putting them the other end of the house has an appeal to us!
I agree about some of the soul less big houses. I am not looking for that. But then character property will probably = ££££ and I agree with PP saying bigger houses equal builders and other workman adding £ automatically onto the price.

OP posts:
Original poster
rosiesunflower · 09/06/2022 18:15

@NippyWoowoo ha! No it's not like that I am genuinely wanting to know if we should take the mortgage out for a bigger property because renting isn't the same as owning and wanted to know if anyone else (mainly) regrets it. But the answers seem to be overwhelmingly it's better. I am finding it better but renting is easy. No huge costs to cover unexpectedly if anything goes wrong. For example.

OP posts:
Mellowyellow222 · 09/06/2022 18:15

I have realised you are in a very different income bracket than me!! I thought my four bed 1,700 sq foot house was good sized! Then I looked up 4,000 sq ft houses! Yikes

property.xyz/for-sale/uk/hertfordshire/cuffley/en6/hanyards-lane-16437168005s4Ph8p1ykXQ?utm_source=Trovit&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=premium-t

User6761 · 09/06/2022 18:16

My partner's mother lives in a pretty big house (don't know square footage but 4 double bedrooms upstairs, one with en suite and there is a single story extension downstairs). It feels small and claustrophobic. It is completely filled to the brim with stuff. Not necessarily junk, just stuff. There is not a clear surface anywhere, and you can hardly get through some doors because there are statues in the way..... Trying to keep on top of it all is a never-ending task for her and she admits at times that it's overwhelming.

I think one of the key things to having a relaxing home is having enough but not too much space (I would rather fewer big rooms than lots of small rooms) and most importantly STORAGE! That is where my small home is lacking!

PixellatedPixie · 09/06/2022 18:17

@obsessedwithsleep we are in Surrey and many of the houses here tend to be quite big as many people are couples who both earn London salaries but commute to cheaper areas.

User6761 · 09/06/2022 18:20

@Mellowyellow222 your house seems massive to me. I think ours is about 900sq ft! I don't think I've ever been in a 4000 sq ft house.

HazelNutterButter · 09/06/2022 19:12

Our house is 4000sq ft. I think it’s perfect. Everyone (DH, me and 2 DC) has space and there’s a lot of storage. If guests stay, there’s enough space for them too without it feeling busy.

I don’t have to clean or garden though, so maybe I’d think differently if I did.

Ruthietuthie · 09/06/2022 21:00

@boardey , some US houses are like that (big entrance halls, small bedrooms) and some are really soulless and massive open-plan kitchen/family room spaces. But they tend to the newer ones. Our house is old (for US standards) and in an historic district, so it has big rooms throughout and lots of light, several porches and balconies, although by English standards it has quite a small garden - plenty big enough to play in and have some flower beds, but definitely not acres. F.Scott Fitzgerald lived in this house. I never imagined growing up that I would ever live somewhere so lovely.

boardey · 09/06/2022 21:13

I wasn't assuming all houses in the US were like that. I've just noticed it as a general trend.

boardey · 09/06/2022 21:19

This is around the corner for me & the proportions I like, but prices mean I'm in a home smaller than I would like!

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123077243#/?channel=RES_BUY

Thebeastofsleep · 09/06/2022 21:23

Ours is 3000sq ft. It's about right. But costs a fortune to heat.

It's very big compared to our 700sq foot old house, but we'd like it to be about a meter wider!

I think it depends on how the space is divided up as well. I prefer larger rooms to more of them. We have 4 good size double rooms, some houses on our road have split them in to 5 or 6 small doubles but it depends on need I guess.

Mellowyellow222 · 09/06/2022 21:25

Ruthietuthie · 09/06/2022 21:00

@boardey , some US houses are like that (big entrance halls, small bedrooms) and some are really soulless and massive open-plan kitchen/family room spaces. But they tend to the newer ones. Our house is old (for US standards) and in an historic district, so it has big rooms throughout and lots of light, several porches and balconies, although by English standards it has quite a small garden - plenty big enough to play in and have some flower beds, but definitely not acres. F.Scott Fitzgerald lived in this house. I never imagined growing up that I would ever live somewhere so lovely.

Is this your house??

www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/real-estate/news/g2857/f-scott-fitzgerald-house-for-sale/

can’t believe the price!! Amazing house

Boredsoentertainme · 09/06/2022 21:25

These are massive houses. To give folks an idea of scale, this is jisy over 4000 sq foot.

www.theplancollection.com/house-plans/home-plan-25663

boardey · 09/06/2022 21:31

can’t believe the price!! Amazing house

So much house & less than my first flat cost, insane!

Minimalme · 09/06/2022 21:33

I don't want to live in a big house, which is fortunate because I can't afford one.

We are moving to a small flat, only possible because I follow minimalism and only own what I need.

I think the desire for more space is linked to consumerism generally and I am glad to be free of it.

boardey · 09/06/2022 21:34

@Boredsoentertainme why is the kitchen do small in relation to the rest of the house

TheRoadToRuin · 09/06/2022 21:39

There is no such thing as too much space imo.
Our house is about 4000sq ft and I love it. It was great when there was just the two of us but with DC we always had plenty of room. For example when adult DC moved home for a while it was nice to be able to give them their own sitting room for privacy.

We are now at the age we want to "downsize" in order to plan for old age- we live in an isolated village. I can't bear the thought of having no room. What we are planning is to find a large bungalow in a good location so we don't need a car but still have space.

Nocutenamesleft · 09/06/2022 21:41

Yes. We lived in a huge house. 6 bedrooms. 4 floors. Separate annex. Swimming pool

we then moved to a smaller house and I couldn’t ever imagine going back to the big house

like you we loved it at first. But then you’ve got to clean it. Upkeep it. Heat it. It gets expensive (for example we had to have our electrics redone. For the whole house ) then it’s not so good having a huge house

yes you can get a cleaner. But unless they come in daily you’re always working behind.

nope. Would never do it again.

Xfox · 09/06/2022 21:43

No wonder house prices seem high - everyone has moved to a parallel universe where everyone lives in mansions!

I've recently moved from what I thought was a small, but perfectly livable size home (good built in storage) at 600sqm, to what I thought was a very reasonably proportioned house (and indeed feels rather large to me!) of 850sqm!

It suits me fine. And I'd not fancy the gas and leccy bills of all these houses come October!

Xfox · 09/06/2022 21:44

Sorry sft!!

55sqm to 80sqm!

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 09/06/2022 21:49

Do what feels right for you. You say you have come to enjoy and relax in the extra space - says it all, if you can afford it, do it. You spend a lot of time at home. It needs to be relaxing and stress free as possible.

user30 · 09/06/2022 22:01

My house is super tiny. Quick to clean, quick and cheap to heat. Nice and cosy. Nice and cheap!

Nocutenamesleft · 09/06/2022 22:06

user30 · 09/06/2022 22:01

My house is super tiny. Quick to clean, quick and cheap to heat. Nice and cosy. Nice and cheap!

sounds perfect to me! Trust me. The big house lifestyle is shit! So much to clean! So much to heat. So much to repair.

DirtyteaCup · 09/06/2022 22:14

Mine has 6 double bedrooms- guess about 4000 sq ft plus useable cellars and attics
last year the gas/electric was £450 a month. Have no idea no but guessing about £1000
£100k to replace the windows etc

I wouldn't but a big house again. I also have a 500sq foot flat which I love much more.

BlackandBlueBird · 09/06/2022 22:16

sounds perfect to me! Trust me. The big house lifestyle is shit! So much to clean! So much to heat. So much to repair.

Agree! When we looked at our house before buying I thought it was too big and I was right.
I would actually love to remove the extension and have more garden and less house but I know that would make zero financial sense.
Everyone tells me I will appreciate the size when the kids are teens and maybe they’re right!