Will i regret buying a cottage?

[Sammo0]

My DH and I are expecting our first babies, twins (boy and girl) imminently. We are currently living in rented accom while we hunt for our first home (by that i mean we are first time buyers, weve lived together for years). We have had an offer accepted on a 15th c cottage which has been fully renovated and will be able to just move in. It has 3 bedrooms and we love it as we've always wanted a period property. I am slightly bemused by the amount of people who have told us we'll regret it. Main reasons being that it is poky, small rooms (compared with modern houses), smaller garden, and only one upstairs bathroom. Im surprised that people are being so upfront. They say i will regret sacrificing space for character and it wont bother me when twins are here. Aibu to disregard this? Anyone with any experience?

We have a tiny cottage - love it. All the issues mentioned above but we deal with them. Only having one upstairs loo can be momentarily annoying but it's not really an issue.

We live in an old farmhouse. It's good points outweigh the bad points.

Absolutely no problems with one bathroom even with teens (people usually ask about teens and 1 toilet shock horror).

I live in a new build...downstairs is roomy, but the bedrooms and the one and only bathroom are pretty small...one bedrooms pretty much a cupboard to store a child in at night tbh - and my garden is tiny, properly rubbish tiny.

So new houses don't necessarily mean more space at all.

I'd have a poky cottage over a poky flimsy new build any day...but I can afford my house, I find that quite important, lol.

Sounds lovely. Lucky you!

I have lived in old houses and absolutely loved them. However, what previous posters have said about heating and repairs/alterations restrictions (if your cottage is listed and/or in a conservation area) is worth serious consideration.

Old houses often cannot be insulated to modern standards, are usually expensive to heat, can be prone to draughts/ damp/dry rot, and - if listed etc - must be repaired using very expensive traditional materials and methods. Stone cottages can be be dank and chilly in summer. If the cottage is timber-framed, the sound insulation probably will not be good. I'd be wary of a semi-detatched cottage with a stud-and-plaster partition wall.

Having said all that, I still love old houses. But do ask about recent fuel bills (you will want your babies to keep warm) and listed/conservation area status (am sure you have done this already). Also - most important! - if the cottage has septic tank drainage, be incredibly careful about what you put down the loo. Just a couple of baby-wipes can cause havoc. It would also be sensible to ask about things such as septic-tank emptying contracts. In some areas, these can cost £££.

Does a small garden mean that there are lots of other houses close by?
That might not be a problem for you. But if you are keen on privacy ...

I live in an ancient cottage. Be aware of how cold it will be in the winter, and the slight but pervasive dampness. Not structural damp mind you.
Other than that it is fine. get a log burner.

Can you afford to heat it? Does it have a reasonable sewage system?

^^Those would be my major concerns.

I didn't mean to say 'don't live in an old cottage', but I do genuinely think you have to be prepared to 'work with' the building, if you see what I mean.
For many people - me included - any disadvantages are outweighed by love of an old place.

A lot also depends on the way in which 'your' cottage has been renovated - this might be sensibly, to conserve the old fabric, or for cosmetic purposes only (which can sometimes lead to problems - timber-framed houses need to 'breathe'). But I expect you have already asked in detail about what has been done.

For some people, making thick, interlined curtains to keep bedrooms cosy, or building a covered rack to keep firewood dry etc etc are all part of the fun, and a delightful adventure. If that's you, then go for it - but with your eyes open.