to want to move a mile up the road

[from123toabc]

When OH bought the house we live in the plan was to renovate (Georgian town house). We have got planning permission to extend (move bathroom upstairs and create a bigger kitchen and 4th bedroom.

The house has a lot of equity in it and our town has increased in value.

We have decided to try for a baby next year. The current house won't work with a baby- we would need 4 bedrooms and 2 toilets (current house has just one downstairs bathroom).

Obviously option 1 is to do the extension but all electrics and plumbing are in an old extension that MUST be pulled down to build the new one making the house unlivable.

Option 2 is to move. I love the town we are in, but we live in the town centre now and there just aren't properties like ours with off road parking on a no-through road and 4 beds that aren't £100k more than our house (this is also the approx cost of the extension). We could move to an estate (I used to rent on) that has good amenities where we could afford a detached 4 bed for £20-£50k more than our current property. It would mean being further from DC1 (10) school and my work (we both walk) it would also mean paying stamp duty.
It would be a more modern house 1990/early 2000's rather than one with character.

WWYD

Stay put and extend

I'd discuss the build time scale etc. and how long you might be out of the house with a builder before making a decision.

I'd also compare all the pros and cons of the refurbished town house against the houses a mile away.

Improve your current property.

Stay put and extend

And rent for 3-6 months while the work is being done.

Personally, I think you’d be mad to move to an estate further from school/work and with less character. Just ride out the short-term discomfort of the extension.

Stay put and extend.

Stay put but it's not clear from your post exactly what is wrong with the house now.

You said that there are similar houses with the space you want for £100k more which is the cost of the extension - can you not buy one of those. You will be spending the same amount whether you extend or move and won’t have to live through work??

I live in a properly like yours. You couldn’t pay me to move to a new build estate out of town.

I think you would be mad to move when you could extend yours to be something you want

Stay and extend

Extend, but definitely, definitely move out while work is going on.

A year or so ago I'd have said move but now I've extended my house I'd definitely say save the stamp duty and extend instead!

Do nothing till after a resolution to Brexit other than continuing to save money. Suspect house prices will fall because of the uncertainty/Brexit happening, so you might be in a good position in three months time to move to a house that's cheaper than you were expecting. If Brexit doesn't happen/the effects aren't too bad, reconsider the question - disruptive building work in a house that lets you walk to work / be close to your daughter's school is probably less disruptive than moving house and being further away from things.