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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To buy a 1 bedroom house with two children

108 replies

FavaBeansAndANiceChianti · 10/10/2019 15:51

Looking at buying a rather small house with 1 bedroom as it has the potential to convert it into 2, possibly 3 with an attic conversion.

It would save us a lot of money per month with such a small mortgage but am I underestimating this?

Anyone with experience living in a partly renovated house with kids?!

OP posts:
GeorgieTheGorgeousGoat · 10/10/2019 15:56

Would a one bedroom house really have the living space to accommodate a family? Not in my experience.

sunshinesupermum · 10/10/2019 15:59

Add in the cost of enlarging the property first! And how big is the living space? It's not just about how many bedrooms you have.

Original poster
FavaBeansAndANiceChianti · 10/10/2019 16:02

To be honest I didn't think so either but it's actually quite large. The one bedroom has an en suite and 'dressing area' which would be converted into the second bedroom as it's bigger than their room now!

It also has loft space which we'd look to convert at some point too if possible to make 3.

OP posts:
Original poster
FavaBeansAndANiceChianti · 10/10/2019 16:04

Add in the cost of enlarging the property first!

Yes of course, I'm more concerned about the logistics than the money though. We own our house now so would have funds available to do the changes we want.

OP posts:
Original poster
FavaBeansAndANiceChianti · 10/10/2019 16:06

Ok so I've completely contradicted myself by saying a small house and then saying it's large ha. I mean the actual living space isn't too bad and quite open plan and spacious. It's small because it only has one room but the room is big for a bedroom and definitely roomy enough to be split into two.

OP posts:
lovelygreenjumper · 10/10/2019 16:13

If you're considering it on the basis that you could convert the loft space it would be a good idea to find out what type of loft space there is. More modern houses (definitely 70s/80s onwards) usually have W shaped rafters which would need to be essentially replaced to convert, which can be costly. Older properties can be more straightforward as the rafters are a different shape. Not all loft spaces are high enough to be properly converted- so you may not be able to get planning permission etc if it's too small.

raspberryk · 10/10/2019 16:14

What is the floorplan/dimension of the rooms?
I understand where you're coming from as my 2 bed is bigger than a lot of 3 beds ive seen and actually as we have windows both sides it could be split into 3 or even 4 bed.

Passthecherrycoke · 10/10/2019 16:14

No way. Not unless you have no choice and it’s hard to see why this is the case. Even if you’re not miserable your children may well be

Aquamarine1029 · 10/10/2019 16:14

I think it would be a huge mistake.

Passthecherrycoke · 10/10/2019 16:14

I’d be shocked if, by the time you’ve paid for a loft conversion you couldn’t just have bought a bigger house or flat.

Mushypeasandchipstogo · 10/10/2019 16:15

Don’t forget to factor in solicitor’s fees and stamp duty for moving as well as the costs of enlarging the property. Where would you live when the renovations were being done? Sorry OP but I don’t think that this is a sensible idea at all.

LikeARedBalloon · 10/10/2019 16:17

Show us a link OP! We love a link!

Original poster
FavaBeansAndANiceChianti · 10/10/2019 16:18

I’d be shocked if, by the time you’ve paid for a loft conversion you couldn’t just have bought a bigger house or flat

It's in a much nicer (and therefore more expensive) area which is why we were considering it.

OP posts:
Letthemysterybe · 10/10/2019 16:19

Care to share the floor plan?

pikapikachu · 10/10/2019 16:20

How old are the kids?
Is there outdoor space like a park nearby?

Passthecherrycoke · 10/10/2019 16:20

What would concern me is no matter what you do to make bedrooms, it’s still a one bed house, so the footprint of the house will be small. What’s the downstairs like? We struggle with space and we have 2 bathrooms and a dining room as well as obviously sitting room/ kitchen. Where would you all eat/ study/ watch tv/ have play dates/ work from home
Etc etc

Wouldn’t a 2/3 bed flat work out similar price wise? Or a larger ex authority house?

pikapikachu · 10/10/2019 16:21

Can you pay for a conversion quickly?

Mosaic123 · 10/10/2019 16:21

Could you live in in while the work was being done? If not you would need to pay rent, or find some somewhere you could live for free.

It is, though, sensible to buy a house that is priced at less than you can afford (as long as you have enough money to make the changes) as you will save stamp duty and then spend that saving on your new place.

Have you had an architect or builder look at the changes you want to make? Does the dressing room have a window? and are there any other houses that might have done a loft room? You might be able to see from the back and (rather cheekily) ask to see inside......

TheTrollFairy · 10/10/2019 16:22

Have you checked that you would get planning permission?
I don’t think you would be able to live in whilst you were converting it as usually a lift conversion includes moving and installing a stair case which can be quite a big job.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 10/10/2019 16:25

Isn't a loft conversion minimum 30k?

Surely after spending over 35k adding both bedrooms to it, you could just buy a 2bed in the same area?

FrumpyFace · 10/10/2019 16:25

Can you show us the floor plan? I'm honestly struggling to envisage a house which has only one bedroom but also a spacious downstairs. Is the en-suit the only bathroom?

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 10/10/2019 16:25

We have a "very large" one bed, according to the estate agents, and I can't imagine having a family here... there's two of us and we're comfortable but adding in a third would be tight, I think.

Is there planning permission to add more bedrooms already in place?

Do you have a floor plan? How big is it in sq ft?

rainingallday · 10/10/2019 16:25

No. Definitely wouldn't do it.

ColaFreezePop · 10/10/2019 16:26

You are presuming you can get permission for a loft conversion.

Someone I know fought for nearly 3 years to get planning permission to get a loft conversion. He eventually got it because the council had given permission to another house on the road of the same style.

Regardless everyone I know in the last 10 years including myself who has extensive building work has moved out while it took place. If they have had a baby or toddler they have been fine in a one bedroom, any older or more children they needed at least 2 bedrooms. Expect to move out for at least 6 months, and try and get everything done at once.

I have lived in 2 places that were done up around me once as a child and the other as an adult. Both houses were large with loads of rooms so it was not difficult to keep away from the tradesmen. It was difficult for some of the tradesmen as they had to make sure any children didn't go near their stuff as children are naturally interested in what they are doing. I do remember being cold if I was unfortunately in during the day when the tradesmen were working as the heating couldn't go on.

BarbariansMum · 10/10/2019 16:28

I dont think you would be able to live in it as you were converting it

I'm sure you would, just not very comfortably (understatement) for a few weeks. And youd need to pack and store a lot of stuff before work started.