To be on the fence about this house

[Whaddado]

Found a house, location and outside space is 10/10, exactly what we’re looking for. Rural but 10 min walk into the most desirable town in the county, big garden with fab views. House itself is (for me) a 6/10 at a push.

Main drawback is a downstairs bathroom which you have to walk through the whole house to access and tiny living space. Could extend ground floor and convert upstairs bedroom into a bathroom but concerned about overcapitalising on what would end up being a house with one double and one single bedroom. But would be much more functional for us.

Need to submit a sealed bid tomorrow and don’t know what to do! Can anyone see anything obvious re: layout that I haven’t thought of!? It’s a bungalow so can’t go in to loft. Husband says we can change the house but we can’t replicate the location somewhere else so we should go for it!

Could you add a former extension upstairs to get some additional full height space in the existing eaves for a bathroom? We

If you don’t need three bedrooms, your plan is perfect.

@KingdomScrolls

Could you extend the ground floor like this and knock out some interior walls to get the living space you want? I'd then move the bathroom to the current downstairs bedroom, from the plans it looks like it would then be just at the bottom of the stairs and seat from the kitchen and living spaces.

Thank you for this. Having the bathroom at the bottom of the stairs would certainly be infinitely preferable to the current set up!

Ha! Not your husband, but I am an interior designer. The thick walls may well be structural so you'll have to live with them. I think PP suggestion of an extension at the rear will be the way to go - ground and first floors if possible. You could end up with a fantastic home

@Crockof

The only thing that would put me off is the views, are they such that they can't be taken away? Many houses near me have sold in the past as a premium because of the views but the greenbelt is now being built on and no more view.

I guess that’s always a risk and something we’ve considered. There is development proposed as part of the neighbourhood plan between now and 2032, however the proposed settlement boundary is expanding at the other end of the town. But it is something that’s in the back of my mind, for sure.

Would you be in a position financially and planning permission wise to knock down the existing bungalow and start again?

If you've the budget then depending on PP and the structural mechanics, Could the walls/foundations take a second storey though I see you've said you couldn't go into the loft.

Good luck.

I'd go for it, location is everything. A good builder can work with you to give all kinds of possibilities.
If its just the 2 of you, could you put a static caravan or garden lodge on the land for guests. When we bought our house it was a 2 bed dorma with a downstairs bathroom. It's now a 4 bed with utility room and 3 bathrooms. It's amazing what builders can suggest and you can shop around to get the work done cheaper.

I like the idea of moving the bathroom forward. I would split the downstairs bedroom with bathroom in the front half and utility in the back half.

Maybe consider an upstairs bathroom - that’s what I would want, but putting it in the back part of the study with a corridor next to it, it would be narrow but better than freaking downstairs for a nighttime pee!

Re: two storey extension, the house is in a National Park so potentially more restrictive planning clauses. Next door is currently having a rear single storey extension built though so there is precedent for that.

If you can get planning permission, I would add large dormer windows /wall from the floor to roof top all along the back of the house, covering both bedrooms and use that space to install a Jack and Jill bathroom.

So like this but covering most the roof
wizardbuilders.co.uk/Dorma.html

Also, I’m not certain you would be devaluing the house by reducing the number of bedrooms - as you’ve already noticed, it’s not an ideal family home because the only bathroom is downstairs.

I think your future buyers might be people more like you.

Your husband is completely right about a home being for living in, not investment potential. Also, if you do make it better to live in, chances are it will also be better for your future buyers. From everything you’ve said you would be foolish not to go for it. Bid the highest price you think you would be gutted if it sold to someone else for.

@womanity

Also, I’m not certain you would be devaluing the house by reducing the number of bedrooms - as you’ve already noticed, it’s not an ideal family home because the only bathroom is downstairs.

I think your future buyers might be people more like you.

I said this to the agent re: types of buyers and apparently they’ve had a lot of young couples and families interested which I’m amazed by. But they could well be thinking along the same lines re: alterations.

We are going to make an offer, if the only thing we did was move the bathroom to the front of the house it would already make it 10x more functional. We could then think about what to do with the living space at a later date.

Will let you know what happens!