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AIBU?

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Original poster

To Ask Why People Buy Bungalows ....

308 replies

Speakuptomakeyourselfheard · 15/10/2021 20:48

only to build up into the roof, making it nigh on impossible to buy a single storey building for those of us that are disabled and struggle with stairs. You see it so often, a nice little bungalow goes on the market and within a few months the builders are in lifting the roof off, or building into it. If you want a house, then buy a bloody house, and leave the bungalows for those that need them, and no, stair lifts are NOT the answer!

OP posts:
Tal45 · 15/10/2021 20:50

I love a bungalow and hope to retire in one in the not too distant future. I agree, if you want a house, buy a house.

Chloemol · 15/10/2021 20:52

Totally agree

BadgeronaMoped · 15/10/2021 20:53

Around here, they have a good footprint + decent sized gardens, oh, and they're cheaper, so I can sort of see why people do it. Do new housing developments include bungalows? I never seem to see any new ones, perhaps they hide them in the centre.

LizzieBet14 · 15/10/2021 20:54

We love the size of all the rooms - no tiny kitchen, no box room for a third bedroom. We bought this as our forever home and intend to retire here.

Namechangeforthis88 · 15/10/2021 20:55

There weren't any houses. Having said that, the loft has already been converted.

Also, decent garden and off street parking, which the houses don't tend to have.

Larach · 15/10/2021 20:55

Agree completely, especially because very few bungalows are built now as they're land-hungry in comparison with houses.

It was a huge frustration when I was looking for a bungalow.

ArblemarchTFruitbat · 15/10/2021 20:55

If they are converted 'true bungalows' is it not still possible to live on the ground floor? Most I have seen still have a downstairs bathroom and at least one bedroom.

Hobbes8 · 15/10/2021 20:55

That’s not how house buying works though. I live in quite a bungalow-y area. If I didn’t buy a bungalow it wouldn’t be left for a disabled person. It would be bought by a developer who’d knock it down and build flats. Also if I convert my loft it doesn’t mean there’s less space downstairs for a future buyer.

PeachesPumpkin · 15/10/2021 20:56

I completely agree. I have often thought it should be against planning/building rules to convert them. It’s very rare to see any new bungalows built. I hope to retire too one to avoid the issue of stairs/mobility but fear tyre will not be any left locally. I don’t want to move into a retirement flat.

SeasonFinale · 15/10/2021 20:56

Usually because they have a large ground floor and are on larger plots of land, aren't terraced so have access to the rear of the property.

Porfre · 15/10/2021 20:56

They're usually have a big foot print and big gardens.

Problem is usually only 2 bedrooms on the ground floor which isnt enough.

By buying a bungalow there's always the possibility of extending it by building into the roof.

proudwomansexmatters · 15/10/2021 20:58

We did exactly what you're complaining about and I have no regrets. The property has a very large garden which would be unsuitable for the majority of people wanting to downsize and have less work. It had a large drive with space for 4/5 cars and massive potential to be our forever home.

We converted it and added 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It's now a lovely size family home.

I'm with you though when people buy smaller bungalows with less land to convert.

MiloAndEddie · 15/10/2021 20:58

I think it’s because you can still live downstairs if you needed to. Whereas in a normal house it’s not as easy and it’s not quite geared up in the same way. With a bungalow you have full bathroom, kitchen, living and bedrooms on the ground floor if you should need that in the future.
They do build bungalows on new build developments but not often because they are expensive to build and have a large footprint which means they take up more land

Asdf12345 · 15/10/2021 21:00

We did because waiting for the house we wanted in the location would take years, and it was very well priced as the previous owners had run it down somewhat as their health had failed making it a faster and cheaper way to get what we wanted.

The real question is how do you make building bungalows profitable again for developers. Solving the problem needs a massive price premium for disabled accessibility paid for either by disabled buyers or legislature forcing the rest of the market to subsidise them. Given how unaffordable prices are neither seems likely.

Can you raise the funds to buy something larger to convert into a downstairs flat and an upper flat which could then be sold on or rented out leaving you with the ground floor to live in and recoup some of the cost from the sale or rental of the upper half?

Original poster
Speakuptomakeyourselfheard · 15/10/2021 21:02

Arblemarch, yes, it is possible to live downstairs, but would you want to pay more for half a house that you can't use? A lot of younger people complain that there isn't enough housing stock, but if there were more bungalows for the elderly and disabled to live in, it would free up larger homes for families. Plus, I don't want to sleep in my living room, I want a living room, a dining room, and two bedrooms on the ground floor, how many houses can provide that, unless they're mega expensive?

OP posts:
breakforthewest · 15/10/2021 21:03

Because people do not give a shit ..hence @proudwomansexmatters. ok for us to do it but not others

Original poster
Speakuptomakeyourselfheard · 15/10/2021 21:03

I don't want to live in a flat either! How many times do you see posts on MN about people who live in flats complaining of other peoples noise etc?

OP posts:
proudwomansexmatters · 15/10/2021 21:05

@breakforthewest

Because people do not give a shit ..hence *@proudwomansexmatters*. ok for us to do it but not others
😂. Yes of course! I'm so sorry. I should totally have been thinking about you when I bought the property which had been up for sale for 2 years! How selfish of me!!!!

🙄

Livedandlearned · 15/10/2021 21:05

Wow the attitude of some posters!

People really don't care do they

Twillow · 15/10/2021 21:05

I always wonder why the bungalows I see have such enormous gardens? Surely if it's for a disabled or elderly person they don't want to be saddled with a lot of garden maintenance?

GoWalkabout · 15/10/2021 21:08

Market forces - its a great way to increase the value and appeal of a property and make some money?

Speakuptomakeyourselfheard · 15/10/2021 21:09

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

reindeesandchristmastrees · 15/10/2021 21:09

We live in a 1920's bungalow which we bought 20 years ago. It is on a massive plot as they were apparently built to house a single woman or widow and maid so it had a formal garden and veg plot. When we bought it the Vendors had already put in a very ugly dormer (don't know why) aesthetically I would get rid or it but not likely to spend the cash and lose the bedroom. We have built on (at ground level) on both sides of the original building so now have quite a large house all except 1 room at ground level. I now never need to leave. If someone had told my mid 20's self that I was buying my forever home I'd have laughed - best decision we made to move here

MrsSkylerWhite · 15/10/2021 21:10

Because they want to and can.

Is everyone supposed to think about future owners now?

Aderyn21 · 15/10/2021 21:10

You can't expect people not to convert their own houses though, on the basis that someone who is looking for a house in the future doesn't want to pay for two floors when they only need one! No one owes total strangers that level of consideration.
People choose property on the basis that it's in the right location/they can afford it/it has parking/a garden etc. It's unreasonable to expect them to not put their own needs first.
I bought a converted bungalow - it was literally the only house on the market at the time in my preferred area that I could afford.