Own room for child going secondary?

[Tobaiass22]

Currently in 2 bed leasehold flat. Considering splitting main room into 2 for my 2 children of same gender

Kids are similar age, soon to be yr 5 and yr 7 currently share a bedroom

Is it a good idea to pay the nearly 7k cost of splitting the room especially if I may need to return the room back to its original state if we sell in order to move

No immediate plans of moving but partner has mentioned wanting to move house to a 3 bed in near future but not sure our finances etc will allow that to happen in the nearest future

Do any of your kids share a room particularly if one in secondary, or is a bunk bed, separate wardrobes etc sufficient to save costs

I assume homework will be done in kitchen and they don't currently spend so much time in their rooms, mainly in garden/ living room at the moment

So is it worth the cost, will probably need to borrow against mortgage or personal loan for this and other home improvements I wish to make.

Such interesting views, has really made me re thought the whole building works...

Perhaps I will just upgrade their shared bedroom with a new bunk bed etc

Will have a look now

I would also just put a Kallax unit down the middle to split it, assuming they are same sex

A stud wall won’t cost much. You can put it up yourselves and just get someone in to plaster. The lighting is an issue. But just get a big lamp for the room without a ceiling light. You can sort it properly at another time.

I know loads of people who have done this.

£7K?! 😳

I wouldn’t even waste the money on dividing units. Lots of kids share rooms - now, not just in my generation 😉

I totally would, mine were totally ready for their own room by Y7 but I'd try to spend less than 7k on doing it.

It's really important that secondary school kids have a quiet place to do homework and study at home. Even if its just a desk and instructions for younger siblings to keep out of the shared bedroom bw 5pm and 7pm (or a desk in your bedroom).

And as for the "just buy a lamp" twit, seriously? So one sibling gets a room with a window and overhead light they control with a switch and the other gets - a lamp?

I never had my own room at home. Doing home work at the kitchen table is normal.

That twit was me, you have no idea if this flat has double aspect windows, my purpose built flat did in each bedroom and the hallway

Also many converted flats have 2 windows if the bedroom is the front main bedroom with double windows.

In any case, whether its a lamp or not, putting in a stud wall will also result in the same thing, either a lamp or overhead (we never use the overhead lights in our house), its just a light. We have 3 lamps for example in our bedroom and 5 in the living room.

Is the lighting issue due to one room not having a window in if it's split?

Because if so, and you try and do it yourself, you will have problems selling in the future - to be classed as a bedroom, a room must have a window.

would split the room by positioning the furniture.
wardrobes/shelves can make decent room dividers.

involve dc redecorating.

I strongly believe that dc (and adults for that matter) need their own private space that is only theirs. doesn't need to be an own room, could be a nook in a room.

OP would just take the stud wall down but thats why a number of us have suggested units that are portable and just remove them

I'm another voting for a 5x5 kallax unit from IKEA.

I wouldn't pay £7k to divide the rooms.

It sounds as though your kitchen and living room are separate rooms? In that case DC1 can do homework in the kitchen without getting disturbed by toys/TV in the living room. If they're open-plan it might be more complicated.

We re-did DD's room before she started secondary school, put in nice shelves, desk, etc... and she still prefers working in the kitchen.

But how does that solve the problem of half the room not having an emergency exit in case of a fire?

I mean, what is that child supposed to do if there's a fire and they're trapped in their room with no way out?

Why do so many people think kids all need separate rooms? Plenty of siblings share until leaving home.

If they desperately need privacy, hang a curtain?

My DC shared until they were about 14 and 16 (might have been 13 and 15)
It was fine.

i was with you until you said you’d need to borrow the seven k, which if you don’t have the money for that you can’t afford to move house. You clearly shouldn’t extend your mortgage to do this either way.

just buy a divider.

Its the bedroom that is already there, they would use the exit they would have used without the bookshelves in the room

I shared a small room with my sister (4 year age difference). I did homework on my bed.

That does sound expensive for what's essentially a stud wall, plasterboard and some insulation, OP, but I know London prices can be incredible.

What's the layout like at the moment? Is there room for another door to access the partitioned bit? What about windows, as someone already asked?

A sketch would be very interesting but I appreciate you weren't asking for a critique of the proposed building works.

Also there is some lovely dividers kn Amazon that are more like artwork. You need to give them both access to the door, so can get creative with the direction of the panels, then fix then in place, and get them bedside lights. You should be able to do it all for a few hundred,

www.amazon.co.uk/murando-Decorative-Double-Sided-Partition-Non-Woven/dp/B09MDCMWNN/ref=sr_1_31?keywords=Folding%2BScreens%2Band%2BRoom%2BDividers&qid=1653836780&sr=8-31&th=1

What about an S-shaped bunk bed?

Agree on divider

My DC shared throughout (also in London) secondary school until they went to university. They had bunks with curtains round for privacy. Really normal where I am.

Largish room, 2 separate windows on one side of room so would divide room so each child had one window, currently central ceiling light in main room with built in over bed wardrobes that would need removing