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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Splitting a room

93 replies

bardos · 26/08/2023 08:16

Not really an AIBU but WWYD.

We are moving house soon, I will attach a picture. What I would like to do is split the bigger room into two so my children can have their own rooms.

The door would have to be inside the rooms to maximise on space and as there is no where in the hall to put another door.

Has anyone done similar and can advise on cost and whether you think it would give decent sized rooms? I've measured it out on the floor but I'm struggling to visualise the space as a room and whether they are going to feel really tiny.

Thanks in advance

OP posts:

Thread gallery

Boomboom22 · 26/08/2023 14:15

pisspants · 26/08/2023 09:28

I did similar op by removing the tank and wardrobe from the main bedroom to create a larger hall and walkway to the further bedroom, it works really well and has made it a proper 3 bed. Removing the tank was not a massive job but I dont think it's a DIY job, I used a gas engineer who does building work too. It cost me about £7k 5 years ago but that included the new combi boiler and a separate radiator and light in one of the new rooms as well. It was well.worth it as is a proper 3 bed now. I'd definitely save and do it properly if you have to, we did a very simple split to begin with but it made one of the rooms really small and there was no radiator in there either.

This long term. Dividers for now, that bunk with walls looks good. Gives loads of floor space when young and have clear sides.

Boomboom22 · 26/08/2023 14:17

Surely you will be removing the water tank at some point when you get a modern combination boiler anyway?

CoffeeWithCheese · 26/08/2023 14:19

I’d trial it split with furniture first (I have two close in age and we only moved out of a 2 bed recently so I get what it’s like). I’ve found that, despite mine now having their own space, they still congregate in one room anyway!

WaitTheNoo · 26/08/2023 14:24

gogomoto · 26/08/2023 08:26

On your home made perfect they split a room by using bunk beds that were split alternate sides and each girl had one side basically, I'm not describing it well but it would be a good solution for you and the dividing is just the bed basically

That's what I had growing up and it worked well. The bottom bunk had a board up on the left hand side of the bed to block off that side of the room, and the top bunk had a board up on the right side of the bed to block of that side of the room. Wasn't perfect but it meant we could each have our own choice of decor and could chat at night but still had our own spaces.

Goldbar · 26/08/2023 14:27

One option which I'm not sure has been mentioned is having all three bedrooms opening off the new hallway. Then you could turn the old corridor to Bedroom 2 into a large storage/linen cupboard.

This would also give you the option to make both the kids' bedrooms as small as you think you could get away with and have a much larger master bedroom at the back with a walk-in closet (by annexing a chunk of what is currently Bedroom 1 into Bedroom 2) 😂.

Rainbow1901 · 26/08/2023 14:30

TerrorAustralis · 26/08/2023 08:49

A temporary measure would be to put two wardrobes down the middle, with one facing each way. Cover the back side of each wardrobe with posters.

I did this when I shared a room with my sister and the fighting got too much. We each had our own space and meant that I wasn’t constantly pissed off with her slovenliness in my space.

My ex-DH and I did this for DD and DS and it worked very well but they were very young but it gave them their own space. If you are planning more long term then some of the suggestions offered so far would work very well.
If it is possible to remove the HWT - I would remove the wardrobe in your room to the alcove and create a small corridor with a door using stud walls for this and the internal division wall. You actually have quite a few options - let us know how you go!!

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 26/08/2023 14:33

bardos · 26/08/2023 08:26

I have thought about putting a door in where the hot water tank is, but it would cost quite a lot more. The kids are 5 and 2 so having an adjoining door won't bother them in terms of privacy. They currently share. I would just love to give them their own spaces as they've not had it before. But we also don't have the money to do any huge work

Many people grow to adulthood sharing rooms. Surely it's not deprivation for little children to share.

Sunriseatsix · 26/08/2023 14:35

As @gogomoto suggests, what about using the bunk bed to divide the room? A sort of half-way house while they're so small and gives you time to explore more permanent reconfigurations as they grow.

Nevermind31 · 26/08/2023 14:49

2 and 5 year old font really need their own space - they mostly play downstairs and (at least mine) do t want to sleep on their own.

that will give you a few years to work out how you use the space, save some money, and then maybe relocate the hot water tank, take away the wardrobes from bedroom 2, and create a hallway.

as the kids get older they would not want to have an adjoining door, it doesn’t give privacy at all.

HappiDaze · 26/08/2023 14:52

bettytaghetti · 26/08/2023 08:44

Take out existing door and do this?

This works best and is what we did

Goldbar · 26/08/2023 14:53

One reason for dividing the space (and which would be a factor in favour of having a large room and a small room) would be to have a guest room, if you plan to have guests to stay often. Child in bigger room has to move out when guests stay.

dancingsands · 26/08/2023 15:11

bettytaghetti · 26/08/2023 08:44

Take out existing door and do this?

This

OCDmama · 26/08/2023 21:22

I don't think you're allowed to have rooms leading into rooms for fire escape reasons?

sashh · 28/08/2023 02:50

OCDmama · 26/08/2023 21:22

I don't think you're allowed to have rooms leading into rooms for fire escape reasons?

That depends on whether there is another means of escape with the OP does have via the window.

https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/media/1809/building-control-guidance-notes-means_of_escape.pdf

cloudrunner · 28/08/2023 04:27

as @Counciltelly suggests, but make the door into the first, smaller room a sliding one - to maximise the space

Autieangel · 28/08/2023 04:43

bardos · 26/08/2023 08:30

This is where I am thinking to add a door so it would be internal to both rooms but means we don't have to make one room shorter. There is currently two windows and two radiators so that's something we wouldn't have to worry about. There is only one light so we would have to put new lights in

This is what I'd do

WandaWonder · 28/08/2023 04:45

Are you allowed to do this with council/planning permission I am not sure who or what exactly but I think there is are things that need to happen or to check before actually physically doing it? fire safety maybe a builder could help check?

BungleandGeorge · 28/08/2023 05:03

The rooms won’t be 10x9 because the space isn’t rectangular, there’s a space lost on box sides and for the door opening. I think you need to put Those measurements on and the space for door opening, space lost for opening of doors etc and check exactly how much space there is in each room. With it being so tight I would have thought the money to switch to a combo boiler and utilise the airing cupboard space for a second doorway or even a cupboard would be well worth it.

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