To extend at the expense of garden space

[LaySW]

Looking for opinions - would you extend your (compact) house if it meant losing over a quarter of an already quite small garden? Would still be left with a patio area and grass, so not as if all is lost. Just wondering how important a big garden is to people.

I don't think a big garden is important to most people but proportionality is, so no point having a 4 bed with large downstairs space and a postage stamp of a garden.
You want patio space, lawn that's big enough for children to play on (if it's a family house) room for a shed.
Inner city you get away with smaller gardens or is it's a small house very much aimed at couples.
We do have a big garden and it was one of the things I fell in love with but in hindsight it's hard work!

Fair enough! It’s a 3 bed with a box room so I’d like to think it will still be a fairly proportionate size. We have a garage too so don’t bother with a shed.

would you extend your (compact) house if it meant losing over a quarter of an already quite small garden

Dimensions are required

120ft west facing garden is v different to north facing 40ft garden

It depends on whether you want to sell at some point and if so, if you'd be making a family-sized home unappealing to families. If you're staying put do what you want to do.

I mean, I think you should do what works for your needs, but if you’re thinking ahead to future value when you sell, think about who’s going to want to buy it. If it’s a family-type house in an area that tends to attract that kind of buyer, I think you need to think about what a buyer with young children would want in terms of garden. @TheCurious0range ’s point about proportionality is a good one, I think.

I know, conversely, that a developer in our city had great demand for large, Regency-style terraced townhouses on a beautiful site that were specifically marketed as having unusually large reception rooms/kitchen area compared to bedroom numbers, because they were aimed at downsizers who wanted to entertain and didn’t have children living with them. I think those only had small courtyard gardens.