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Original poster

Small Houses - how do you make the best of small space?

40 replies

Beccarollo · 12/11/2003 19:32

I have a v small 2 bed - 2 kids, DD has own room but isnt big enough to share, our room houses DS moses basket at the moment but not sure if we will fit a cot in it.

Lounge is small and no dining room so no place for table so cant have family meals or teach table manners properly.

Very little storage and loads of STUFF

Result - constant mess and stress with not having enough room

Ive decided in the last few days to investigate moving to a bigger house but if this doesnt work out wonder how others cope/any tips on making the most of small spaces etc

OP posts:
hana · 13/11/2003 19:49

I have 4 for the bin in that case.....and I'll bet they are twice the price at BM! ( think Argos ones were 2 for a tenner) boo!

marsup · 13/11/2003 19:55

Is it true kids can't use upper bunk until they are 5 yrs old? (and if so is this a valid reason for waiting so many years to have number 2 if you only have a 2-bed house??!)

NB my neighbours had a 2 bed house identical to mine and they have put in a loft extension with a 3rd bedroom and ensuite shower/wc... very jealous. Cost 24 thousand, apparently. Oh well, one can always dream. Why are they putting interest rates up now?!!

hana · 13/11/2003 20:00

24K very cheap! We're having one done at the moment, bit more than that....decided not to have the ensuite, gave us more room that way.

marsup · 13/11/2003 20:14

I'd go for the loft rooom with no ensuite, Hana, but now baby is imminent we are getting visits from in-laws and my family - they all live far away and have to stay with us - and I have a nightmare vision of my MIL and mother queuing up to pee at the same time... still there is no way we could get a loft room and ensuite done right now. Do you think one can ask one's mother to pee in a potty? (ok so this isn't strictly a space issue but it sort of is indirectly, isn't it??!)

Dahlia · 13/11/2003 20:15

24k! Whereabouts do you live? We have just had a couple of quotes for a loft conversion and they were both under £12k. We are in Cheshire. Ours is a 2 bed house so we too are short of space as now have 2 children. Can't afford to move so loft is only option. Have you got a loft Beccarollo?

Original poster
Beccarollo · 13/11/2003 20:19

Yes I do! How big does the loft have to be to make it viable option.

My house is a 2 bedroom mid terrace Barratts home - does that shed any light as to whether my loft will be convertable??

OP posts:
Original poster
Beccarollo · 13/11/2003 20:19

Yes I do! How big does the loft have to be to make it viable option.

My house is a 2 bedroom mid terrace Barratts home - does that shed any light as to whether my loft will be convertable??

OP posts:
Paula71 · 13/11/2003 20:20

What about a cabin bed for you little girl? That isn't too high and if you could fit all her things into the storage underneath you wouldn't need any wardrobes or dressers which would free up a lot of room.

We have managed to fit two cot beds in one room for our twin ds' but will be using the cabin bed idea when they outgrow them.

Dahlia · 13/11/2003 20:30

Its the head room that is the important bit, rather than the size - also, you would need to work out where the stairs would go - ideally you need to aim them at the highest point of the roof, otherwise you would need a dormer fitted at the top of the staircase, which is quite expensive and needs planning permission. Otherwise you can just put a velux window in which isn't as dear. A loft conversion specialist would give you a free quote and explain all this in more detail.

Dahlia · 13/11/2003 20:32

Dh has just told me that with a modern house you might have lots of cross braces in the roof space which would make it a more difficult job. Perhaps you could phone a loft man and ask opinion.

Original poster
Beccarollo · 13/11/2003 20:32

I really want to move!!!! but the cabin bed idea is worth a go until we are better position I suppose-
The situation is this....
DP graduated last year and is in his first post as a Trainee Biomedical Scientist - in another year or so his wages will much improve but still not brilliant. I was the main earner until I went on maternity leave - I worked for the family business but week after DS was born HUGE family fall out ensued and I resigned so I havent got a job to go back to although I am going to find one - I could get mortgage as Im still "officially" employed whilst on maternity leave but it leaves the risk of me not finding well paid enough job to cover mortgage. We could just about manage on DPs wages to cover mortgage etc but not much else.

I have had house valued today and I would be in position to put 30k down on a 120k house (which is the cheapest I can get 3 bed) so mortgage wouldnt be too much higher than it is now...

I bet that didnt make much sense - I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!

OP posts:
miranda2 · 13/11/2003 22:09

This might be a bit wacky - but could you rent out your current house and rent a bigger one for a bit? That way you'd stay on the 'ladder', and could buy something bigger when you both have more coming in in salaries.
Alternatively, could you move area? Presumably you're tied a bit by your dh's job, but looking a bit further afield might yield something a bit cheaper...

If you stay, could you put two 'junior' beds (well, I guess a cot and a smaller than single bed) into your dd's room if you took out wardrobes and chests of drawers etc to free up floor space? If so you could then get wall-mounted storage units (like they have in offices), or just open shelves, to keep stuff on. Do they actually need hanging space? (If so, could that go in your wardrobe?).

If the loft is convertible, could you remortgage to free up some of the equity in the house to pay for the conversion? I'd definitely get an expert to come and look and quote, its free and some specialise in modern lofts with trusses.

miranda2 · 13/11/2003 22:11

Actually I'd misread your last post - thought you said mortgage would be much higher, not wouldn't. If the mortgage wouldn't be much higher then move!!! (But remember you need c. 5k for legal fees, moving costs, stamp duty etc on top...)

noddy5 · 14/11/2003 11:25

Is it possible to terminate the estate agency agreement before the agreed time is up?

whymummy · 14/11/2003 16:47

beccarollo you might find some ideas here
www.bhg.com

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