Just how much can you do to a property before it gets silly ?

[mamatomany]

I would like to move but it turns out we cannot transport our mortgage and DH earns 1/3 of what he did when we took it out, so that's the end of a bigger house for now.
So we've completely gutted this house, done everything from top to bottom, bathroom is tiled in Laura Ashley tiles, £20k kitchen, wool carpets, solid wood floor, we've spent a fortune as this was going to be the forever house but I need another bedroom and another reception room ideally.
I'll put a photo on the profile of the floor plan the EA's drew up, if we add anything is it just going to be ridiculous ?
I think if we had that extra space we could be here 20 years.

can you not extend? this is what we're hoping to do and it will buy us several years without moving for not much more than the actual cost of moving without taking into account the increase in house price.

There are sometimes quite simple things that can maximise space. Where is the floor plan

Should be on there now, thanks

Can't click on your profile - have you made it Private?

How about a fancy-schmancy conservatory?

I don't think your profile is visible?

Ok, I can't read the plan easily - it's a flat/all on one level?

Is there a bit on the back you can 'square' off to make an extra reception?

It's a bungalow so all one level, 4 bedrooms in a square, leading to kitchen one side, study on the other with the bathroom in the middle.
Then the lounge is off the kitchen.

We could square of the room at the back which is currently a kitchen and that would stretch the length of that to maybe make dining easier.
Really I think I need a garage conversion, to lower the ceilings and go up or just sell the bloody thing when we are financially in a position to move and start again.

Well there's two questions - can you physically extend the house, and will you get your money back (i.e. would you be overdeveloping for the area/market).

Estate agents can help re the second question. But it's not so important if you don't intend to move.

Re the first question - squaring off the back would give you another reception (which would be between the kitchen and lounge). Not good for a bedroom though as only accessible off the kitchen/lounge.

Garage conversion might work (or build on top of the garage). Is the garage connected to the house?
If you have a biggish garden you could get a "garden room", basically a very posh shed with electrics and heating etc. Not cheap though. If you can get an extra room either of those ways, then that could be a study, you could then make the study into bedroom 5.

We would be over developing for the area, we've already spent too much on the kitchen for example.
The garden is massive but i've been quoted £30k for a relatively small extension, the garage is connected to the house and seems the most obvious choice turning the study into bedroom 5 but not permanently if we ever came to sell.

Do you need a study? How many children do you have? What about a simple loft room with tv computer etc as a den so making the kids bedrooms just for sleeping?

I think you have to decide whether extra space or making a profit is your main priority. You say that if you could get an extra bedroom and reception room then you would be happy to stay for 20 years so I think it might be best to forget about the ceiling price for the area and just do what works for you and your family (especially as you seem to be stuck there for the time being).

Is it a flat roof bungalow or can you go into the roof or alter the roof shape so that you can?

4 DC's and it's really important to me that they have their own rooms as they always have so far and I don't want that to change just because I decided on another baby, especially for the older one.
We could go into the roof if I lowered the ceilings, but yes I am coming around to the idea that I have made my bed when we bought this and for the foreseeable we need to just make this house work for us and worry about sale-ability when I've won the lottery.
Study isn't essential, only really me that uses it but I like to have the computer where I can see the children when they are on it.

Can you add a conservatory in your garden? It can be living space/study or dining area, and the current study can be a bed room?

The children do not need their own rooms though and often love sharing.Give up the study and move the computer into the kitchen if you have room. I think the house looks big enough. Once they get older they are out a lot more and you really don't need extra space.

Mine keep each other awake if they share noddy and the older one needs to get away from the younger two as they drive her crackers, she's a very different personality to them.
The study could go though it's full of junk really and the desk top computer isn't really needed these days.
Thank you for the tips, will look into a conservatory.

They might keep each other awake for a while if they're not used to sharing but, once the novelty wears off (and you make it clear it's bedtime not party time), I bet they'd settle into it. Two of my children share and really like it.

I wouldn't recommend a conservatory - they rarely work as an integral part of the house, if you're going to extend, go the whole hog and build a proper addition that will enhance the space you already have.

Our conservatory had a brick wall on one side, on the border with our neighbour.

It is on my profile. We love it.

No no no lala we are talking three years before I cracked and turned the junk room into mini monkey's own bedroom, no way am I going back now I have tasted the success that brought.

I want to see your £20k kitchen!

So do I it's buried under loads of clutter and paper work, am convinced if we just tidied up we wouldn't need to move