What would you class as a small, average and large house?

[Angelfootprints]

Interested on others perspectives.

Our house is 108 square meters in total and I feel its small. I grew up in houses four times the size, so maybe Im spoilt?

DH thinks our house is fine but he grew up in houses of the same size.

Sometimes I have felt a bit embarrassed when relatives or dd friends have said comments along the lines of "oh its nice- but really small".

Then others have around and said it seemed quite big.

I suppose I class our house as small, an average house about 130-160 and larger anything over 160 square meters.

What do you think?

[RCheshire]

My previous flat (pre kids) was 1050sq ft as a 2 bed, 2 bath fairly large open-plan flat. Our current rented place (3 bed, 2 bath) is probably about 1200sq ft and feels cramped (2 adults, 2 kids). We are shopping for a house and want something min 4 beds (ideally 5) and >1600sq ft.

To explain slightly, we both frequently work from home so studies are a big deal and no family are local so a spare room (or ideally two) makes it better for visits.

[meadow2]

It sounds very big lougle.Its the same here the council houses are the size of mansions compared to normal properties.

[Meglet]

Yes, I'm only house hunting for an ex-council house. Obviously mainly because I'm poor, but also because you get good design / more sq ft for your money. I'll have cupboards and a hallway! .

Now, if only someone on the estate want would put their house on the bleedin' market.

[AmazingBouncingFerret]

I have no idea the actual size. It's just a traditional 3 bed semi but it has been extended so living space is rather generous but one of the bedrooms is severely lacking. Doesnt matter so mu h because it turns out my two prefer to share a room! My flat was bloody massive though and that was only two bedrooms.

[KobayashiMaru]

All of the places described here as tiny and miniscule are bigger than my house! Which is small but not hobbit sized. I have 1 large bedroom with ensuite and one fairly small, small living room, small kitchen diner. family bathroom. no garden, no drive, no garage. We are 5 here.

[meadow2]

We have no drive or garage you have to be loaded to afford that.Also I only know professionals that have en suites that is very posh to me!

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

Thanks sunset for the EPC tip. Apparently my 3 bed semi is 75 sqm. It's smaller than many quote here. But larger than meglet's. (I think you are winning the award for britain's smallest 3-beds currently ) Mine is smaller than the average 3-bed size of 88sqm according to the report linked. And that 88sqm is still 8sqm smaller than recommended. So I'm right that my house feels cramped!

[nextphase]

Well, I'd say a 3 bed semi is average, but full understand 3 beds mean different things in houses of different ages!

Although in the UK we quote room sizes, rarely is the total floor space quoted - and its more than just adding up the room sizes.

I think we have an above average size house (in a very cheap area), but not particularly large.

4 bed, just over 100m^2

[lougle]

It's really interesting!

My house is 3 bed (semi), as described above. It has a floor area, according to the EPC, of 103sqm.

A relative's house is a 4 bed (detached) with a converted garage to make a large kitchen-diner. It has a floor area of 105sqm.

My Parents' house is a 4 bed detached with garage and has a floor area of 107sqm.

The house I used to live in, 1 mile away, is a 3 bed mid-terrace and has a floor area of just 65sqm!

[lougle]

One question, though. If there is research that shows that the important thing is floor area, not the number of bedrooms, and a 4 bed house can have the same area as a 3 bed house....why are the Coalition Government instigating a bedroom tax?

[echt]

A good point, lougle. What has always amused me about the bedroom tax is the assumption that couples share the same bedroom. Why should they? I know most do, but for it to be assumed is a bit cheeky.

[wonkylegs]

The research has been commissioned by people who are concerned about the quality of housing in this country - this is not to be confused with the government who are concerned about the quantity of housing in thus country.
If you are only interested in quantity and what that does to your figures then getting a four bed house onto the space of a three bed house is great (sod how actually liveable that is for real people) because on paper you've provided more housing. Also the government are interested in supporting big housebuilders; Barrett, Persimmon, Wimpey etc and big housebuilders want to make a profit - they can make more profit if they can sell the same sized house as a four bedroom than if they market it as a three for very little difference in cost to build (an additional plaster stud wall, internal door & window).
It's all about profit - and our current government likes companies who think like this.

[bbface]

Our place 'only' has two bedrooms. But it is 1230 sq ft (about 117 sq metres). It has a kitchen, dining room, huge lounge (fits three seater, two seater, dining table plus chairs for six and massive coffee table), the bedrooms are both large doubles, two ensuites, a cloakroom and a very big inner hallway (enough to serve as dh's study)

[bbface]

Oh an on top of the above, we have a huge loft.

and this is all in a two bedroom flat.

[Meglet]

There was a period in the 1960's / 70's when houses (or rooms) had to be a minimum size didn't they.

Even saying a 3 bed detached is a good size house isn't accurate. There are massive 3 bed 1960's built detached, and dolls house size 2000's 3 bed detached.

[Skittish]

350 sq m and yes, large. Too bloody large - 300 year old farmhouse , costs a fortune to -not remotely- heat and maintain. Adore it, though, will rattle here forever!

[MrsBucketxx]

Wonky, I think your forgetting that these homebuilders are not a charity, they are there to make money.

Basically there should be some sort of building regs that state each double has to be at least ..... each single ... etc.

[wonkylegs]

Meglet re:minimum sizes - yes there used to be a standard called the Parker Morris Standard but it only applied in certain circumstances although it was widely adopted en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Morris_Committee it was abolished in 1980
Minimum space and storage areas still applies to Housing Association properties which is why they are usually more generous than private new build housing.

[IsabelleRinging]

I would say:

Small- 2 up, 2 down (or smaller)
Average- 2 double bedrooms and a single, with kitchen, living room and dining room.
Large- 4 or more bedrooms
Very large- mansion.

[MrsBucketxx]

Thats odd cause I have part ownership housing association houses opposite and there titchy.

The same others of the same style on the development there like this

[wonkylegs]

I am not forgetting that Housebuilders are there to make money, after all I work in the construction industry and construction firms making money is what pays my wages.
I am just explaining the reasoning behind it. I also think that the methods employed in this sector aren't always a very honest way to make money.
Other countries and smaller firms make profits without sacrificing quality to this extent. I know that major housebuilders tactics are partially in response to the high land prices in this country however most of them have forgotten their own role (like banks) in raising these prices in the first place through schemes like landbanking.

[ScubaSarah]

We recently moved from small 2 bed flat (55sqm) in a lovely part of London to a 5 bed detached in Somerset (c180sqm?). We only added about £100pcm onto the mortgage but have space to not kill each other and add DC to the mix quite comfortably. New house is large but 5 beds should really be 4 as 2 are too small really. One is my study and one is planned as nursery but DH will have to give up (or share) HUGE study extension over garage when DC needs a larger room as we need a double guest room for friends and family who live too far away and need to stay when they visit. I know I'm lucky and moving west has helped us hugely!!

[wonkylegs]

I'm not sure if the HA standards apply to part ownership properties or just HA properties it's a while since I did a mixed tenure scheme.
The standards don't make houses large, more adequate - they state for each type what furniture should fit, average size of furniture and the space required for using that furniture/fittings properly, they also have sizes for storage space.

[OneLittleToddlingTerror]

Yes wonky I'm sure a minimum standard will stop housebuilders calling a room too small to fit a single bed a bedroom. (Like my box room).