is there any way to turn this 1 bedroom flat into two bedrooms?

[Iamfree]

www.anscombes.co.uk/properties/highgate-property/conversion-1-bedroom-flat-apartment-for-sale/1385780/southwood-avenue-highgate-n6?area=N6&longitude=&latitude=&radius=&saleType=Sale

Dear mumsnetters,

I am interested in the flat above to buy as an investment/ pass on to the children.

At the moment it is one bedroom. Do you think there is a way to turn into a two bedroom flat?

Things I have thought of: escavating the basement (expensive and it will piss the neighbours off), turning the kitchen into a bedroom and make the reception open plan.

is there anything else I could do?

Please let me know. Thanks!

Turn the reception into second bedroom & the dining room becomes reception (open plan with kitchen?). You could add a conservatory, but I don't think you'll be allowed!

Oh no - you could add one. I looked at the floor plan not the photos, & misread that it was southwood hall!

thanks 500...

I guess as it I a flat I would still need planning permission to add a conservatory. I really love the huge garden and obviously I love Highgate Village...

you could move the kitchen into the living room making a decent kitchen diner...the dinibgroom becomes the living room and then the old kitchen becomes the second bedroom...not the greatest of layouts but could work

Use reception room as bedroom easiest option. Kitchen and dining room as kitchen/ diner/ living room

Cellar is already there so not much digging surely? Just a little deeper if needed and waterproof . I would turn cellar in bedroom for sure

actually that's what you said anyway! maybe just move the kitchen into the dining room you could fit a table in, then you would still have nice reception room

I'd really want to fill in that corner with an extension of some sort....then you could make the dining room into a second bedroom and have a massive L shaped reception/dining/kitchen leading into the garden.

or the other way round...make the reception the bedroom, and sweep the L shape about the dining/kitchen/extension.

Thanks all, lots to think about. I will decide whether to offer once I have seen it. Would prefer to buy a two bedrooms flat, but there is not much in the area (as you can imagine)...

Reception room as bedroom and dining room as lounge/diner and add a conservatory.

put a utility room in the basement to get laundry and as much storage as possible out of the kitchen. Then join kitchen & dinning into one big recep, and have main recep as a bedroom. You might even be able to put a second bathroom in the cellar?

I think probably the most obvious solution is to turn the kitchen into a second bedroom and move the kitchen to either living or dining room to create a kitchen diner.
You could easily turn the living/main reception into a bedroom but it's a bit of a waste and you're left with not much living space.

Any scope to put the kitchen in the basement?

I.e. dig out a bit of the garden and have doors out from the cellar kitchen.

How about swap the kitchen and bathroom, close off access to new kitchen from hall and open it into existing reception that opens into the garden? Then turn dining room into master bedroom, with ensuite, and front bedroom into guest room. Not ideal but workable and lots of flats do it. Put office and storage in basement....

thanks all. I think a few solutions would work, it might end up being really quite expensive though. rental yields in London are really bad (that would probably rent out at 550 per week) so I need to balance my desire to have an investment with the current rental yield. lots to think about as I said...

What a beautiful flat! In that area I'm sure a 1 bedroom with a dining room would rent for as much as a two bedroom flat. Ask some rental agents about it.

As an investment it looks pretty poor. If you split your capital and bought three flats you could spread your risk and avoid the £30k stamp duty bill. That would be more than a years rental income. It is about 3.5% yield. I would want my money to work harder for me if I had it.

This might work ... Just rough ...

hi one plan. What is your suggestion? I think you are an interior designer, I would love to have your view on it. thanks.

Well, extend the kitchen a bit - make that long bathroom into two ensuite shower rooms add a glass verander area with outdoor seating and a fire pit - make the old dining room a snug and tv area (as it won't have any true outside windows anymore) The garden is a fab feature - if you can access it from the basement ( especially as fire exit too ) then you might be able to use that as a study ? If it's tanked etc ?!?

thanka those are great ideas, but it sounds expensive to do...

Might be worth getting a contractor over to quote ? But I think if I'm honest - I agree with Tara - three flats would lessen your risk and possibly give you a higher yield over the long haul ! If you have three children - could be perfect - one each !

It's beautiful but I just can't get past the price