Can you please look at this house and tell what you think of the layout?

[meadowquark]

Disclaimer: the links are taken from Rightmove for visual purpose.

Current upstairs layout of mine is very similar to this one: here.

I increasingly need 3 bedrooms and thinking perhaps this layout could work. I love it (from the pictures). My 2 DC would have equal sized bedrooms. It would cost up to 15-20k to rearrange the layout as opposed to 40k for a loft conversion, and it is less of upheaval. It seems like a good investment return.

I am hoping that this is not our forever house but God knows when (if) we can afford to move...

What do you think?

Looks like a sensible option.

My only question would be about windows? Esp in the bathroom - it's something I have a bugbear about. And how would the pipework go - am assuming you're mid terrace?

My SIL did something similar in her terrace which went from 2 double bedrooms + tiny boxroom/cupboard and vast bathroom to 1 large double and 2 singles with reasonable size family bathroom - it works as a layout for them whilst DC are smallish - but bathroom is completely internal - no windows and all the pipework goes through /under one of the DCs bedrooms to get to the outside wall.

Was the best option at the time for them.

If you're happy in your home and would be happy living there for a good few years, then it's worth looking at changing the layout. The second and third bedrooms won't be massive, but as long as you can get the basics in and are happy with that, then that's good. Styles of the properties you've shown do look nice.

As they get older, it's really good to have separate space otherwise both children will be on top of eachother, arguing over who can have friends in the room or alternatively you'll have one lot of friends in the lounge (if both have friends together) and you can't seat down.

Don't forget, that once the children leave home (if you still live there) either way you will still have a good home for you and your OH.

Yes, seems sensible. I think you would get at least your cost back if you re-sell, whereas with attic conversion costing 40k , you mightn't get all of it back as people won't pay above a certain amount that goes by the price of the road.

Ooh my old house had that kitchen

Why not just do this ?

I'm not sure I understand. Why not just split the big front bedroom down the middle?

Cross posts!

Are you she a loft conversion would cost 40k? In my neck of the woods they're more like 14k.

I thought them same about splitting the big front bedroom. Surely the other bedroom is big enough as a double for you.

Thank you. Firstly, yes, loft conversion would be around 40k here. Secondly, splitting a master bedroom would into two would leave three fairly small bedrooms (which one would be a master bedroom?) and it seems a bit like spoiling the era. Though it would be the easiest option. I guess I am not used to seeing Victorian front bedrooms split into two and it just feels somehow wrong.

Yup - split the bedrooms to give you three and if you want an extra loo downstairs something like this might be possible - speak to an architect to confirm !

You could make the bathroom into a shower room instead ( ie smaller ) and make the bedroom next to it bigger to become master !

Not having a bath in the bathroom seriously damages your chances of selling the house on as most buyers want a bath and a shower (shower over bath fine), not just a shower. Very limited market without one.

Are you able to easily, and cheaply, shift the bathroom plumbing to the other side of the house? That's what your option seems to involve.

I know that used to be the case - but aparanty things have evolved and buyers don't mind a good shower room now instead of a bath and shower - unless you are aiming at the older persons market !
personally I'd find more wardrobe space in a bedroom a higher priority than the choice of a bath or a shower in one bathroom ! But I hear what you are saying!!

I'm with wow, I'd never touch a house that didn't either have a full sized bath, or easily room to put one in without too much hassle. With DCs it's essential, and even pre-DCs although I shower every day I like the option of a bath. I hate staying in hotels that only have showers. There might be some people who aren't bothered but it definitely would limit your re-sale market to make the bathroom too small to fit one in, so if this isn't your forever home i'd be careful

Okay.. so are you say that splitting the front bedroom would make more sense than moving the bathroom to the internal position?

If I was a buyer I would see the split front bedroom just as that a split bedroom --> this makes no change to the value of the house.

I could possibly widen the back bedroom by about 50cm and retain the bath tub (important! - I am one of those not-evolved buyers), but then the chimney has to go.

Now even more confused than before!

OwlCapone I could move the bathroom in between the bedrooms (soil pipe between the joists under the back bedroom) but not to the front of the house.

We split the larger bedroom many years ago. It worked fine.

I would split the front bedroom. I wouldn't buy a house where the bathroom had no window.

We split our large bedroom into a bathroom and bedroom, it worked fine. We did all the work ourselves, apart from the new DG 'split' window. We still had 3 decent sized bedrooms, plus an upstairs bathroom. The worst part was the plastering! Old houses = old crumbling plaster.
Is you bathroom at present on the same side as the kitchen? If it is, moving that would be very easy.

It will cost much, much less to stick up a partition wall in the front bedroom, so it doesn't matter if it will 'add value to the house'.

As a buyer, I wouldn't consider looking at a house with one big bedroom, two small singles and an internal bathroom. I'm probably not alone. I think you need to consider what you want here, rather than what will 'add value', especially when it's not as clear cut as you'd like it to be.

It honestly sounds like you just don't want to lose your big bedroom (which is fine; it is your house). In which case, just say so.

CalamitouslyWrong no actually I am seriously considering your opinions and splitting the bedroom would cost much less even with the dreadful plaster.

In ideal world I would move to a 1950-60s house with three proper bedrooms but at the moment we are tied to our schools and commute too much. Nevertheless the future buyer is important.

Why not try putting the children into the big room and dividing it with an open shelf unit (secured to the wall for stability) and see how you go ?! Live with it for a while - then see what ( if any) problems arise before you get the permanent work done !

I guess it depends on the size of the rooms.
I knew a house on this street, and assuming the houses are all the same size, they had split the front room, and had the back room as the master. It was plenty big enough. I know the layout is completely different, but how different in size is your front room compared to this one?

If your room sizes are similar to the top link, I think splitting the current master may give rooms that are too small, but the second as the master would be OK.