Help me pimp this house for wealthy downsizers.....

[deepest]

www.rightmove.co.uk/house-prices/detailMatching.html?prop=23432079&sale=48224438&country=england

Please take a look at the link and floorplan and critique my suggested ideas to develop it (and add value) for this to appeal to wealthy downsizers. It is in the heart of the local cafe culture.

1)There is a single designated parking space - and additional visitor spaces in this small cul des sac of 12 bungalows? Do you think I need to drop the kerb and create off street parking in the front garden? It looks a bit tight tbh - and I had thought that planting up a very pretty English cottage style garden would improve kerb appeal?

2)I was thinking of adding a (tasteful) conservatory style porch to create the main entrance to the front - with a central path leading up so that the house was double fronted. Main entrance currently at the side. Then painting the existing "Brookside Brown" windows and conservatory porch in a trendy F&B colour. Adding the porch might rile out the off street parking provision (need to measure up)

3)I was thinking of adding a 3rd bedroom (double) with ensuite by swapping the positions of existing small bed and kitchen. The new kitchen would be extended to create a combined dining space with one wall of sliding glass on to the garden and a large roof light. This would lead to lobby with access to 3rd (double bed) and ensuite. In the new kitchen I have though about chopping up into the ;oft space to add striking velux windows.

4)To make the new single bedroom better proportioned I was thinking of incorporating the existing centrally positioned hall way and hall cupboards (and obvs block door from lounge) - but do you think it would be better to either incorporate this hall way space and door into the new kitchen area....or use it as a laundry/bootroom/utility still with with side access - or I could creat aside access into the new extension if necessary.

I was also thinking of opening up the ceilings in the lounge to the rafters to craete a vaulted ceiling -- just to create a wow factor?

Either incorporate into kitchen or if the kitchen and bedroom are going to be good sizes make it a utility room accible from kitchen. Either way leave the side access otherwise you will have to go through sitting room to e.g. take bins out etc

Thanks woman - I could add a new side door out to the bins on the RHS (looking out to the back garden) of the new dining room/kitchen extension?

In which case I personally make a utility / storage room. I think it is better to have the washing machine / dryer out of the main kitchen area.

Also if targeted at downsizers , the single room which is the kitchen currently doesn't need to be huge and could be billed as bedroom / study.

If it were me for day to day life I would prefer the bigger kitchen or utility.
Family / friends when visiting can make do with a slightly smaller room

My main point was not to loose the back door & if that is a utility room it saves the cost of bricking up and creating a new back door further along which seems (unless the layout you determine upon needs it ) to be spending money for not much return.

WIW

PILS live in 3 bed purpose built retirement bungalow on an estate of fellow retirees. They use the smallest bedroom which is next to kitchen as a dining room and this works well as they only really need 2 bedrooms. I would suggest you build a conservatory type dining room which can be used all year next to the kitchen and which can also be accessed from the living room. Also put an ensuite in the main bedroom. Another consideration is ensuring doors, hallways and passages/alleys are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair. There is a preference on PILs estate for low maintenance front gardens but tastefully done. A covered carport is also popular as it makes starting up much easier in cold weather. Make sure all the fixture, fittings and finish is top end.

PIL also have a side entrance and it's fine so I wouldn't bother to change it.

not to lose , not "not to loose " obviously . Sorry , typing too quickly .

The best Wow factor you could do imho is the best kitchen /diner you can manage , a great master bedroom suite with en suite , and an attractive sitting room . I assume you have done research and downsizers are a good market - they will want day to day living space for themselves , and room for family and friends to come and stay - this can be secondary .

Also - if you are left with a small courtyard at the back , which is great for sitting out when the sun has gone down after dinner , is there anything you could do to make front south facing garden more private . Many developments have rules about height of fences / trellis etc , but I agree with PP about keeping front garden and your point about planting it to make it prettier. Posssibly some little trees / higher shrubs / trellis , so that when you sit out , you don't feel like you are sitting on the road.

Also your £30k budget for all building and kitchens and bathrooms (except the conservatory porch ) sounds tight to me and does not allow for many contingencies . (BUT I am not a quantity surveyor so please ignore if you have better advice .)

I would recommend getting proper , costed plans in place for everything . Building , fittings (you could spend £30k on a kitchen alone ) , will there need to be electrical changes if it hasn't been rewired recently , architects costs , structural engineers if you are creating new windows / opening , changing walls etc / also glass costs a lot . and then you have 3 options

1. Sell as is
2. Sell with approved planning permission (takes the unknown out of the equation for buyers )
3. Doing it yourself if you think it is worth it .

Do not underestimate the things which can come up once work has started.

If you are going to do this to make money you need to think like a developer , most people make money out of house renovations because they are riding a rising market. I do take the point about estate agents wanting a quick sale , but get current valuations , valuations as to when done (with your

Sorry if I am stating the bleeding obvious , it looks exciting and is and could be a lovely house . Just be clear what your objective is . Doing up a house with significant building work is stressful , fees are always more than you think but you need these people to make it successful.

Anyhow , do let us know your thoughts - it does sounds jolly interesting .

FWIW
WIW

Thanks WIW - I think that I will get started and get all the drawings, planning and costings in place. I could then get it valued at that point to see what it is worth with everything in place and consider selling it then...or make the decision to do the work myself or not....

my inlaws are just buying a bungalow. From their experience, what they want is: decent dining area / good space for laundry, tool kit etc / minimal hassle garden not planted up with things that take a lot of effort / low EPC (so good windows / boiler etc) / storage space.
Bedroom size / beauty of kitchen hasn't come into it at all, but downsizing from a large house, they're worried about having to compromise lifestyle by not having their dining table as opposed to just having a smaller bedroom. Vaulted ceiling is going to compromise EPC rating and also lose valuable suitcase / winter clothes etc storage space, would v much advise against that.
I agree with what womaninwhiterose has said re: what to do with the space.
Would imagine that for Beaconsfield, they'll be wanting a very simple turn key house and garden so they can go off to their mediteranean villa for 5 months of the year!

Thanks Bristol that is very helpful....loft storage is probably really important for down sizers so might bin my vaulted ceiling idea in the lounge -- I have focused on extending to create the nice dining space onto the garden. Do you think that the 3rd en-suite bed is critical? This would be the 2nd double which I think people want for guests as the existing 2nd is only a single. EA told me that they were really into a en-suite/2nd bathroom even with only 2 beds.

And do they want it all already done for them rather than taking on a project?

well my lot would have loved to find everything all done for them but every single one they've looked at has been very dated and with the unmistakeable whiff of the elderly with incontinent small dogs. Old 5 bar gas fires / swirly carpets / formica kitchen type of thing - so obvious that the past few occupants have gone into residential care / the ground, quite depressing. What they want is the opportunity to be a bit more up to date but nothing they've seen has fit that & they're going to need to spend a fair bit on new carpets / ripping out hideous 1970s fitted cupboards to get that - may be a question of area because although they're in a Midlands property hot spot, Beaconsfield is a world apart and just swishing with cash so there may be a better ready supply of places done up within the last decade. They're in their 70s, so for them taking on a project is simply not on the radar.
3rd bed - they have their very aged mother over to stay regularly, as well as other child who lives abroad & comes for relatively lengthy stays. despite that, provided there was somewhere to set up a desk / computer in the 2nd bedroom (or even in one place, in an internal hallway recess), a 3rd bedroom wasn't necessary - living space over bedrooms, so what you're planning with the dining area is bang on.

Thanks Bristol - I think that I will press on with the work....take a look at this 2 bed bungalow in Beaconsfield for 675

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-43829806.html?premiumA=true

.....probably what your ILs were faced with ... ours is in a better location (closer to cafes but quieter as little cul de sac), more attractive - but smaller.

Though when one bed flats are 500k......

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-43648105.html?premiumA=true

heh, that's so much nicer than they're buying! despite further distance to shops etc... (not that my ILs can afford coffee at Jungs / dinner at the Beech House every night)
Love the flat (but is it on the Beccy High road?). Astonishing prices. Just astonishing. Ours is literally the only house in the vague vicinity that hasn't gone up massively....

Flat looks to be on main road 1/2 way between old town and new town.

I've recently moved and my 3 closest neighbours are all downsizes from really big homes with swimming pools etc. They have all added sheds and a consevatories so I think space to that is important. Another thing I have noticed is they have filled up their garages with stuff from their previous big houses and have all mentioned that they like lots of storage so bear that in mind. My 3 neighbours have all kept their old massive furniture so fewer but big rooms are important. I'm the opposite to my neighbours and can't see how it's possible to fill a double garage with stuff, plus hate sheds and I loved buying new furniture to perfectly fit my new house.

I would just have x2 double bedrooms and loose the single.

Turn half the original single into utility area, the other half add to entrance to make large entrance with built in storage for coats/ shoes/ umbrellas etc plus space for casual desk

Turn kitchen into double and ensuite as mentioned

Extend living Into living/ diner/ kitchen

Make bathrooms suitable for old people ie wet room style of shower flat on floor with floor tilted slightly so they can walk in and out without tripping, or wheelchair accessible if needed. Bath in one on them still though. Plenty of built in storage in bathrooms to hide away all medicines/ lotions and potions.

Kitchen. Modern just not overly. Upmarket appliances. Easy to use taps etc as old people might struggle.

I would aim for actual extension not a conservatory as gets too hot / cold/ bright

Do front up nicely but wouldn't change entrance. Add bench to front garden ( lots of older people love being nosy! And can read paper outside), especially if back garden isn't huge

Artandco - that's a really interesting approach -- so same amount of space but 2 beds rather than 3 to achieve a more generous layout? .... and yes the dining room extension is to be brick built with roof-light and patio doors rather than a conservatory.

I am still keen on the moving the door to front in a tasteful conservatory porch - as I think that the house then being double fronted would have much more kerb appeal....my MIL is always out front chatting to the neighbours and I had even thought of replacing the main front lounge windows with french onto garden.

Yes I think x2 generous doubles with more space generally ie in hall/ living/ utility is better. Seeing as your marketing ideally for just a couple anyway. Then the second room can be used if family visit, and enough room for travel cot is grand kids brought along. But generally it's just couples space so really needs to appeal to not having lots of empty rooms not in use half the time.

X2 doubles will also allow for parents with 1/2 children wanting a small place in area to also consider