Please could I have opinions on this house layout?

[housemoverihope]

Have found a house that is well into the catchment area of a great school (applications for ds1's secondary place need to be in by Oct) that offers lots of extra space. I viewed it yesterday and despite it having the fourth bedroom downstairs and having a very unappealing exterior I can't help but like it!

We have 3dcs - 10, 8 and 6 and our 10 year old would love to not have to share with his little brother but it would probably mean him being downstairs as I am not sure the 4th bedroom would be big enough for dh and I? Dh is adamant that a downstairs bedroom is weird so will take some convincing (he hasn't seen it yet).

Would this layout completely put you off?

From the floorplan I think it could be annoying if you were watching a film or had friends round for dinner after your 10 year old had gone to bed, you'd have to turn the volume down or talk quietly.

If there was the chance of extending above the garage at some future date, to move the fourth bedroom up there that would be ideal. If that's out of the question then it's a bit more in the balance but still I would like the house. Big garden! Get dh at least to do a viewing.

oooh! I have nothing helpful to say but this is just down the road from me So if you don't know the area well and want to know anything, just give me a shout!

Thanks for the thoughts, v good point about having to be quiet in an evening - ds1 is a light sleeper. I am pretty sure we wouldn't be able to extend over the garage later as getting planning permission for the existing extensions was tough.

Dottydot - I know this is just round the corner from you namechanged so I didn't out myself

The fact that access is directly off the living room would put me off more than it being downstairs. The other room marked sitting room / study would be better as a bedroom but doesn't have the en suite.

Don't rush into a decision based on school catchment : unless you are a cash or ftb and the vendors are not in a chain 2 months is cutting it extremely fine anyway.

ooooooooh! Desperately trying to work out who you are...

It would be a no for me because of having to be quiet in the evening when dc are asleep or trying to do homework.

Yes I'd be tempted to use the study room as a bedroom and the downstairs bedroom as a study/sitting room. Which means the ensuite becomes a downstairs loo for all. Which would be more practicable. Also means the bedroom isn't directly off the living room.

Though I'd want to convert the garage into a bedroom.

Then knock down the walls between the kitchen and the current study and have that as a big open plan kitchen/diner.

And if you did that you could lose a bit off the top of the current study to make a passageway to the garage. So when converted into a bedroom it didnt open direct into the kitchen/diner.

Downstairs bedrooms are a student thing in my head, I wouldn't want to go back to living like that.

My downstairs bedroom was always very noisy. Could never have a lie on, because people would be 'living' around me. Very inconsiderate of them it was too.

My dad's house has a downstairs bedroom - it's alongside the dining room. so long as your TV's not against the wall, it should be fine. It will also mean in years to come that your DS can come home at ungodly hours and get into bed without disturbing the rest of the house.

No, never. Have lived in a place with a downstairs bedroom and it really compromises things.

The kitchen is also small compared to the huge lounge/diner, then you've got the two other smaller rooms downstairs, when really you could do with at least one of them upstairs... it's very unbalanced.

I agree with the suggestion of some of the pp - have the room currently designated as a study as the downstairs bedroom, instead of the room off the living room. Use that room as a utility/storage, etc. then the ensuite becomes the downstairs loo.

In fact, I wonder what they actually use that 'bedroom' for if that is the room with the mattress directly on the floor in the photos.

I'm another one who would swap the room designated as a study with the one designated as a downstairs bedroom. Less noise in the bedroom from the living room, plus frees the bathroom up for everyone.

I don't think it works for you in its present layout. The ideal would be, for me, an extension over the garage - maybe planning would be be easier as you are building on top rather than increasing the footprint. Failing that, converting the garage and reconfiguring the downstairs so that the bedroom isn't off the living area would be another way to make it work. All of which is a lot of disturbance and cost.

I loved having a downstairs bedroom with the kids upstairs. Because we could 'see' our bedroom:

• We went to bed earlier.
• We kept my bedroom tidier.

Also, more privacy when the kids are older is a good thing

For that layout I would take a square chunk off the living room for fitted wardrobes and move the door to the ensuite. Then you'd have a long/thin bedroom for you and DH with an ensuite downstairs.

Oops, by using the study as a bedroom.

Damn, didn't notice the fireplace.

Actually, no. I'd convert the garage and have that and the study as a master suite for you and DH. Dressing room, bedroom and ensuite.

No bath in either bathroom? That would put me off.

But easily fixable Solasum.

Thanks for all the thoughts - dh is coming to see it tonight. We have decided that it doesn't have to be a forever house but the affordable price could make it a good option for now - the boys could continue to share for the time being if we decide to go ahead. We also thought we could make the downstairs bedroom into a playroom with sofa beds so if either of the boys have friends to stay (or if anyone else came to stay) they can use the downstairs room with bathroom. Would also mean that longer term we can put a tv/computer in there for the three of them without having to have them in bedrooms.

Love all the ideas about swapping the rooms round/making the kitchen bigger, has made the potential of the big downstairs so much more appealing!

You and dh could have the sitting room as your bedroom for the first few years, and dc could have the upstairs rooms. You could then use the downstairs bedroom as a study.

In a few years time, when dc are teens, you could rethink who has which rooms.