can we squeeze in a 3rd room (pic & floorplan)

[BucketFence]

We have a 2 bed end terrace in London and we've been looking to move to a bigger place but even moving (way) out of London it will cost a lot to get that extra room. I like where we live, it's close to work etc but I don't know if we can re-jig the house or add a loft to get that other bedroom & ensuite (think a 3 bed house should have 2 bathrooms).

Can anyone suggest anything (and what you think cost would be??)

Backyard isn't huge, but have thought about extending the kitchen & utility and using the front room as another bedroom but DH sees that as loosing space.

Any suggestions??!

Bdouble storey extension. Turn utility into an office and have L shaped kitchen diner

Above turn shower room into jack and Jill enquire and make bed two and extension into beds two and three. Eradicate storage in bed one and add mini ensuite.

If no office needed turn utility into downstairss loo.

Could you put the stairs to the loft going through Bedroom One and put a bedroom and shower room up there and make Bedroom Two into the master bedroom with en-suite.

Another possibility would be to put a 2nd toilet & handbasin (and washing machine) in the utility room and put more of the kitchen stuff into the kitchen/diner. Then just put a bedroom up in the loft? Depends whether you put in a dormer window TBH.

I think 2 toilets would suffice - you don't really need 2 bathrooms for a 3 bed house?

You look as if you have a high enough roof to be able to convert the loft. I'd do that rather than tinker with the internal layout which is would be seriously compromised.

Could go with only extra toilet, but l have 2 dd so think the extra bathroom would be important when they're older!

I've looked around this area and none of the end terraces have loft conversion so l was thinking that it probably cant be done. But I'd ideally prefer to do that than a double extension, maybe for the cost of the build and disruption.

*mainly for the cost and disruption.

What is the loft space like at the moment?

Its not bad but the roof slopes quite steep so is restrictive. It needs more room but I'm not sure how to get it.

How much longer do you envisage living there for?

My other cheap fix would be to put on a conservatory from the kitchen diner as a sitting room and as you said use the front room as a bedroom.

Could you add a dormer to the attic?

I dont know how long we will stay. The area has improved so much since we've moved here, we really like it now. I originally thought 5 years, thats next year

The conservatory could work.

I don't think we could put a dormer on as the back looks like the front, how would you put one on?

You would need planning permission to put the dormer on the sides of the roof.

How old are your dds?

Conservatory would be inexpensive tbh.

Actually couldn't you configure your lounge so that half was accessed via a doorway under the stairs as a living room area and the other half was accessed by the current doorway as a bedroom?

I reckon it'd be possible to lose space from Bedroom 1 and out a staircase up to a side facing loft extension for you and DH. I'd also be knocking out the kitchen wall and building on the back and maybe up to extend bedroom 2.

Would a side dormer look ugly?

Possibly, some are less ugly than others and the council may not grant planning permission.

What are you trying to achieve mid & longer term? If at some point you think you will have to move anyway I'd be tempted to make do as you are or do one of the less expensive options I've suggested.

This isn't our forever home, so spending a lot doesn't appeal. I actually really like the idea of the conservatory for extra room. Think l will look into that.

Thanks Random and everyone for your suggestions

I normally have plenty ideas but I have no ideas where to squeeze in a 3rd bedroom in your house, sorry.

I had a similar issue with my former home, was thinking non-stop and in the end decided it was easier/cheaper to move to a 3 bed house.

Could you build an extra room rather than a conservatory. I have a conservatory and I can't use it a lot of the time. Either too hot or too cold. So it ends up as being a storage room. I wish I'd just had an extra room built in the space instead tbh.

You could definitely achieve a loft extension with a dormer. If you got an architect to draw up some plans, you would then be able to show the builders for quotes. And go from there. It may also be worth asking a local estate agent round to value the house, with and without the loft extension/conservatory to give you am idea whether it's worth spending the money or not.