Upstairs space or downstairs space

[nightandthelight]

DH and I are looking at two properties on a new development and can't decide which to choose. Unfortunately they are still being built so we can't look round and are going off plans.

Option 1 is a four bedroom (over three floors) house with three doubles and a single. The master in particular is a very good size and has an ensuite with a double shower. Upstairs wise the space is perfect for us (a couple with one baby on the way).

Downstairs however we are struggling a bit more. There is a small kitchen with a large hallway separating it from a lounge diner which is fairly small and we are struggling somewhat as to how we would fit dining table, chairs and sitting room furniture in it.

The garden in this property is slightly bigger although only just and it is end of terrace.

Option 2 is a three bedroom over two floors with two doubles and a single. The bedrooms are a similar size to option 1 apart from the master which is smaller. Still has an ensuite but only a single shower rather than a double.

The living space is more generous in option 2 though with a kitchen diner (which we prefer to a lounge diner) and a bigger sitting room. There is slightly less storage space but the difference is small.

The garden is marginally smaller and it is mid terrace.

Both houses have downstairs loos and family bathrooms which are pretty much the same size.

Just wondering whether anybody with a family can give an indication of whether it is more important to have a larger and more social living space or larger bedroom space?

TIA

Enough living space is crucial especially while the children are young as you will all want to be in the same room, not spread out over several floors.

I'd buy House 1 and reconfigure the ground floor. Or I'd buy neither and buy a house that had/could acquire the right balance of living space to bedrooms.

I hated the three floor option - can I ask what's on each level?

This will be the major issue if say kitchen lower than sitting room

I'd go for option 2 unless you knew for certain that you were going to have 3 kids very close in age.

No problem Sally so the living spaces are all on the ground floor and then a double, the single and the family bathroom on the first floor and the master,ensuite and another double on the third :)

I need there to be a loo on each floor. Just sayin

Only planning the one neo :)

There is finally :) Downstairs loo, family bathroom on the first and ensuite on the second.

Id go for downstairs space every time but has the developer not got another development with a show home for the type you are interested in? It would definitely be worth a trip to get a feel for the houses.

Out of those, in your circumstances, Option 2 without a doubt.

I went for downstairs space. The house has a very pitched roof (think Swiss cottage shaped) and we have a large lounge, large dining room, huge kitchen, utility, downstairs guest cloakroom and integral garage. Upstairs the three bedroom walls slope inwards with the pitch of the roof and there is one bathroom. However, we have never regretted it and every time I look at a house with more bedroom space I can see that we would be sacrificing downstairs space unless we doubled the budget.

Is this a long term house or short term, if long I would go for more bedrooms and perhaps add a conservatory

We have seen a three bedroom show house on a related site crikey and liked it especially the kitchen diner. It's the four bedroom equivalent we haven't seen :(

Thanks for all the feedback, really appreciating everyone's opinion :)

I lived in a lovely house, exactly option 1 in lovely area, but moved into total wreck chalet bungalow where there are only 2 bedrooms upstairs (dd/ds). We then turned it open planish with a separate toy room and it's so great to have the space downstairs, it encourages more family life I think as we physically have space to be near but not on top of each other, and if you have friends round with their kids there is room to move. Ultimately you do only sleep upstairs, and aren't planning on 2 other kids just yet. I would never go back to the old style house now, thus is so much more sociable.

We went for downstairs space every time. Bedrooms are always "enough".

A small lounge diner is too big a compromise for a 4th bedroom you don't need.

Living space is much more important than sleeping space provided you have enough rooms. If the living space is too small/does not fit it will annoy you all day long, if the rooms are a bit small, well I'm not sure you will even notice as long as you bed fits in properly.

We went for living space and don't regret it at all. We have a young family and all of us only really go upstairs to sleep. There's a separate playroom downstairs, which we will turn into a teenage den when they are older. It's nice to keep them downstairs where we can keep an eye on them!

Another vote for downstairs here. Nobody in our family spends much time in their bedrooms. A kitchen diner is far more practical with DC too, as they can be at the table doing stuff while you cook etc instead of being in another room.

Can't the four bed be built as a kitchen diner?

Early on stage should be possible