Creating new rooms (without extending)

[Fixmygarden]

So, our house was on the market recently, but annoyingly we lost a bloody huge amount of our deposit (about £100k) due to problems with some stock I had from a Company I used to work for. So we've had to come off the market until that recovers (fucking trump!). I'm sure we'll get it full but not yet.

I'm just looking at our for plans and thinking of there anything we can do to make the house slightly more livable for us in the short term? Anyone have any amazing ideas? We only have 2 children so 3 needs is fine, but my parents live far away so it would be nice to have a spare room somewhere so they could stay occasionally.

The house is an L shape, to the right is a driveway and behind is the garden which is mostly dominated by the biggest garage ever. I'd love a utility area, and a 4th bedroom but don't want to make the house ridiculous with tiny rooms. I think the cost of extending wouldn't improve the value of the house enough to justify it.

Assuming Porch is a proper brick built structure and not and open wooden add on.... Make that into a tiny loo using front window and door facing bottom of stairs.
Knock existing loo and cupboard together to make utility area, possibly even have washing machine under stairs.
A spare bedroom is a luxury but buy the best quality sofa bed you can instead

Oh! Toilet. Cool idea. We'd lose some light in the hallway doing that but the cupboard you mentioned currently houses the washing machine and boiler so that wouldn't be too hard.

My parents are knobs and will not entertain a sofa bed (even a really good one, which is what we currently have). Part of me thinks "well stuff you then".

A thing I've seen in the States is a utility cupboard so there is no free floor space, but it has double or sliding doors with all your noisy appliances behind, maybe shelves above.
When you're emptying washer, you're using floor space in the kitchen, then you shut the doors again.
It's a very efficient use of space

Murphy bed for the parental knobs?

Could you get a pull out bed under one in the kids bedroom and both of them share when your parents visit?

Get a partially glazed front door to add light back into hall.
Just a tiny top section will make a difference

Oh Murphy bed is a good idea, hadn't thought of that. We could put it in our smallest bedroom and then the kids could go into DS room if the knobs stay over. I was wondering if we could somehow chop the two front bedrooms into three but then would we be left with 3 crap bedrooms?

Honestly, I wouldn't chop up the rooms for the sake of an occasional guest. 95%of the time your children will be in a room that is smaller than it needs to be, and you've got an empty guest room (which is also tiny)

I don't think there's space to add a bedroom - they'd all be box rooms. I imagine that you're probably already pushed for space in the master? Struggling to fit a bed and wardrobes?

Yeah the master is OK but crap small windows, so any extension on the back couldn't be 2 storey or we wouldn't have any windows at all. The house itself is lush, it's just not quite big enough, and with the giant garage the garden is pretty small too.

Could you partition the biggest garage ever and create a utility there?

does your garage ever get used as a garage? If not how about turning it half into a utility and half a guest bedroom? Sun tubes would be a good way of bringing natural light in to the space without adding windows. Then the nobs are in the garden

The knobs have also refused to "sleep in the garage", our original plan when we bought the house was to convert it into a lush little house. But no, not good enough.

Its not attached to the house so I think I'd never do washing if it was raining or cold (lazy).

The knobs can stay in a hotel.

give the knobs your bedroom and full parental responsibility of darling cherubs, take yourself off to lush little garden house for peace and quiet. Sorted.

Meant to say upthread that I really wouldn't divide the existing bedrooms as it will devalue the house when you come to sell.

Is a loft extension an option?

Honestly? For the occasional visit, the cost of moving walls etc, I'd pay for them to stay in a b&b / hotel a few nights a year.

Otherwise - child with larger room has a double bed. Child with smaller room has a trundle bed / bunk bed. Kids bunk in together when grandparents visit.

I would convert part of the garage for your own use! If it is too big, that’s the spare space! You don’t have much else to play with. I would make it a study room and garden room with a bed/couch. Many are excellent! Maybe a DC could stay in it when needed and grandparents have a room in the house. I would make it lovely and put a shower room in! Or you stay in it. I think this would add value!

A "normal" double bed is only 1.5ft wider than a single. I think your best bet for the guest bed is as AwkwardPaws says - child with bigger room gets a double bed and an understanding they need to give it up for guests, and child with smaller room gets bunk beds or a trundle. Don't spend thousands carving up your upstairs and end up giving them both tiny bedrooms for the sake of occasional guests.

I think part of your garage is the best bet for any downstairs additions - playroom, utility etc. If it's detached you could perhaps add a clear roof over the walkway so it's more pleasant to get to in the rain.

I wouldn’t have a separate utility. It’s an utter faff to get bed linen out there. Use is for living, but sleeping when needed. If grandparents are difficult point them towards a B and B.