Take a slice out of dd’s room for en-suite or spend a fortune on loft conversion?

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Just that really - dd has, proportionally, the biggest room in the house. Ours is marginally bigger because of the bay window but there are two of us in it with a super king bed and a large wardrobe. I always dreamed of converting the loft into a master and decent bathroom, a floor just for us to escape to, but there’s no denying it’s big money. The alternative is we could box off a corner of our bedroom for an en-suite, or we could box off on dd’s side and knock a doorway through.
The house is 4-bed - 3 double 1 single - with a family bathroom (overbath shower) upstairs and a downstairs toilet. We fairly regularly have house guests. Knocking through would also bring dd’s room slightly more in line with her older sister’s much smaller room and it would still be a double, if a little cosy. Will I regret skimping and chopping bits off the house? Or is a loft conversion just blatant self-indulgence and waste of money? Estate agent is not convinced we’d get our money back on loft conversion any time soon so it really would just be for us.

Taking a bit of space out of your daughter’s bedroom makes the most sense. The only downside I see is that her bedroom could end up awkwardly shaped.

If you get her some good built-in wardrobes to square off her room it should look fine. Much cheaper and less disruptive than a loft extension.

Are you selling the house any time soon? Or are you there forever now? Because if you don’t need your money out of it, doing it for you is a completely valid choice and I would do the loft.

Can you afford the loft without incurring hardship, risk to your property or loss of things you all enjoy like an annual holiday?

I'd do the loft, as you're definitely increasing the value of the property over time by giving it another bedroom and bathroom. As someone has already said, if you're planning on staying for the foreseeable then do what you prefer.

You mention estate agent, does that mean you are planning to sell soon, or you plan to move house if the current one doesn't work out?
If not, the house value is irrelevant as you should work out what is worth to you.
My comment would be it depends on your daughter's opinion, and maybe make it a jack and Jill ensuite so you can share it.
Also pay for sound proofing not just simple stud walls as you want to be able to use it without worrying about the noise

Thanks all, lots of great stuff here!

Not planning on selling soon as such but there’s a possibility of a major move if one or both of our jobs demand it.

Finances just about allow for a loft conversion but it’s a bit of an all-eggs-in-one-basket job and may leave us out of pocket if the job situation changes and we have to sell up to move.

Built in wardrobe is a great idea but wouldn’t work in this instance due to the door swing into the room. DD’s room will still be plenty big enough for all she could need.

Jack and Jill would be brilliant, if only it could be between the two girls’ rooms. This is way dd, dh and I would be sharing a tiny ensuite with our other dd enjoying the family bathroom to herself!

Sorry to pour cold water on all your super suggestions, it really is great to get your mixed opinions - echoes just how I’m feeling about it all!

You’ll could well devalue the house if you make a bedroom smaller.

I wouldn’t touch a house with only one double bedroom and 2 singles.

Loft bathrooms can be tricky.

Thanks, even after the en-suite it’ll still be a house with 3 doubles and 1 single, shouldn’t affect value...

If you have the money and intend to stay, do the loft. I've seen some spectacular conversions

Just be prepared for loss of storage space though

How would your new en-suite work with the plumbing? Is it near the soil stack? How are you going to get water to it and waste away from it? These are the biggest questions about making new bathrooms. We have just moved house and will be pulling out an ill thought out en-suite at great expense and hassle. Very annoying. Loft conversions are usually in the price range where the money spent is recovered in increased equity at time of project or soon after, so you probably wouldn’t lose that much money long term. I’d consider putting an air con unit in any loft conversion though, the one in our old house was very hot in summer

More great stuff, thanks all.

Water is, I assume, no issue as the new en-suite would be almost exactly on the site of an old sink and vanity unit.

The soil stack I’m more concerned about however as ours are on the opposite side of the house, we’re talking stacks on the left and proposed en-suite on the right rather than front to back, we’re detached. Our neighbour’s stacks are facing the en-suite wall (they have same layout as us, not mirror image) so perhaps it could still work somehow...will need to chat to a builder.

Mumsnetters have fairly scared me off macerators! Unless someone has a positive tale to tell??

I think I need to see a diagram.

I've always hated en-suites shoehorned into bedrooms. They are usually too small, never have a window, and damp depressing things. Plus, let's be honest here - who wants to lie in bed listening to their other half have a dump???

I'd go for the loft conversion ever time.

*every time.

I’d be really surprised if you have access to a drain on that side of the house then - we have the same issue here, all of the drainage is on one corner of the house so no other options for locating bathrooms. You could always dig a new drain but you would need permission to join the main sewer or have to link it into your existing drain somehow - this might end up being £££ and might make the loft conversion more appealing. I’m no expert, but I don’t think you can just tap into the neighbours’ drains

I bet the ensuite plan will end up costing loads. Do the loft. I am waiting for mine do be done soon. We may not get all the money back, but the house will be so much bigger (assuming you don't loose a room for the stairs).

Re loft conversion - am I right in saying you need planning permission for a third habitable floor?

Unless you are in a listed building or conservation area, loft conversions can be done under permitted development.

Don’t think we’d need planning, unless possibly for a dormer. We wouldn’t lose any bedrooms for stairs either, nice big landing thankfully. The loft conversion idea is by far the most appealing in every sense other than financial.

foxatthewindow I think you’ve nailed it...the only real possible thorn in the side of the en-suite is the drainage issue. I’m hoping to be able to join somehow where the neighbours’ pipe joins the main sewer in the street, a bit of a concrete path to negotiate down the side of my house but then a nice friendly flowerbed all the way to the garden wall. But I’m assuming a lot and am speaking from ignorance - think it’s time to get the builder involved before I get too excited either way.

Never really understood the want for an en-suite, I don't want to take a crap in a poorly ventilated cupboard in a bedroom. Much like downstairs toilets off kitchens, just grim.

If it's a second bathroom you're after, would you have the room downstairs to put a shower into your downstairs toilet? I'd be more inclined to go towards the loft conversion and give yourself more space, rather than lose it.

I think all you can do is talk to people and get quotes. It will soon become apparent which is the most sensible course of action. With the drainage I think possibly even if you do join into another property’s drains you might need to get the water board involved. It will probably also require some legal paperwork as not getting everything signed off properly will cause problems if you do need to sell. You should maybe speak with a conveyancer about it. Regarding the drain work itself, if you’re on the south coast I could recommend someone we used to put in a new water supply. They are very good at drains too

Another vote for the loft conversion. That way you actually will get some value added to the house for the money you’ve spent (even if you don’t recoup it all); I’d say making one room smaller to add an en-suite will be a)more expensive than you might think; b)potentially devalue your existing property and c) isn’t likely to be much fun for anyone while it’s going on....and then not at the end either, especially for your DD. Loft conversions can be fantastic.

Do you have a floor plan of your house or a similar style of house?