Location or house?

[Jelly0naplate]

Currently live in an enviable location (people comment on it when they discover where we live), it's a traditional semi, quiet street, close enough to amenities to walk to the shops etc, walk the kids to schoo, lovely parkside location. But the house has issues such as no master ensuite, it doesn't have the open plan we'd like if we could choose a new place now. We could go into the loft but it would cost more than the value it would add to the house. So would you do the loft, there isn't an affordable option for open plan and small garden so can't extend, and stay here for the location orgive up the location for the house aspects that we could choose?

I think you are over-estimating the time you spend in the kitchen! Children don’t need that input for that long, really they don’t. You will reap the rewards once they’re the envy of all their teenage friends.

People love to talk about how their kitchen is the hub of the house, but that’s generally because they’ve knocked all the other rooms through!

It's called location, location, location for a reason! Personally I've always been happiest when the location has worked best. I have a tiny kitchen in my current home, not open plan, but it works because I also have excellent outdoor space (in London!) and the location is near everything and cannot be bettered. It's all about compromise in the end but you can usually make internal changes with the help of an architect as pp have mentioned.

@Mollyeyes

Sorry - that would be outing but major clues

It’s stunning. 45-1hour to london And in garden of England!

HI OP,

just want to add that you should get an architect to advise on reconfiguring your house.

Also, declutter - we should all learn to live with less, I have learned this and really applied it in lockdown (but have already done Marie Kondo and grew up with a mum who made Marie K look like a slob!!!)

Always, always location - we live in the perfect location. We maxed out so we cannot afford to extend our house even as the DC grow but I would never move to get more space - our DC love being able to walk everywhere and we love it too.

You don’t have to get an architect in if straightforward

My builder, highly experienced, with a eye for design - did the most incredible conversation for me.

And the money I would have spent on architect fees when on high end finish

If you want to stay in your area long term take the plunge with your house

Rather live more modestly with less clutter and be able to get around on foot or bike

For kids, being independent is a major gift. If they can walk/cycle everywhere they want to go it's great for them and not having to drive your kids around is golden for you.

Open plan is fab for families with young children but often not so good when the children are older.

It has to be a bit of both, with a bit of compromise SURELY?

No one would love in a completely unsuitable property just to be in the location they want.

@roundtwotooto in the real world yes, but not on mumsnet