Need a a few more square feet for tall teenagers

[statisticianintraining]

We live in an end terrace 2 bed plus small box room (8ft x 8ft so not that small compared to some we’ve seen).

Over the years we’ve considered moving but there is nothing in our price range in the same location that has been fixed up. Over the last 15 years this house has been a nightmare with endless very expensive works - damp etc. If we sell now we would just about recoup our money (no fancy finishes just structural, damp, windows, roof etc) but mainly we are scared to do it again and our house is in a great area.

Problem is we now have 2 very tall teenage boys who don’t want to share a bedroom. We have some ideas about building out over the stairs to make a cupboard or something to make floor space in 3rd bedroom. Do we just need a carpenter or should we ask an architect in case there is a better option? Would a architect be the right profession to think about how near to make use of space/ do they do small jobs? Maybe
I’ve watched too much George Clark’s Amazing Spaces

Why doesn't your husband use the box room as an office and teen use attic? A tiny box room has plenty of space as soon as you don't need a bed in it.

Thanks everyone. Husband would love to use the box room but then we’d have to face the fire safety issues of someone sleeping in the attic and getting floor reinforced and probably ceilings lowered. Quotes were £28k with poor head height to £44k to m asked it really useable. We’d need 2 dormers to make it a proper room due to gable end shape at end of terrace.

If he does need a wardrobe then having part of the the bed over the bulkhead gives space to put one at the end of the bed on the RH wall. Desk opposite.

Yes he only wears school uniform and shorts and T-shirt’s. Don’t need a wardrobe but some sort of shelves. Maybe a hanging rail nothing elaborate

Wouldn’t a single bed be more practical if there’s a lack of space? Don’t know how high your ceilings are, but a high sleeper single could have a desk underneath and then you could put storage the other side

That’s why I think we need an architect who can tell us what extra useable space we would have. Or is there any software we could use to do that?

I want him to have a double bed so he will want to come home when he is older. So if we are building we want to get it right now if we spend all this money on making the space the bed is a minor cost. We have a fantastic carpenter but I want to give him a plan /good idea of what we want

A 4 bed would be at least £90k more and we don’t want to take on a bigger mortgage Or buy another money pit.

He has a high sleeper now and it works but he is getting too tall to have a desk under it now. And he won’t want to come home to it with a girlfriend in years to come.

So how about we ask the carpenter to move the bedroom door out onto the dead landing space (gain 60cm) and make an over stairs cupboard flush with (but starting higher up) the new doorway. Get bed made to hold a standard 4ft or 4ft 6 mattress but raised up with drawers underneath

@statisticianintraining

Thanks everyone Folding bed not really an option as he is in an untidy phase and would never fold it up. Would just cause arguments. We have considered rehanging the door but if we rehang to open on other side but still inwards it’s compromises his privacy (we always knock to be honest) rehanging it to open outwards it would hit us in the face every morning. Re the bed from Next there is no way to get clearance at the end of the bed to make use of the underbed storage.

That would be his problem though wouldn't it? If he doesn't want to fold it up and would have less space that would be his problem and not yours!

@statisticianintraining

So how about we ask the carpenter to move the bedroom door out onto the dead landing space (gain 60cm) and make an over stairs cupboard flush with (but starting higher up) the new doorway. Get bed made to hold a standard 4ft or 4ft 6 mattress but raised up with drawers underneath

Where would the bed go if you use the bulkhead for the storage cupboard?

Confusing myself now -

True. But would drive me mad. Would try to grit my teeth but I can hear the arguments already.

I think that last one works really well!

Carpenter is coming Tuesday and want to have a sensible plan before then 😀

Sliding door? Maybe a stable style inside the room to slide behind headboard of bed?

I know you don’t want a folding bed, but would a folding desk work at all? Something like this (although nicer ones are available!)

www.wayfair.co.uk/Mercury-Row--Munguia-Drop-Leaf-Floating-Desk-HDRR2678-L32-K~GCQQ1567.html

Or like this if there’s more space / more storage needed

www.wayfair.co.uk/furniture/pdp/jahnke-cuuba-culture-mc-secretary-desk-jnk1554.html

Yes, I like the last plan but i'd still turn the door and if possible fit some narrow shelves onto the left had wall behind where the door opens. Uses up otherwise unusable space and only really needs about 13cm

ime, it's not the desk that's the problem, it's the chair. Folding chairs are fine for short term use but if he's inclined to be sitting gaming then it'll need to be something more supportive

Thanks everyone some great ideas. Desk chair crucial to me too/. I think we can solve the desk issue by being creative but the right chair is crucial. I’ll report back after we see the carpenter.

Am I wrong to not change the way the door opens? I think privacy is crucial.

Also
A sliding door would be so out of step with the rest of the house.

One of my DC has door that opens against wall and one the other way. I agree, it does mean I can open 2nd DSs door a crack and ask something without seeing in but I just knock on the others and allow him to open or shout ok or whatever or I just ask stuff through the door, it really isn't a problem and I wouldn't compromise what is otherwise a better layout/more space/more convenient, just for privacy. Put it this way, as they share they have no privacy anyway so having a door that shuts into his own space is already a big step up.

6 foot also isn't too bad, just make sure the bed doesn't have a stick up end so they can shove feet over the end if needed :)

I would hang the door to maximise the space - I really don't understand the privacy issue???

Surely you knock on his door and wait for him to say it's ok to go in, so it makes no different which way the door is hung?

Agree with hanging door properly. If you wanted to squeeze a bit more storage in, how about making the bed a small double. That gains you 6 inches on the wall that the door would open onto if you had it hanging your way. Then get your carpenter to turn that bit of wall into a cupboard or shelves to the ceiling. With a solid back that then means part of the bed would be hidden behind it, and hanging the door normally gives a bit of privacy.

Thank you everyone
I’m still sure about turning the door around. I always knock on his door so not that so much as I kept imagining getting his door in my face every morning but if it opened outwards to the right toward the stairs it should be okay

He moved onto the small room in a high sleeper last year and husband moved up to makeshift attic office. His own room needs to be just a tiny bit bigger to make it comfortable. 6 square feet would be enough. We’ve toyed with moving house but anything in our price bracket and location range is a dump - most still have the slippers of the poor old person who just died/moved to care home in the hallway and all need electrics, boiler etc done. We’ve done all that here and now we want to put time money and effort into their school work and preparing for the next stage of costs around learning to drive and uni rather than remortgaging for at least another 90k to get a safe and dry house.

The last plan looks pretty good.

Could you not have the carpenter build a really good mezzanine bed though? Lots of student rooms seem to have those now, I don't see that it would be a problem to come home to.

I grew up in a similar house. Our neighbours moved the wall between bedrooms 2 and 3 by about 18 inches to give a built in wardrobe to each room. It made a big difference.