Extending -5 bed smaller rooms or 4 bed bigger rooms

[Ewandreams]

We are about to extend our home in a couple of months time and have an option to make either a 4 large double room house or alternatively a 5 double room house with smaller doubles or a 4 double room house with a 5th single bedroom. Which do you think will be of more value if we ever sell?

5 beds go for more than 4 beds if they have adequate downstairs space, number of bathrooms etc. However, if I was going to live in the place for a while, I’d just make it a really nice 4-bed eg master with a dressing area and a spacious ensuite + 2 more bathrooms etc.

I actually think you'll get more for a 4 double rooms than 5 small rooms. I think most people looking for a 5 bed would expect a large house - 5 large bedrooms and a balanced (similarly large) downstairs - large plot, probably detached etc etc. If you've squeezed 5 beds into a 4 bed house if you see what I mean, it's unlikely to attract buyers. Similarly people who want a 4 bed house would rather have 4 big bedrooms than 5 small rooms.

Go with a 4 bed with large bedrooms.

Is there an office somewhere else??

1 or 2 office spaces suddenly important!!

Thanks everyone, we have ample space downstairs and a separate space to work from home. The 5 bedrooms would be one big master but 4 smaller doubles instead of 2 large doubles and 2 smaller ones. We have got a good garden too so could easily get away with the 5 bed without it being too cramped. But I agree with what you have said about enjoying the 4 bed with really nice size rooms. As I'm sure we will live in it for quite a long time. Appreciate all the feedback, thanks!

A lot of families have 2 kids and when they buy it is really important to have a couple of decent non-master bedrooms. We turned down a few houses with 5 beds but where there weren't 2 suitable rooms for kids.

Could you have one Master, 3 big doubles and a single/office?

That way you tick the 5 bedrooms box, without compromising on day to day living space.

You could get a StudyBed for the single room, have decent Lighting and storage in there and USB plugs etc so it would work for eg au pair or home office, or occasional visitor

We have two nearly-teens and some 4 or even 5 beds have bedrooms that are just too small. We are actually open to a 3 bed as all three rooms need to be a decent size - I'd do 4 bed if I were you, and do a nice en suite on the master.

Make the home you want for now. Unless you are planning on selling within 2 years.

Thanks everyone, it's so hard to decide but leaning towards just 4 big rooms as that is what we need as don't really need the other bedroom for anything.

4 big rooms unless you have more than 3 kids.

There’s a 5 bed house near here which has just gone back on the market for the third time in 3 years, having not sold on either previous occasion. I’m sure it’s because they’ve shoe-horned the bedrooms in and none is properly big enough to enjoy what should be the luxury of a 5 bedroom house.

I think I’d either stick to having 4 really good size bedrooms in total, or 4 good sized plus an adequate single room as the 5th.

The difficulty is knowing whether we will have any more children but I guess we have the option to split it up in the future, I live in the countryside and it may be that it's a bit too remote for families, so maybe 4 is better anyway.

When you say large and small bedrooms - what sizes are you talking about? I think that a double should be no smaller than 10ft square - our smallest one is 10x12 which is just about ok. I often see rooms that are 8ft6 x 9ft marketed as doubles.
A spare room which you can just use as overflow is always useful.

The smallest room would be 12ft squared if it was a 5 bed.

I had 3 decent doubles, one small double (guest) and a single (office) which worked great. If you have 2 kids, two similar sized rooms if important to stop arguments

12ft is a good size! New builds have doubled barely 10ft

That sounds like it works well for you, worth considering. Thank you

Are you in England? 12ft by 12ft as the fifth bedroom would be huge.

Yes sorry it's 3.5m by 3.5m so I think 11.5 ft by 11.5ft, I find these things really hard to visualise especially as we haven't began the extension yet.

I don't think that's a "small" room - its not huge, but still a decent size. What size are the other 4?

If 11.5x11.5 would be the smallest on 5 doubles, I do 4 really good sized doubles, plus a decent single.

Are you planning on selling?
If not, do what suits you and your family!

I have no idea except they are bigger I'd have to find out. I think we've decided on 4 big ones because we are just going to live there and enjoy it. Thanks so much everyone

3.5 by 3.5 is big enough for a double bed that you can walk around with bedside tables, large wardrobe and a desk/dressing table. As a fifth bedroom that’s really generous.

Was going to say 4 plus an office - with wfh extending, 2 kids rooms, master and a his and hers office so you can both wfh and not pollute the home space with work would be what I’d want but I’m miles away from that.