Which of these two options would you choose?

[UpToonGirl]

House currently is 4 bed detached, we need to add an ensuite and rework the downstairs layout. There are two different options we have and I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts:

Option 1. Two storey side extension. Upper storey would give us an en suite and dressing area space. We wouldn't gain extra bedrooms but would be able to get the layout we want downstairs and the ensuite.

Option 2. Loft extension and single storey extension. We would gain 2 bedrooms upstairs but would lose one downstairs to create an ensuite/dressing room.

I'm leaning towards 1 but husband thinks 2 (as does builder). I'm concerned the loft rooms would be small (not tiny but all our bedrooms now are really good doubles). Also we potentially need to raise the roof to get the head height. DH prefers option 2 as he wants the downstairs extension to have a roof lantern and that would be off the cards if it was a two storey extension. He also wants the extra bedroom as an office.

TBH we've been tossing around ideas for years now but need to move things along so we really need to start making decision. Part of me would just like to move somewhere that's already done but we both love our location and to get the type of house we would like we would need to move away from our current area. Any thoughts appreciated!

Do you have DC/ plan to? Do you need the extra bedroom for them or for visitors?

Sorry should have said, 3 DC, all primary school age. We don't really have overnight visitors often enough that we need to plan to accommodate them.

Option 2 - brighter downstairs extension if only single storey.

When you say the loft bedrooms would be small, what size are you talking? Kids don't need huge bedrooms, and on the face of it a nice bright extension and an extra bedroom seems like a better end result.

Option one, I would prefer a 2 storey house. And I like having a loft for extra storage.

@OrangeGinLemonFanta they would still be small doubles so not bad but smaller than they have now. Plus we could plan the rooms well with inbuilt storage etc.

Option two for me, I would prefer the extra rooms and the brighter extension.

I like the sound of option 1 as you get the living space layout you want which is so important and the dressing room and ensuite- they are great benefits.
You all already have enough bedrooms.

I’d prefer option 1 as that’s fewer stairs to run up and down. It also leaves the option for a loft conversion in the future.

Option 1.
Having previously had a 3 storey house, I wouldn’t look to buy another one. I found the top floor felt a lot more remote from the rest of the house.

Haha, these replies are pretty split! Still feeling indecisive but thank you for the opinions.

Option 1.

Loft rooms can be hot and you’ll lose your loft. Plus people with young children don’t like to be on a different floor to them.

Could you have a study instead of dressing room?

If you can get planning permission for a two storey side extension/maintain access to you garden/have a decent layout, I think I'd generally favour this option. I generally feel loft extensions are a compromise as they get too hot/cold and you have a lot of stairs to climb.

@SuperheroBirds

Option 1. Having previously had a 3 storey house, I wouldn’t look to buy another one. I found the top floor felt a lot more remote from the rest of the house.

I agree with this. It’s a real faff to go all the way upstairs from the ground floor. We have a big bedroom and bathroom in our loft conversion but we’ve kept both of our DCs in their smaller first floor rooms for all of our sanity. If your kids are anything like mine they are constantly forgetting things and I can’t imagine running up there eight times an hour!