What can we do with this????

[Namechangetoshowhouse]

Does anyone have any thoughts about what we can do to this house to make it more functional? It's a lovely house at the moment so we could live in it and good location but it could do with taking advantage of its position but also bigger windows and some way to extend to make more bedrooms upstairs. I was thinking that eventually we could make it more chalet style?

Anyone got any thoughts? House is here

Some of you may know my other thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/3988268-Whats-wrong-with-our-house-13-days-no-viewings.

It looks like we will get an offer tomorrow, firstly lets hope we aren't counting our chickens before they hatch 🤞 the market around us is really busy and we will need to make a rapid decision if we do get one and here lies our problem as there isn't much that meets our criteria which is shocking as we actually have a good amount after playing the renovation game for years!

I'm thinking something like this but not sure I'm meeting unrealistic!

DH likes this one but it's further out of town and above our budget by 35k although we could always offer.

Grr there was so much choice a few months ago 🙄

I definitely prefer the one your DH likes!

I'm just not as sure on the location the other one is in the chalet style one is in Bicester's Bure park which does add huge amounts of value houses there are like gold dust but this quirker one has been on for a while.

I'm not sure we could get the one DH likes down to 500k which is our top amount.

Annoyingly our top one on the list this had gone under over this EA leaves all their houses online even when they are under over which is frustrating as I keep seeing it and wishing it was ours!

very different pics here OP
I know what you mean, it looks darker and less modern than the others you’ve linked to, but the garden is gorgeous.

The garden is lovely they even have a secret seating area. It's also that it fronts onto woodland but you don't really get the advantages of either view which is a shame.

OP I like the one you like! I think it’s got a beautiful established garden and I like the openness of the views at the front, and the road also looks really quiet. If I were you I would be thinking about going out at the back where the conservatory is to do a double height extension with a pitched roof on the top and then upstairs either having an extra bedroom with a corridor down the side of the existing big bedroom to get to it, or making an amazing master suite with French doors and a Juliette balcony out onto the garden. Then downstairs you could have a massive kitchen living room and you probably wouldn’t even have to take out the existing kitchen, which looks in good nick. But I would advise possibly living in the place for a while so you get the feel of it before you make a final decision but if you definitely need to extend it might be worth speaking to pre-planning to see if what you want is likely to be approved (or look and see if others have done similar).

Oh and I would agree on updating the windows on the front.

I grew up in a bungalow - you soon get used to the downstairs bedrooms. I'd choose that over three floors and a tiny attic bedroom. I would not feel the need to extend but I'm sure an architect could give you some advice, maybe do something in the area of the conservatory so you get a utility room.

The bungalow is larger on floor space, has better sized rooms, better garden, location near green space not a new build with tiny rooms wedged in a massive new estate.

Your DH is being taken in by the nice traditional styling.

I think I'd build a good quality garden office at the top of the garden (with power, internet, heating, good pathway full spec) with bifolds so I could sit and look at out the view from higher ground)

Wow thanks all for your thoughts I was questioning myself as DH wasn't seeing what I could.
Yes Heron I was thinking the same a Juliette balcony would really work and you could even try and do one both at the front and back.

Your right notme I think partially DH wants to live in a 'nice' house (an insecurity of his) and the one he likes looks impressive...I do like it's walk in wardrobe but not enough to make me buy. 😉

I'm also curious what the deleted comment was... probably one of those random ads that people do but my curiosity is piqued 🤔

Dressing room = making the best of a too small master bedroom IMO.

Yes it’s a bit odd that the house doesn’t seem to use the space at the front of the eves upstairs. I would think planning might be a bit difficult to get a Juliette balcony at the front but it’s worth a try. I think with a little love and a few tweaks “your” house could definitely be impressive.

I prefer yours OP. Garden is lovely

Thanks all I shall tell DH MN days he's wrong 🤣

I'm not sure about the balcony at the front but I suppose we can try or perhaps a big window this shot shows the location its the middle house be nice to be able to see the woods although a friend did warm is they saw someone getting fruity in them. But you'll get that anywhere even in the 'naice' part of town!

I think the chalet bungalow looks great. Loads of space and
A fabulous garden. As now as the double fronted properties look, I’d much rather be in a nicer location that feels more open and less overlooked.

I'm not far from you OP and definitely would pick the location of the one you like over living on that massive estate.

@Pepperwand

I'm not far from you OP and definitely would pick the location of the one you like over living on that massive estate.

👋👋👋 waves to Pepperwand yes I'm not particularly fond of the Kingsmere estate when they first started it looked like it would have lots of green space but it's not as nice as the ECO town or Bure Park.

Although my goodness the ECO town houses are expensive look here

So a bit of an update we've put an offer in today so now we wait

Good luck with your offer!!! I've been following your thread looking for ideas for our place so you are helping randoms on the internet too :)

Yours has potential, the other one has been "done" to the point you can't add much to it