5 small or 4 large bedrooms?

[Notsoskinnyminny]

Our house was built with 5 bedrooms. 2 large with ensuites (1 with a dressing room), bed 3 is a small double 12ft x10ft (currently used as home office/sewing room). Beds 4 & 5 were 7 x 10 singles which we converted to 1 room. Had a valuation last night and agent said we'd knocked £15k off the value and recommended we put the wall back.

If you were buying would you prefer 4 good sized rooms or the status of living in a 5 bed house? Would the lack of a bed in room 3 put you off?

Probably got a point about the wall and 4 not 5 bedrooms. . Having a bedroom laid out as an office, no issue as long as it’s not so crammed you can’t see it as a bedroom. In fact probably a selling point these days,4 bedrooms plus study/bedroom.

Lack of bed doesn't matter 12x10 is a decent size.

For whatever reason we sell houses by number of bedrooms in this country so EA is probably right!

For us personally, we'd prefer 4 decent sized rooms, but we have 3dc and average is 2 or less. There will be people who prefer your layout, but probably not as many! 2x Smaller rooms might be well marketed as home office spaces?

Just don't turn one into a dressing room. Massive wardrobes make the space look tiny.

4 large definitely and no lack of bed wouldn't bother me if it wasn't so cluttered I couldn't see potential.

Your estate agent will presumably be right, ask a few other agents if you need more proof.

I would prefer four large bedrooms - but I only need three, so my view is pointless, I wouldn't be looking at your house anyway probably.

Your wording is interesting. The 'status' of living in a five bed?! Or maybe you have three children (pretty common) and want them to have a bedroom each plus a spare?

How much would putting the wall back cost? Really, if much less than 15k I would do it. If near 15k not worth the hassle! What with making good and dressing.

Definitely get another estate agent in though first for a second opinion.

I would want 5 bedrooms, kids are fine in singles. 5 gives us a room each with 1 spare for use as a play room, office, spare room.
We have that in this house.

I would prefer 4 large bedrooms.

4 large

In that situation I’d prefer 5 and I think many four bed houses I’ve looked at recently have a smallish fourth bedroom and a small study downstairs so it’s the same. I think it’s just more flexible, many couples would benefit from separate studies at the moment. Im house hunting and the moment and I have thought with houses like that I might give smallest dd two small bedrooms, one to sleep in and one to play in - but smallest dd has asd and gets distracted by her toys so doesn’t get to bed so I realise I might be in an odd situation.

I think it partly depends on the style of house. A 3 storey town house will be low on living space so, as pp said I would want 5th bedroom as study etc. If all the bedrooms were on one level then you would have loads of downstairs space, so I would prefer 4 big bedrooms. The new owner can put the wall back in if they want. A nicely balanced house will sell quickly so I'm sure you will be fine.

I think in these days of WFH (and it will continue post covid for many) then 5 bedrooms will be better than 4.

EA probably right. But I would personally want the larger room. We're looking at different sized properties but won't view properties without 3 doubles. That rules out a lot of 3 beds and some 4 beds too. I don't care what's in the rooms, I'm not buying the furniture. EA are mad, put the wall back in?! Why?! I get it's £15k but not worth the hassle and cost in my opinion.

5 for me, but only because now we need two small home offices.

3 good doubles and 2 boxes would be perfect for us.

5 beds is more flexible. Our current ideal would be at least 2 decent doubles and 3 decent singles as that gives bedroom each, spare and office/extra room for friends'/family kids to stay in. Also at the moment potentially 2 studies for WFH separately.

It's not about the status, just more rooms. Some of the most expensive houses around us don't have many bedrooms, but have a massive master suite. One of the most striking ones was a 2 bed architecturally clever house on for £650,000!

4 good sized bedrooms definitely. I would think 2 kids is the average which still leaves a spare room or office. Both my teens have double beds. I always think single beds are for primary school children only, no adult wants to sleep in one.

It's not a question of what anyone would prefer. It's the point that an extra bedroom adds value and puts the house (usually) in a higher price bracket/attracts higher value buyers.

Putting the wall back though will cost you about £2,500, depending on length. Construction, plastering, joinery, door and door hanging.

Having said that, I'd probably put it back.

If you put the wall back, then move the sewing room/home office into the singles.

I’d not bother, I think. Four doubles is great, plenty for most people. But I generally CBA with hassle!

Definitely 4 good sized bedrooms. Silly suggestion. I can see there point but still it's been done now so it is what it is.

The title of your thread is misleading - you wouldn't have 5 small bedrooms if that wall were reinstated. If you're planning on selling and want to maximise your return then it's a no brainer to put a stud wall up and put the original doorway back as it will cost a lot less than £15k.

If you're not bothered then leave it as it is in the knowledge that a buyer can instantly add £15k value by reinstating the wall themselves.

@treeeeemendous

4 good sized bedrooms definitely. I would think 2 kids is the average which still leaves a spare room or office. Both my teens have double beds. I always think single beds are for primary school children only, no adult wants to sleep in one.

Really surprised by the suggestion that teenagers need a double bed. The problem with singles (when there's one person sleeping on it) is usually the length not the width and standard doubles aren't any longer. Is this view common - I thought uni halls of residence usually had singles.

Back to the original question and I think the market will be split. As others said 5 bedrooms may often be preferred if there's no space for a study downstairs but I wouldn't make the change based on a single EA opinion.

I think it partly depends on the style of house. A 3 storey town house will be low on living space so, as pp said I would want 5th bedroom as study etc. If all the bedrooms were on one level then you would have loads of downstairs space, so I would prefer 4 big bedrooms.

This. But, it depends on the housing market where you are. If its going to costs you a few thousand to put the wall back and do all the decor, are house prices quite buoyant now (with the stamp duty holiday)? Would it be better to get it on the market straight away, as a 4 bed, or spend the money (and time) on doing the work and not get it on the market for a few more weeks, by which time you're looking at early January and likely to miss the advantage of buyers wanting to complete by March/April. Would you lose more than £15k delaying anyway?

All dependant on your local area.

It's a bit judgey to suggest that 5 bedrooms is a status thing. We would want 3 beds for us and kids, a spare room and an office (as OH works from home long-term) so 5 bedrooms is better. 7 by 10 is not small. If we had only 1 kid we'd prefer bigger rooms but we are not a large family and if you have you no other office space I think EA is right.

If you're selling now put the wall back to maximise return. if you're continuing to live there but don't need a fifth bedroom wait until you're ready to sell then put the wall back.

It depends on personal circumstances. My cousin with four children would definitely prefer five bedrooms to four so that she doesn't have to deal with fights over who has to share.

I would want 4 doubles.

I wouldn’t bother putting wall back, if it sells new owners can choose to add if like you say it’s probably relatively easy and cheap to do. If I bought I would be taking it back down