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Original poster

Housing Dilemma

33 replies

BleepBloopBlop · 22/04/2021 19:43

Hi just wondering if anyone can give an outside perspective on how we resolve our total lack of space.

I bought my council property in Feb. Its a spacious 2 bed terraced house in a nice area in close proximity to good schools and was my only means of being able to own a property. I have 2 teenage kids sharing a room but my plan was always to put an extension in downstairs to reconfigure the lay out and create a further bedroom for my son.

The week before I completed I found out I am pregnant which is amazing news as we didn't think it was possible. We are really excited about this but a little worried about what we do with the house situation. My boyfriend is intending to move in here and we will also have the baby in our room with us so we are going to be packed in like sardines. He has so much stuff including a drum kit (but that is a whole other thread)
My plan was to continue with the extension plans and maybe move somewhere bigger in years to come but everyone is telling me I am mad to spend that kind of money on the house and go through the upheaval, only to move. I know it will add considerable value to the house and they always sell as soon as they come on the market in my street.

If I sell my house and buy something with DP we will lose a lot of money as i was given a discount for being a council tenant.
I payed £175k for my house and a 4 bed in this area is about £400k so I don't think we could really afford the jump and I don't want to mortgage myself to the eyeballs. I love my DP very much and don't foresee us splitting up but I always keep it in the back of my mind as my ex left me with thousands in debt. I can afford this house should the worst ever happen.

I am in the process of getting quotes from architects for the work we would like done so I am slightly oblivious to how much this is all going to cost, but DP is going to help pay for this. He earns a lot more than me and with some overtime we can put down a good chunk of money in cash and take the rest out in a loan.
I just have this nagging doubt in the back of my head that it still won't be big enough.

OP posts:
Standrewsschool · 22/04/2021 19:47

What’s the ceiling price for similar houses in your area? Ie. The Max they sell for. Has anyone else had similar extensions done in the street?

How old are the teens? Will the eldest be at uni (if he goes) freeing up space for the baby to have a room? Can you create two extra bedrooms,?

Original poster
BleepBloopBlop · 22/04/2021 20:08

2 beds go for 280k, 3 beds go for about £310k but I think with what we have planned ours would go for more. (bifolds, nice kitchen, we have just finished doing the bathroom) We live on a cheaper street, once we move beyond our street the prices rocket.- the next street over has 1million £ houses.

My kids are 12 and 13 but my son oldest won't move out- he has ASD so I think he will live at home for the foreseeable. My daughter also has some health problems so I don't see her moving out for many years.

OP posts:
Original poster
BleepBloopBlop · 22/04/2021 20:10

I don't think it would be possible to put more than 1 extra room in.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 22/04/2021 20:12

How much will the extension cost?

RandomMess · 22/04/2021 20:13

TBH a young child could sleep in your DDs room for many years especially by keeping them in a toddler/junior bed. They play downstairs and just sleep in your DDs room.

PeppaPigStinks · 22/04/2021 20:18

Would a loft conversion be feasible?

Standrewsschool · 22/04/2021 20:19

In the past, I’ve seen suggestions that parents sleep in the lounge on a sofa bed. Or do you have separate dining/living rooms and if so, turn one of these into a bedroom?

PeppaPigStinks · 22/04/2021 20:19

Also...congratulations Grin

nellly · 22/04/2021 20:19

Could you post a floor plan so we can see what you're working with?

giggly · 22/04/2021 20:19

Is there scope for a loft extension, would that work instead of a downstairs extension?

Original poster
BleepBloopBlop · 22/04/2021 20:22

Loft conversion isnt possible as the pitch of the roof is too low.

I guess my DD is a bit miffed that she was about to get her own bedroom and now she is going to have to share with a little one. But the room is already partitioned so they would have separate spaces like she does now with her brother and in years to come we will be able to move somewhere bigger so the kids can live at home for as long as they need to in their own rooms. It's just not really an option right now.

We think the extension will cost about 30-40k then kitchen and flooring on top. Plus a few k for some bits in the garden.

OP posts:
MangosteenSoda · 22/04/2021 20:23

3 kids in a 3 bed house is pretty normal. The big age difference makes bedroom sharing more difficult, but not impossible.

Do you have space outside for a garden room or similar to make a chill out space/drum room(!)?

I think the key is to ruthlessly declutter (maybe your DP needs to put some stuff in storage) and plan your extension carefully so it has a place for everything.

RandomMess · 22/04/2021 20:26

Well the baby will be in with you for quite some time.

How long do you need to own the property before you pay a penalty on selling it?

Original poster
BleepBloopBlop · 22/04/2021 20:27

DP is hoping for a garden room for his drum kit but we have agreed the extension needs to come first. I think reality will set in that he can't keep as much of his stuff as he wants to. My mum has also offered him half of her garage for storage (she has a little mezzanine level in there which she has said is all his if he wants it)

I have already started decluttering and threw out/recycled/sold/Charity shopped 30 black bin bags of stuff last weekend. I still need to do more but I am in a good mind space to be ruthless.

OP posts:
Original poster
BleepBloopBlop · 22/04/2021 20:28

happy for the baby to stay in with us until we get the work done/he is sleeping through the night.

We have to stay 5 years in order to maintain the full discount.

OP posts:
RandomMess · 22/04/2021 20:32

I think for 5 years go ahead with the extension.

Upstairs can you make the room for DD a bit bigger and the baby a bit smaller to compensate?

Could you do an uneven split so it's low draws on the baby side and then above it on DDs side is her mattress?

rwalker · 22/04/2021 20:33

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Standrewsschool · 22/04/2021 20:36

For £10000 discount, it’s worth staying five years!

rwalker · 22/04/2021 20:42

@Standrewsschool
comptley immoral grabbing max discount then turning it for a profit

MangosteenSoda · 22/04/2021 20:45

Do you have the possibility of properly splitting one of the upstairs bedrooms into 2? Council bedrooms are usually big and geometric. Possibly split the biggest and you and DP use the other one if having separate bedrooms is important to the older children.

Otherwise, I’d keep the baby in with you for longer than the sleeping through the night stage. If you have room for a cot, keep baby until he/she grows out of the cot. I think sharing with a very young child might feel like a big responsibility for your daughter.

amylou8 · 22/04/2021 20:46

Could you two story the extension for an extra room upstairs? Would cost more, but could potentially solve your space problem long term.

Original poster
BleepBloopBlop · 22/04/2021 21:09

@Standrewsschool & @rwalker please take your horrible comments elsewhere. I bought this as my forever home and the possibility of moving in 5 years was hypothetical. I am not using this as some way to spin quick money the predicament has arisen because I am pregnant. I was merely stating the facts about how this works. Selling the house wasn't even in my mindset until now and I personally saw myself growing old here. Unless you have something constructive to add on topic about extending the house then please don't comment again. I am not interested in your opinions on the right to buy. Contact your local MP if you feel that strongly about it.

Also the discount wasn't 100k just to clarify, they valued the house 3 years ago and it is set at that price until the sale goes through. Because of covid everything was delayed and the houses round here have gone through the roof, even since the beginning of the year they have risen by 30k.

I don't think we would get planning to do a 2 storey extension, I took a walk around my street last week and I can only see 2 other houses who have extended, the rest have conservatory's.

We have already partitioned the bigger bedroom (it is large enough to fit 2 double beds in it for my teenagers) so I think we will continue down that route.
Its just always good to get an outside perspective, I have spent so long thinking about this now that I couldn't tell what was for the best.

OP posts:
dizzycatdance2 · 22/04/2021 22:25

One way to "extend" could be to have the beds for the older dc "in" the loft space but accessible from the original bedroom, basically a mezzanine in the loft.

The loft height can be quite shallow as it only needs to be high enough to sit up in bed.

BakeOffRewatch · 22/04/2021 23:03

Stay in your home, you love it and have been there a long time. You have a lot of change coming, and for your kids too, new partner moving in and baby. You never know, your needs and wants may change with the new arrival, you might move before the baby gets here and when it needs its own room realise you need something different (extra bathroom, off road parking, more parking) and moving house is pricey.

Embracelife · 22/04/2021 23:15

Drum kit stays elsewhere
If dp is musician he can rent somewhere for drum kit
Dd keeps own room
Your new baby stays in with you and dp you could curtain off an area
Why should dd share with a baby or toddler?
New child stays with you on your room