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Original poster

Tiny 'nursery' with no window?

36 replies

DuzzyFuck · 02/09/2021 19:18

Bear with me. DP and I are going to view a flat tomorrow in a building we love because we already live in it.

It's got considerably bigger rooms than our cosy one bedroom place, and in addition to one larger bedroom it has an 'office' of a bit less than 2.5m square. No window in that room.

We're TTC at the moment and I'd thought it might make a good stepping stone on the way to a much pricier 2 bedroom place. I'm fairly certain the 'office' would fit a cot and a chest of drawers and could do us until a baby was around 2, by which point we'd have more saved or be at a point we'd consider moving closer to family anyway.

Is that silly though given it doesn't have a window so can't technically be a 'bedroom'? I understand why that is (fire risk) but a baby would be immobile until rescue in any scenario. Would you consider it?

For reference its 1st floor but has its own entrance.

OP posts:
JulesCobb · 02/09/2021 19:20

I cant see any sense to this at all. A stepping stone for two years? Moving is expensive. This seems like a complete waste of money.

Vaselike · 02/09/2021 19:21

I wouldn’t want to change a nappy in a room without a window…

Cantchooseaname · 02/09/2021 19:22

Yeah, I would save the moving / buying costs and move to a bigger place sooner. Planning to buy a house for two years is a little crazy.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 02/09/2021 19:23

So its a walk in wardrobe?

If it has no door, it would be the same as them sleeping in your room really

Yarqueen · 02/09/2021 19:27

Stamp duty is ridiculously expensive these days. Put that money towards a deposit for the 2-bed

spanielsandfourbyfours · 02/09/2021 19:28

Don't do it. If your DC turn out to be anything like mine then you'll need plenty of floor space to put next to them in the night to comfort them etc.

Also... the stamp duty and the stress. Stick where you are until you can afford somewhere better!

Original poster
DuzzyFuck · 02/09/2021 19:31

Well it might not only be 2 years, we might not be successful in TTC and only ever need a 1 bedroom place, or it could take us 3 years and then stay there another 2. I'm just trying to future proof a little bit.

The flat we are in now only barely fits the 2 of us (I bought it when I was single) and we'd struggle to even get a Moses basket beside us in our room so if I were to get pregnant quickly would mean we have to move in a rush.

The small room does have a door. It was originally a huge lounge that the current or a previous owner has boxed one end off for an office.

The difference in price between a 1 bedroom and a decent 2 bedroom is upwards of £100k where we live.

Thank you for your comments which I'll take on board. I may be a bit blinded by loving the building we're in, and it only having 1 two bedroom flat in the whole place, chances of them wanting to move is slim!

OP posts:
Saz12 · 02/09/2021 19:33

Sorry, but this sounds awful idea. Moving costs. You’d be much better doing a crazy intense declutter and/or buying better furniture (eg stuff that fits perfectly and ideally has storage eg sofa with storage, whatever). Even if you get rid of things you need in 5 years time, buying them again would still cost less than the move costs.
A windowless space with no extractor fan isn’t going to be pleasant to be in. Babies and toddlers sleep a lot (in theory!) so there’ll be times when you’d want to shut their door (& listen via baby monitor)so you can chat / TV/ whatever without waking them. Wouldn’t it just end up really stuffy and damp?

DeRigueurMortis · 02/09/2021 19:43

I think you are being blinded by your love for the building into justifying a flat that doesn't really suit your needs even in the short term.

I appreciate you'll have more square footage but otherwise you'll outgrow it very quickly.

There's a real risk here of undermining your longer needs needs for fairly minimal short term gain. What if you can't move in 2 years and end up stuck there? There is a very real risk you'll outgrow this flat much more quickly than you anticipate.

I appreciate you need more space now, but you need the right "more" space and I think you need to look beyond your current building to find that.

A "proper" 2 bedroom flat will give you far more flexibility going forward meaning you can take your time over your next move to find a family home.

FTEngineerM · 02/09/2021 19:57

Add up:

Solicitors fees for buying/selling
Stamp duty
ERC on current mortgage(?)
Decorating/general moving cost
Council tax increase for bigger property(?)

Is it worth it?

burritofan · 02/09/2021 20:02

Absolutely not. Rooms without windows aren’t bedrooms. I don’t care what the legal definition is, I want fresh air, a view and a fire escape – this goes for all rooms including bathroom. Otherwise it’s just a big cupboard. Putting a baby or toddler in a windowless room makes my heart clench. Just wait.

QueenHofScotland · 02/09/2021 20:14

I personally wouldn’t have a baby or child sleeping in a room without a window. It’s a huge fire risk surely? But not only that, the ventilation will be awful.

Sometimes when you have a small child you do want to pull over their door, especially if they are very sensitive to sound.

You are probably being blinded by the little bit of extra space

muffinfaces · 02/09/2021 20:15

Moving is expensive these days so it doesn't make sense to move frequently

Newnameday · 02/09/2021 20:20

Just to add, you need ventilation for the baby to cool down. A baby who is overheated is in danger. A baby in a tiny room with no window? I wouldn't risk it.

lalalapurple · 02/09/2021 20:24

Baby could sleep in your room with you, and use the extra space for storage/office?

Bancha · 02/09/2021 20:28

Aside from the financial stuff… Would you really want your baby to sleep in a cupboard?

Marmelace · 02/09/2021 20:31

Can't believe anyone would consider doing that to a child, I feel sick at the thought. Would you like to be shut in a room with no ventilation?

whatswithtodaytoday · 02/09/2021 20:36

You'll need the fresh air on a hot night. It would be horrible.

Surely you delay TTC until you can afford the living space you need? It sounds like you're not far off, so just hang on.

ShuddaBeenMe · 02/09/2021 20:38

I wouldn't put a baby in a room with no window.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 02/09/2021 20:50

I’d be worried about a bedroom with no window in case of an emergency. You’re right a toddler couldn’t escape a fire without being rescued but the fire department would be able to rescue a baby through a window if flames were blocking main entry to the flat. If toddler was trapped in a room with no window then the ability to rescue would be seriously reduced

JulesCobb · 02/09/2021 21:00

I'm just trying to future proof a little bit
This is not future proofing though. At all. Future proofing would be moving into a two bed. This is a one bed and a large cupboard with no ventilation.

And add a child to the mix and you wont be able to get as much on your mortgage as youll have a dependent.

Imagine house prices stall / fall and you cannot afford to sell the one bed with a large cupboard. Can you really live in this new flat with a five, six, seven year old until you can afford to move again?

Really, you cannot afford to TTC atm.

How long have you and dp been together?
How old are you both?
Have you no interest in marriage?

MrsSkylerWhite · 02/09/2021 21:03

Second bedrooms are no bigger than that in many new-build starter homes , it’s fine (if you’re sure you’ll be able to move on: it’s not going to work with a 5 year old)

Original poster
DuzzyFuck · 02/09/2021 21:04

Thank you all (well most of you) for taking the time to reply. With regards ventilation I wasn't thinking about it on the basis of closing any doors fully; the only door in our existing flat that's ever been closed is the bathroom when it's in use. Your comments having given me pause on that front.

It was more about the extra space and a part of the flat that could be specifically for a baby's things. The bedroom in the 'new' flat would be big enough for them to sleep in with us indefinitely if necessary.

Waiting to TTC isn't an option due to age, thus exploring options (both good or bad ones). We're getting married imminently @JulesCobb, you'll be pleased to know.

OP posts:
JulesCobb · 02/09/2021 21:09

Im not really concerned whether you get married or not, op. I never recommend it when the woman is financially better off than the man either Grin. My sister is hovering above the poverty line and i would never recommend she married her partner of 15 years as she has a pension and he doesnt! I just wanted to check you werent being fobbed off with a baby as so frequently happens on here.

The bedroom in the 'new' flat would be big enough for them to sleep in with us indefinitely if necessary
Really? As my last house i expected to stay in it for two years. Then there was a housing market crash and a recession. We lived there for around 12 years until prices recovered. We left with an eleven year old.

TeaandHobnobs · 02/09/2021 21:15

My kids sleep in a room with a window that opens pretty wide, yet due to some odd quirk, even with the door open you don’t get decent air flow through it, and it gets stuffy as soon as the night gets remotely warm.
A room with no windows would inevitably be too hot for a baby.

Both mine slept in a side-car cot (a space saver one) until 6m+, and that didn’t really take up any more space than a bedside table.

But my advice would be to hold out / compromise in order to get something with more space.