Gorgeous character house but will it work?? FLOORPLAN

[chummymummy7]

Right price, right area.

But with no garage or loft (it's converted into a master bedroom) do you think this layout could work in terms of storage and bathroom activity with 2 teen soon to be teens?

There's been a family of 4 living here for 10+ years, so it's worked for them.

my hubby has quite a lot of work equipment and we need a WFH space. There's space for a garden office to be built, the garden is very pretty but isn't that big tbh

Nb: I really love character features, and "feel" and location are important to me - but we do also need practicality - and lack the budget needed to have both

@Ricksteinsfishwife

It’s much prettier than the house the other poster linked to, and I can see why you like it, it has got very small bedrooms though and I suspect parking could be a bit of a nightmare if you’ve more than one car, but the kitchen and garden are nice.

Very very much prettier and more character. But noisier as it’s on railway and much more stressful to live somewhere that small.

@TatianaBis, yes you’re right, it’s very close to the railway, and the rooms are tiny and only one parking space.

It's truly lovely. You should go for it, I think you will be really happy there.

I’ve got a dormer bungalow so no loft. Storage would be an issue without a garage, think about things like Christmas decorations etc. does the main bathroom have a shower, as walking through all those rooms by 4 people in the morning would be a nightmare. I’d also check the head space in the loft room. It makes it difficult to put in wardrobes etc and you need to check how much space you can stand up in and walk around. My room is a lot bigger than that one and it still annoys me on occasion. I think it would be a no from me tbh. Pretty, and I’ve accepted the quirks in mine because of that, but probably too many compromises

That fridge / washing machine set up would be a pita.

We have 2 teens - also 2 canoes, 2 bikes, a scooter a SUP, wetsuits and dry robes and camping kit. That all lives in our garage, don’t you have stuff like that to accommodate?

It could work - my teens have smaller bedrooms than that and can fit in a desk each (and a single bed). And you'd need to be v clever with storage and not keep too much junk.

If the area is right for you then go for it.

It's a nice house, but I'm not convinced the layout works well.

The artificial grass would be a downside for me as well.

Next door have extended a lot, would be good to see their layout?
The layout is acceptable to me, but less so backing onto the railway.

Yep I meant to say next door has a big extension - is that a possibility? #overinvested

Is the fridge freezer in the utility the only one? Blocking the tumble dryer?
And the only shower is the tiny one downstairs?

A double storey extension is a possibility in a couple of years.

I don't mind the railway too much, have lived by one in London and actually find the noise quite confusing - except the very early morning ones maybe!

The one small downstairs shower thing is a definite hitch though - mornings would be tricky.

I think it's pretty big tbh and would be fine

I live ten mins from there Are u a local. Do you know about school catchments

It's a good price for kneb but pondcroft is a rat run and parking is awful.

@chummymummy7
Happy to answer questions about area if your not local. Pm me or on thread.

Thanks @whenwillthemadnessend that's really kind I might DM you for local knowledge.

The road looks - lively - which I'm ok with.

But I noticed an online campaign to get the speed limit through it reduced.

Bit of a concern with kids, a cat and 2 cars to get parked

Don’t underestimate the importance of parking. Also, I’ve not considered many houses in the past because of my cats.

Yes you noticed right. The issue with poncroft is it runs directly behind the high street so when the high street is slow (this happens often) and is exacerbated by the a1m having issues at times, the traffic whips round pondcroft to avoid it.

I've done it myself

I like knebworth tho and we looked at a few houses there ourself 2 years ago. However my kids are already settled into secondary school. In the end we choose another village. As school catchment didn't matter so it was about the right house.

School catchment isn't great for secondary in kneb Your kids will be in Stevenage schools unless you can afford private. There is no alternative. That's the catchment. Some schools in Stevo are ok (catholicJHN) but kneb catchment is barnwell which is on the up but is not that well regarded.

If your not dead set on kneb I'd look at hitchin or st ippolites or codicote or ware. The school catchments are much better. Codicote should be on par price wise and size wise and has a great community and decent school catchment and it's a village full of character homes. No train however

Could the summer house be turned into the office space or a den for the teens to chill in? Or replace summer house with a wooden structure for that purpose.

You could also potentially put in a bigger shed.

Why cant the dc do hw in their bedrooms? Alternatively if your dh used the summer house as an office the front room could become teens study room.

You have a spare bathroom so thats good. And a conservatory for you to use if teens are hogging the lounge. When my teens hog the lounge I get stuck in my bedroom.

However a lot of teens stay in their bedrooms. Not mine but others I know.

If it feels like 'this is the one' or 'this feels like home', then go for it.

It's a very cute house, I can see why you like it. Artificial grass though, definite no-no for me (sorry I know that's not what you asked!)

I really wouldn't like this. Too many compromises for the sake of character and the kitchen (which you could recreate elsewhere).

Sweet house but it’s for a couple rather than a growing family, imagine sitting in the living room which is basically a corridor, people going back and forth constantly, and who wants to go through three rooms to get to the shower? bringing in bags of shopping through the living room would get old very quickly, you won’t be able to get away from anyone ever! A living room needs to be a calm space not a pedestrian highway. However if cute character is your main priority it fits the brief.

also 2 canoes, 2 bikes, a scooter a SUP, wetsuits and dry robes and camping kit. That all lives in our garage, don’t you have stuff like that to accommodate?

Who amongst us doesn't have 2 canoes, 2 bikes, a scooter, SUP, wetsuits, dry robes and camping equipment. It's a wonder estate agents don't include canoe storage as standard.

The rooms also being corridors means no privacy downstairs. I had this in my last house and hated it.

Don’t assume this worked for the current owners.

It's a cute but tiny house that has been extended to the max. I think you will feel very on top of one another when the teens are older and want to invite friends round and take over the kitchen/living room. It's not a great house for someone permanently wfh.

It hasn't been extended to the max - OP could demolish the back wall and rebuild the conservatory as a proper extension creating a large kitchen dining family room. Funds permitting she could do a two storey extension creating a new master bedroom & en suite bathroom and a family bathroom on the first floor and put a teen on the top floor.

She could replace the summer house with a garden office.

But there would still be a railway line at the bottom of the garden and if you're going to do all that you might as well buy a bigger house.