4 bed with no bathroom on first floor, or three bed? plans attached

[hatheris]

Last year we moved into a three bed victorian terrace cottage. It is small but a little wider than some terrace cottages you see (there is a hallway).

We have a dormer attic conversion with en-suite booked in for next year, and were planning on then putting a bathroom in bedroom three. However, I think we see this as a 3-5 year house, and now I'm worried about getting our money back if we resold as still being a 3 bed house.

We have three young boys, 2 are my step children with us half the time, and it would also be nice for the boys to have their own rooms.

I can stand the bathroom situation but that would be fixed for us with the ensuite in the attic.

What would you do?

(NB: This is not an especially posh area - the posh areas in this town are the bigger semi detached on the outskirts - so we were told there was a ceiling on prices here. Its a brilliantly convenient location though, as station, town centre, decent schools are within walking distances which is why we liked it as I don't drive! It is around 1hr15 train north of London.)

I'd also split bedroom 1 in half for the step children who aren't always there, then put the bathroom in bedroom 3 and have a walk in shower, bath and make it a lovely decent bathroom. I'd also have downstairs as a loo and separate utility.
Ref the chimney, get creative with space, elevated beds with desks underneath etc. As long as you have a great master, good size second and two single rooms that work you'll be fine

@PortiaFimbriata

Thanks! I messaged the loft guy and he thinks it might be possible to put a separate bathroom in the loft instead of ensuite

id put the bathroom upstairs and convert existing bedroom into study/bedroom 4. That would catch anyone only looking for 4 beds because they need a study/guest room

Can you not have 2 bedrooms in the dormer and then put a bathroom in bedroom 3?

I’d definitely split bed 2, as suggested above- I think you might still be able to use the log burner if the chimney is lined properly. I’d put a loo, basin and shower if you can, if not just a loo and basin. I would also have a separate bathroom upstairs in the loft as well if you can- then you have maximum flexibility. If you only get a shower in on the first floor, definitely try to get a bath in in the loft. Downstairs I would try to fit in a “lootility” somewhere if possible.

Unless it’s a house that needs a wood burner for heat, I wouldn’t base decisions on it. I think wood burners will become less desirable for environmental reasons.

Yes I think this is a good idea.
I think many buyers find a downstairs bathroom off putting regardless of bedroom number, whilst not everyone requires all 4 bedroom spaces to be upstairs.
We recently moved to a 4bed; our criteria was either 4 bedrooms or 3 bedrooms and a study (WFH).
Depending on the ages of your children though you may not want one of them sleeping downstairs.

My house is similar to yours but bedroom 2 is split into a bathroom and bedroom. I still have a chimney breast in bedroom two. The bathroom starts where the door is, just inside the right hand side is the wall between the bathroom and bedroom two, then it goes to the left above part of the kitchen. Bedroom 3 which, I agree, is little, is then above the rest of the kitchen.

If I ever get enough money to extend, I was going to make the utility into a two-storey extension and extend the third bedroom and possibly the bathroom, but it would be big enough (I think) to have two bedrooms instead with a small corridor.

You need to keep the bedroom same on the first floor. I was also going to suggest the attic bathroom not being en-suite, I’m sure that will give you maximum return.

I'm definitely on the logic that people don't want to be going up or down stairs to a bathroom in the middle of the night.

So bathroom has to be on the first floor somewhere.

I agree with this, although I'd also try to fit in/keep a downstairs loo if that was possible.

I agree with this. I think a master bedroom with ensuite in the loft will be attractive to buyers, with a bathroom for the other two rooms on the first floor.

The idea of going up to the attic in the middle of the night for a wee is as attractive as going downstairs to the back of the house.

I'd never contemplate buying a house with anything other than a bathroom on the first floor, and preferably a loo or even small shower room on the ground floor.

Also, I work from home, so an office is a must for me, not a study area or somesuch.

I'd want to appeal to as many types of buyers as possible.

I would put a bathroom in on first floor. Then downstairs I’d swap the bathroom/family room so small shower room next to kitchen, coming off a corridor to the end room which can be marketed as bedroom 4/family room.

Thanks everyone! I think its a good idea to make the ground floor bathroom a study/ 4th bedroom - i feel window across the garden is a bit wasted on the bathroom also. Downstairs toilet could fit under the stairs. Not sure I'd want to do that yet though as it seems far away for a child to be at night!

Anyone with a younger family will need a bathroom on the same floor as the bedrooms. You’re converting yours to be more attractive to families id turn bed 3 into a bathroom. I’d keep the family room and existing bathroom downstairs and make it a study with guest bed and bathroom. You can still market it as a 4 bed/ study then.

That's exactly my thought when I saw plans.

Dsc share bedroom 1, other D.C. bedroom 2, bathroom for them and then adults in loft with em suite.

Utility at back would add value in most cases to a house - especially if you can retain a separate toilet cubicle in there.

Yes the 4th bedroom being so far away maybe wouldn't suit some families who actually want it as a bedroom.
But others who want the 4th bedroom as a toy room, den, study, gym, guest room, won't be put off.

Nah, I would pass. Going downstairs to the loo in the middle of the night wouldn't be good thing. And then to have to go thru all those rooms to get there. It's just too much work lol

@Sunnytwobridges that's the Ops current layout she is trying to make changes but make the right changes.