Loft or not? Plan included

[Namechanger355]

Hi all

I’d appreciate some thoughts on from you wise mumsnetters on the below if possible - have attached floor plan.

• moved into 1930s semi in suburban London in Summer. Have two DDs (3.5 and 2 weeks).
• downstairs floor space is more than enough for now as conservatory is large, well made and isn’t too hot/cold. Long term we will do a kitchen diner but not an immediate priority
• the study is also used as a single guest bedroom for my mum when she stays.
• our issue is mainly lack of upstairs living space and lack of clothes storage- there are two large doubles and a box room. Fine for now but not great long term or for guests (my husbands family live in Scotland and want to visit more). So a couple of questions if ok:

-my issue with upstairs is we have a tiny box room so it won’t work as our children get older, no real space for guests and no storage for us in our bedroom due to the small alcoves and bay window.
-we could extend over the ground side extension but the space would be small and the work expensive. So a loft conversion makes the most sense.
— for a loft, we would need to take out about £40k from our mortgage (full quote £65k inc vat for completed job). Is it worth doing this work now with the impending higher interest rate on this amount and also mortgages generally - we need to remortgage in summer 2024 and are currently sitting pretty on a 1.5% rate. If we do the work we would add two bedrooms and there would be a definite value increase - potentially £100-150k or so given our area. But we would have borrowed more which does mean more interest. This js our long term house and I genuinely feel like a loft conversion would bring more calm and order to our household!

-the £65k inc vat is for completed job. Should we look into quotes for shell and core - and then we can do the other jobs over a year or so and save money?

-as above we have obtained some quotes. Most suggest that the loft would consist of a large master/en-suite, a separate single/study and storage space near/in the eaves. That works for us as we don’t have any storage on the first floor - would need to install some fitted wardrobes in our master bedroom otherwise but storage would always be limited due to the bay window.

-but if we go ahead do you think a master and single is better or actually two smaller doubles (so for guests or our two daughters when they are older)?

thanks so much.

I think you would get more use out of a master with en-suite and single/study than two small doubles.

Depending on plumbing, I'd turn your current bedroom 3 into an ensuite plus a small part of that room as a storage cupboard accessed from the landing. Bedroom 1 is the natural master in that layout. Then two small doubles in the converted loft; perfect for once the children are older.

Like this.

Thank you

the en-suite on the first floor is an interesting one in order for us to get storage- and four doubles!

Cheaper and easier to have bedrooms only in the attic, so I'd do two smaller doubles for the daughters.

Then I'd turn the boxroom into a single (for your mum), and if you don't need a home office, turn the study into a second sitting room for the girls to hang out in/homework etc.

I'd also change the door on the landing, into the new storage cupboard, to open outwards.

We've just completed a loft conversion in London. Everyone i spoke to who has had one done said to go for at least one ensuite or shower room on the top floor. We've had space for one master + shower room. Can you get a shower room if you go for the two rooms option for your daughters? The idea of them having their own floor is great but I think it would be a pain for them to traipse up and down the stairs in the night if they need to use the bathroom.

Thanks

am a bit nervous that having two doubles up there will result in rooms too small with the eaves

either way we would include an en-suite or separate bathroom up there

would people consider doing refurbs right now with the increasing interest rate? We would be looking at a better LtV post work

We had a similar layout in a previous house. We extended to the side on both floors. If you did this you could make the box room bigger and have an additional bedroom with en-suite in the upstairs extension.

If you go into the loft, where would you put the staircase?

It’s a semi so they can’t do this.

We could extend over the current side extension on the ground floor (over the garage and extended kitchen). A lot of our neighbours have extended in that way to give double fronted properties. But in my mind it wouldn’t give as much space as a loft conversion and it’s expensive

for a loft, the three companies quoting have said we can get a staircase in without cutting into the box room because our first floor landing is big enough

Sorry I mean over the converted garage (being the study)

I agree you need a loo/small bathroom in the loft conversion so I think a large master with a loo up there. If there’s space for a small study as well that’s great.

you’d still have two doubles and a single on the 1st floor. So a large bedroom each for your DD’s. You could look at some sort of fold out/fold down bed for the single which could be used for guests, you can get some good ones which fold up flat against the wall when not in use, or a small sofa bed?

Sorry @AlmondBake i read your post wrong, I thought you said both sides, not both floors!

@CoffeeBoy - no worries! Yes that's what I meant, over the existing extension.

In our current house we have a couple of attic rooms and I find the eaves are a real pain.

We have a similar layout. Existing loft conversion with rubbish access ATM. We're turning the box room on first floor into a room that will have a normal sized staircase in it up to the loft conversion, plus dressing room for us, next to the master bedroom. That removes the problem of not much space in the bedroom and improves the access to the loft. Loft will then have the spare room in it - very large space but we only have one child so she may use it when a teenager.

Also, one of our attic rooms has a tight staircase and it makes getting furniture in/out a real pain. The previous owners left a sofa bed in there which I hate, but no way can we get it down the stairs. Apparently they hoisted it in through the window. I could chop it into bits I suppose ...

I wouldn't compromise on access op.

Definitely double check you can get a decent staircase into the landing space with the right head height for building regs. We viewed some houses with loft conversions with terrible narrow access - not really practical for getting furniture up there! We've ended up taking out some of the box room to accommodate access

Thanks all

didn’t think about getting furniture into the loft! Access is obviously critical so will double check this!

Yes, this is good advice. We had our first floor ceilings lowered to accommodate the min head height in the loft. It has made the loft room feel like a proper room but has meant the work has been much more disruptive than a "standard" loft conversion. 😵‍💫

Think very carefully about increasing your debt at the moment.
Wait a while to see how the economic turmoil plays out, though obviously your economic situation may be rock solid.
Visitors can always be put in a local hotel for short stays.

£65k budget is not London right? I only hear of £100k around where we are (SW London).
Most people have one ensuite bedroom and a study + storage into the eaves.

SW Greater London - surbiton. It’s a 1930s semi.

Actual quote from all 3 companies was the same - £50k plus vat for either the two doubles and bathroom or the master/single room/bathroom!

it was lower than we expected too but seems in line with our friends’ in the area

Thanks - that’s sound advice tbh

We are lucky that our economic situation at the moment is ok - but obviously there is a lot that can change with mortgage rates when we remortgage - which is the concern

that sounds great! My friends and neighbours did £50k plus VaT before Covid. Maybe prices have dropped as demand has fallen. Good luck!