Converting 4 bed house to 3

[hby9628]

We live in a 4 bed semi house, it’s a 1930s semi so a standard double at the front that DH and I are in, then 2 small doubles…when I say small doubles I mean if they had a double bed in they would literally just fit a double bed & wardrobe. At the moment the kids both have single beds, wardrobe & desks, then we have a standard box room & small bath room.
The small doubles are either side of the small bathroom. We have already done a lot of work to the house and have extended downstairs. We’ve considered extending upstairs but it’s going to be approx £70k which I don’t think we would really recoup as houses where we are do have a ceiling price. We are considering relocating the current bathroom to the box room and then using the bathroom space to make the children’s bedrooms bigger.
Our children are likely to be at home for at least 10 years and we aren’t planning on moving.
I am a little worried about devaluing the house but for us, 3 bigger bedrooms would be better than 4 smaller bedrooms as the box room becomes a bit of a dumping ground. Plus if we aren’t planning to move it’s a not a massive issue.
Has anyone done anything similar?

Presumably it wouldn’t be too difficult to make the two bedrooms and old bathroom back into 3 bedrooms if necessary, if it wasn’t selling?
We had a house with two large bedrooms that wouldn’t sell, so we made it into a 3 bedroom and it got snapped up. But the price we got far exceeded the price it cost to get the work done, and I’m still amazed that someone didn’t buy it as 2 and do the work themselves to save money.

I wouldn’t do this as you would be spending a few thousand to devalue your property. As the children become adults and potentially could be working from home in their 20s, the box room could become a study (or second study if you already have one downstairs).

Where is the soil pipe? Because that is what would be the stumbling block for moving a bathroom.

Don’t even think about one of the mincing loos, they are a nightmare to ‘maintain’ .

1930s semis are generally 3 bedroom aren't they? Has it been altered to make a 4th at some point or are all of them in the area the same?

What are the rooms actual dimensions?

In principle if you as a family get 10 years' of value out of it having three bedrooms then that is the right thing for you. Houses are for living in. Don't spoil your day to day experience by worrying about what may happen in 20+ years' time. (Presumably you could always restore it to what it had been?)

Make it work for you now. The house will increase in value over the next ten years anyway.

Yeah I’m a bit confused by this. Used to live in a classic 1930s semi and know a few others and they are all 3 beds on the first floor. Ours had a loft room too from a previous owner’s conversion.

But to your question I would definitely do the alteration if it makes the house better for your family for the next decade. Houses are for living in IMO and if you’re planning to sell anytime soon then thinking of it as an asset only is cutting off your nose to spite your face.

Yea 1930s semis are generally 3 beds. Sorry I misled you a bit on the upstairs... it has been extended but before we purchased it but it's an odd shape on the 4th bedroom. They basically took an area off the original bathroom and made a corridor where the toilet was and added a small bedroom on.

@LadyTiredWinterBottom2 @Igmum this is also what I'm thinking

@PuttingDownRoots I'll measure shortly & share the info

@Igmum in principal we could change it back into 3 beds. Leave the bathroom in the box room as that is at the front of the house & then just move stud walls around to change the bedrooms back to 3 but the 3rd bedroom would then be tiny as our current boxroom is bigger than our current bathroom

I would do it. 10 years of if being right for you is worth more then the extra value it may bring. Would maybe be different if you were planning on moving in the next couple of years.

@Twiglets1 I wfh and we are considering an outside office too as we have a massive garden. Alternatively they could work from their own bedrooms as they would accommodate that

I do agree that the kids aren't likely to leave home any time soon. They are currently 9&13. I anticipate them being with us until mid20s due to house prices in this area

I agree with this entirely. If you get 10+ years of more enjoyable living then do it. You might not want to move in 10 years you could live there for many more years.

Bathroom 7ft x 5ft

Corridor past bathroom to bedroom 1 is 2ft x 6ft

Bedroom 1 is 9.5ft x 7.5ft
Bedroom 2 is 8ft x 11ft

So essentially by moving the bathroom I would be able to add the current bathroom space & corridor space to the rooms. Most would be added to bedroom 1 and in Bedroom 2 it would create a bit of a nook but this would either accommodate a sleeping area as would be 4ft so could fit a small double or I'd make it into a wardrobe/desk area.

It's the corridor that is annoying. It's wasted space & that bedroom doesn't feel joined to the house. I know that sounds weird! It's actually a nice room when you are in it though.

They could work from their bedrooms but apparently it’s better for people’s mental health if they can separate work space from sleeping space.

Not always possible of course but in your house it would be currently possible with the existing layout. Just a thought.

@Allthegoodnamesarechosen yes not sure about the soil pipe I need someone to come and check. Next door have their bathroom at the front so I'm sure it's achievable

What rooms do you have downstairs?

@caringcarer we want to stay in this house until we are carried out if possible. The only reason we foresee selling would be to downsize as we get older or if circumstances outside of our control took over.

@zonder downstairs is perfect. Big kitchen diner, lounge and then a snug area. Also a downstairs shower & toilet.

How about making the box room into a study for both children to do homework in or a walk in wardrobe for both which would remove wardrobes from their bedrooms.

Floor plan

Could you use the tiny room as a walk in wardrobe with stairs to a partial loft conversion (ie roof windows and boarded out but not a legal bedroom). You can likely do it for <10k and it would give the kids more space. DS has a train set in our loft but long term it will be great storage.

Based on your floor plan, if you moved the bathroom into the box room you would still need the corridor? Or people could only access the new bathroom through your bedroom.

Then it's well worth making the house suit your family do you get most enjoyment from it.

I would leave the box room but I might consider if a cupboard could be made for bedroom 1 out of some of the passage space (though I can't see where stairs fit in). I would revamp the bathroom if it is not very suitable for older adults trying not to shift plumbing.