Converting a 1‑bed Dublin apartment into a 2‑bed — is this sensible/allowed?

[Tangoireland]

Hi all,
I’m considering buying a one‑bed apartment in the Dublin City Center area and would love some advice from people who’ve done something similar. The apartment has a very large open‑plan kitchen/dining/living room (6.4m x 4.4m) and I’m thinking of partitioning part of the living room to create a second double bedroom.

I plan to rent the place out long‑term, and in Dublin city centre renters generally prioritise the number of bedrooms over living room size. The new bedroom would have a proper window and enough space for a double bed, so it wouldn’t be a “box room”.

I have three main questions:

1.Is this normally allowed in apartment blocks?
It would be a simple stud partition — no structural walls touched, no changes to plumbing or electrics beyond adding a light and a socket.

2.Do I need permission from the Owners’ Management Company (OMC/freeholder)?
I assume I do, but I’m unsure whether they can refuse something like an internal stud wall.

3.If I eventually sell, can the apartment be marketed as a proper 2‑bedroom?
I know in the UK/Ireland an agent generally lists based on the current layout as long as rooms meet minimum standards, but I don’t want any issues later on.

Has anyone here converted a 1‑bed to a 2‑bed by splitting a large living room?
Did your building management raise any issues? And was it worth it financially?
Any real‑life experience or pitfalls to watch out for would be hugely appreciated.
Thanks so much!

6.4 x 4.4 doesn't seem vast when you consider its housing the kitchen, dining area and living area?
It would surely be tiny if you take a double room sized space out of it?

Ask on Craicmet, where people are more familiar with Irish planning regulations.

Who would be your target market as a renter? With what you have shared this looks like a single professional or a young couple. One bedroom and proper living space is surely a better option.

Appreciate the reply. The new bedroom would be roughly 12-14 sqm and the kitchen/living is 14sqm. From what I've seen this is actually bigger than a lot of city center apartments.

Thanks. Potential renter would be students. So the way I look at this would be it is cheaper for 2 people to share the apartments (with 2 bedrooms) than to rent this out to one person/couple.

Thanks but can't find Caricmet, Is this a forum?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/craicnet

Stud partition wall is a structural change (if you attach it to the structure, it becomes the structure) to the interior that will need OMC approval and will also need to be compliant with current building regs, i.e. min overall floor area for a 2-bed apt…which it doesn’t seem to be. You’ll also have building insurance and fire safety issues, and increasing the number of bedrooms is probably a material change requiring planning permission.

Likely also that the kitchen plumbing/oven runs along the bathroom wall so the bedroom will be located opposite the fireplace wall, leaving space only for a kitchen/dining table and no actual living room. If it has gas heating, do the rads need to be moved to accommodate the new bedroom and will that room have heating?

It doesn’t sound like you’re trying to make things “cheaper” for students, more like maxing your rental income.

Yeah I don't think it would be anything more than two bedrooms and a kitchen plus table. No actual shared living space. But I guess that's why you want students because you think they'll accept less space? Would it comply with fire regs etc? I can't imagine you could do it without telling the owner of the building?