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House and home

3 bedrooms to 2 bedrooms ?

(22 Posts)
marymary62 Fri 01-Oct-21 21:11:06

We’re hoping to move to a bungalow which has 2 small doubles and 1 single bedroom. They are kind of at opposite ends of the house . One of the doubles has a bathroom next to it and would be fine as a guest room. The other is next to a shower room and then the single - in a line . It would be easy to knock this through and make a lovely large bedroom with en-suite shower room and maybe a walk- in wardrobe . We don’t need so many bedrooms as family live nearby. I know it would reduce the value (so I’m told) but we plan to stay there for a long time and aren’t really thinking of it as an investment - it’s our home ! There is plenty of other living space .
What would you do ?

Witzend Fri 01-Oct-21 21:15:51

If you’re not planning to sell any time soon, I’d do what suits your own circumstances.

Harris27 Fri 01-Oct-21 21:16:52

Do what’s best and works for you.

Forsythia Fri 01-Oct-21 21:20:08

Another option is to use the small room as a dressing room with wardrobes. That way you keep more space in your bedroom. Just a thought.

Nonogran Fri 01-Oct-21 21:23:19

My daughter has knocked her “master” bedroom into the box room and thus turned a 3 bed house into a two bed. She may have devalued her house but they intend to stay forever.
Her bedroom is lovely and has wonderful views from the two windows. A brave step but it’s their home, as well as an investment & they don’t intend to move anytime soon.

NotSpaghetti Fri 01-Oct-21 21:29:00

I'd knock through if I were you.

Scones Fri 01-Oct-21 21:33:53

We bought our bungalow precisely because the previous owners have done just as you suggest. It's wonderful! We didn't need three bedrooms and the extra bathroom means that when it's just Mr Scones and I here we have a bathroom each which feels like luxury, especially as 'my' bathroom is the one which was originally the small bedroom and so it's very spacious.

We have even found we didn't need two bedrooms so we've made the second one a garden room with doors out to the garden.

There was a great thread on here yesterday (called ghost bedrooms I think) about how people had reconfigured their houses to suit their own needs. That might give you some fuel for thought too.

I hope your move goes well and that you'll be very happy in your new home.

Scones Fri 01-Oct-21 21:36:11

Sorry, that should be 'food for thought'. Too much about fuel on the news has addled my brain!!!

Humbertbear Fri 01-Oct-21 21:39:01

Do what suits you. I have friends who knocked down a wall so that the small bedroom became part of the their lounge / dining room.

NotAGran55 Fri 01-Oct-21 21:40:01

I would go ahead and make the changes. It could always be changed back in the future .

marymary62 Fri 01-Oct-21 21:45:49

Great ! It feels like the right thing to do and it has lovely views so we will do what suits us.
Scones - I didn’t bat an eyelid at ‘fuel for thought ‘ !!

Hetty58 Fri 01-Oct-21 21:52:33

marymary62, I'd have it exactly the way I want it. I'm not so sure that it's value would be reduced. When selling, it could be made clear that it was previously three bedrooms, then converted.

NotTooOld Fri 01-Oct-21 22:05:10

I agree with Hetty58. Go for it, make it your own. The only thing I would add is to make sure it could be changed back if required by a new owner.

Niobe Sat 02-Oct-21 09:16:01

When my son and his wife bought their house it had 4 bedrooms, one was tiny and the bathroom was very cramped so the knocked the tiny bathroom and bedroom together to have a larger bathroom with free standing bath and separate walk-in shower. There is still room for the baby’s changing table, nappy bins etc. They are very pleased they did it.

LauraNorder Sat 02-Oct-21 09:25:34

I say go for it marymary. The plan sounds wonderful and it’ll make you happy.
As for devaluing, I don’t think it would do much harm, there is surely a strong market for just such a layout among those of us who want to downsize.
Enjoy your project and come back with some photos when it’s complete.

marymary62 Sat 02-Oct-21 09:32:06

Thanks - I don’t think it’s a family home anyway really - definitely a downsizer’s bungalow in a beautiful situation and a bit of a ‘one off’ . The current bed rooms are really very small. The way we’d have it it couldn’t be turned back but we are early 60’s and we will be there for I hope 20 years or more, so wanted to make a really accessible bathroom and a beautiful bedroom . .

GrannySomerset Sat 02-Oct-21 09:37:10

And if in twenty years or more you need live in care of any kind you have an ideal set up, so you will be future proof. I wish this four bed roomed house could be so readily adapted.

marymary62 Sat 02-Oct-21 09:38:49

Yes GrannySomerset and in the meantime when my husband is annoying I can banish him to the other end of the house .... !

LauraNorder Sat 02-Oct-21 09:41:27

Sounds perfect

GrannySomerset Sat 02-Oct-21 09:44:32

Definitely an ideal solution!

Nannarose Sat 02-Oct-21 10:00:17

I completely agree that you should do what suits you - if you own your home it is of course an asset, but primarily your home. Especially in later years it should work for what suits you.

You have one spare room for visitors or times when one of you needs extra space. Family can always bunk down in the living room as well, or put up a tent in the garden.

I don't always buy the 'not such a good investment' tale anyway. I have been told this over the years about various changes we have made to houses that suit us, yet I've never had an estate agent say 'oh, we'll have to lower the price because you did this or that'. Bungalows are often bought by the elderly or disabled, and the set-up you propose sounds very good.
Also - does whoever told you this have figure in mind? How much less would you get? Even if £10k, sounds worth it for what suits you.

marymary62 Sat 02-Oct-21 10:31:54

Nannarose - well who has any idea really !? House prices seem so arbitrary a lot of the time ...... I think a gorgeous 2 bed is worth more than a pokey 3 bed - I guess the market will decide at the time and hopefully it will be my offspring who have to live with it not me, Guess it might all go on care fees anyway ....... !