Home office or en-suite bathroom

ah77

Folks

A couple of years ago I bought a 2-bedroom flat (newbuild). It has two bathrooms one of which is an en-suite shower, toilet, sink etc. Since moving in we've had 2 kids and accumulated soooo much stuff we're short on space. I also want to start a night-course so need somewhere to study.

We can't afford to move now given the housing climate so wondered... will we lose alot of money if we convert the en-suite into a home-office and use that space as storage? Do you really need 2 bathrooms in a two bed flat?

I say we don't, my partner says we do...

I'm not sure this is the right thread for this but I think it's a good starting point..

thanks in advance!

TomsMom

I personally would think that, upon selling in the future, a two bedroomed flat having a master with en suite would fetch more than a two bedroomed flat with a store room off one of the bedrooms.

With all the property programmes on TV nowadays, more and more sophisticated ideas are being taken on board by prospective purchasers who are becoming more discerning. Just think how important a white bathroom suite is now compared to 10 years ago!

wallbash

en-suite bathroom

en suite for me
With daughters if there was not an en suite , I would never see the inside of the bathroom

Doozergirl

en-suite bathroom

I think the ensuite is a benefit. I see where you are coming from but people will perceive that the ensuite adds value even if it isn't the most practical in a two bed flat.

Either of the ensuite or the home office is a luxury. The same question about needing an ensuite in a two bed flat can also be asked of a home office - why not use the spare bedroom? When children arrive, there is a point to either but I think the ensuite has an edge because it involves expenditure and opens the property to a wider market (eg. sharers)
and, having kids, I value my ensuite because the kids make such a mess in the main bathroom and it's nice to bathe with Molton Brown instead of foam letters and rubber ducks everywhere

The issue you have as well is that when you come to sell are you really going to present a home office or will it still be used as storage? Using it as storage will not add value.

I'm a great believer in just getting rid of as much as possible. You can make a flat/house bigger just by a big clearout and a steady shedding of stuff that you don't need anymore. The amount of toys that children have that they don't need/play with is ridiculous. Be ruthless.

Before we moved into this house, the vendors filled two skips with stuff that they'd accumulated! Two skips would happily fill this living room entirely!

ic

en-suite bathroom

Why not investigate one of those storage companies? Ultimately if you're going to have to spend money ripping out a bathroom and installing shelving, plus taking a hit on devaluing the flat, why not instead spend that money on off-site storage?

ginvzt

Home-office

Home office!!!!! You can share bathroom with your children, but why the hell in a small space you need 2 bathrooms???? We were 5 at home and we had 1 bathroom, and we did fine. Yes, it is nice to have an ensuite, but only when there is plenty of space for the people. I have actually seen 3-bed houses (not big houses, probably 1 double room, 1 double at a push and 1 cupboard room) with cloakroom, separate wC, full family bathroom and ensuite!!!!!! Sorry, but I rather have 1 ecent sized bathroom and 3 decent sized rooms!

I would rather have a small home-office than a second bathroom.

Doozergirl

en-suite bathroom

ic wrote: »

Why not investigate one of those storage companies? Ultimately if you're going to have to spend money ripping out a bathroom and installing shelving, plus taking a hit on devaluing the flat, why not instead spend that money on off-site storage?

If it's not good enough to be kept in the house, it sure ain't worth paying to store it somewhere else!

Spendless

He hasn't got a spare bedroom, he's had 2 kids since moving in. Whilst I agree that an en-suite is a more attrative option when you come to sell, I think you should do what is right for you and your family right now, which sounds as though it would be the home office.

aliasojo

en-suite bathroom

You obviously didn't watch the episode of Property Ladder that had this same scenario?

Sarah Beany told them to have the en-suite, bloke insisted home office was better idea. Cue to loads of prospective buyers all viewing the house and saying how disappointed they were they had an en-suite office instead of the en-suite bathroom they wanted.

Having said that, if you're going to be there for the forseeable....then I agree with Spendless, do what you need to for your lifestyle.

You dont have to rip out all of the plumbing, you could cap off the connections and box off or build units round them perhaps? At least then it would be easy to re-instate as a proper en-suite at a later date should you need to or if a future buyer wants to.

ah77

Home-office

thanks all, I think we're both as confused as ever

I like the idea of capping off the plumbing; I hadn't really thought of that... seems like financially it's better to have the en-suite but then I've never in my life made a good financial decision so I probably won't let that stop me!

I think my partner is feeling more justified now tho - perhaps she was watching the propert ladder program too!:o

Alan

Debt_Free_Chick

en-suite bathroom

I can't picture this, but an office off a bedroom ..... doesn't sound a particularly attractive feature.

Is that how it would look?