Which adds more value to a house

happybunny_4

We are looking to do a double storey extension to our semi to add 2 more bedrooms (to total 4) and a bathroom upstairs and either a garage OR second reception room downstairs.

We do have a driveway with parking for 2 cars as well as our old garage at the back of the house, but this would not be accessible by car once the extension was built.

We only have one reception room at present and it is smallish but leads onto a larger kitchen.

So, which would add more value, a garage or a second reception room? Which would you prefer?

Thanks

Happy

bella123

last summer i built an garage onto my house,now i wish i had never done it as it never gets used,also an estate agent told me that if i had built an extra bedroom/reception room,the value of the house would of increased by an extra 10k -15k.

Doozergirl

We're going to be doing exactly the same. We will have plenty of parking so reception room is where it's at for us. Downstairs will have two receptions, big kitchen/diner, utility room and loo.

I've only seen older people using a garage for anything other than storage and if you've got lots of roof space then why have a garage? Extra living space= more square footage = more value.

According to some survey or other, a utility room is what people desire these days!

lindabea

bella123 wrote:

last summer i built an garage onto my house,now i wish i had never done it as it never gets used,also an estate agent told me that if i had built an extra bedroom/reception room,the value of the house would of increased by an extra 10k -15k.

How much was the extra bedroom/ reception costing you? I would have estimated around 10-15K, so what would be the benefit in that, apart from the extra space of course.

Phil_rich

If you dont need the space for parking then you could go for a Downstairs loo or even wet room along with utility, or study.

A study would define your house as being 4 bed as people tend to take the smallest bedroom as a study, therefore devaluing the house.

happybunny_4

Thanks for your replies.

We have already decided to put a downstairs loo and utility room behind the garage/second reception room as these are both needed.

Just wondered how people felt about buying a house with no garage?

Doozergirl

Phil_rich wrote:

A study would define your house as being 4 bed as people tend to take the smallest bedroom as a study, therefore devaluing the house.

That was a thought that I'd had too; it's certainly a consideration. It would cost next to nothing to throw up a stud wall, so we're leaving final decision on that until we've worked out proper dimensions.

Jorgan_2

You need to make sure that the property is 'balanced', upstais isn't to big for the downstairs & so on. Adding an extra room will add value to a property, whether its cost effective to do so is another thing. Speak to the agents in your area to find out which of your plans may add the most value to the property. You may have an issue of parking spaces, many councils will know only allow extra bedrooms only if there is sufficient, or extra spaces added, with the property.

vicstar_2

Not sure about how it would affect the value but personally I would not want to buy a house without a garage. To me it would be more useful than an extra reception room. However, I think this is just a matter of personal preference and different viewers would probably have different priorities.

V

silvercar

I'd go for the extra reception room. Our house is 4 bed, 2 bath, 2 large reception rooms + a study and a breakfast room adjoining the kitchen. We have no garage but plenty of off street parking and a car port.

No-one viewing or any estate agents have said it is a problem that we don't have a garage.

mr218

whatever you do, make sure it is tastefully done. we saw quite a few houses last year where they were advertised as 3 bedroom and basically they had done this by tagging on an extra room somehow in the first floor or ground floor in the garden. it all looked rather haphazard and done just to add value but it was not aesthetically and ergonomically pleasing for that house.

it is better to have a smaller house with good proportions and layout than adding rooms willy nilly and making it look like a mess. not that i am suggesting your extension would be like that. it is just that i saw a lot of people extending their house to get that extra bit of space and advertise it in a different category and it just does not work