4 bed with downstairs bath or 3 bed with upstairs bath??

razam

Hi

I'm looking to do-up my house & have a question for those 'in-the-know':cool:

My house is 3 bed terraced in London E12 area. Upstairs I have the 3 bedroooms, bathroom & 2 decent sized cupboards.

Downstairs is a open-plan loung/diner with adjoining kitchen & seperately an understairs toilet.

What I am considering is to convert the upstairs bathroom (aprox 9' x 10') into a bedrooom (probably be a single sized room) with the cupboard next door to the bathroom converted into an upstairs toilet. Also convert the downstairs understairs toilet (aprox 9' x 8') into a full bathroom.

In terms of value - on average would the cost of the work, balance itself with the increase in house price (if any). Basically looking to find out if it is worth doing if I am looking to sell/rent the property:

Do people prefer a 4th bedroom or an upstairs bathroom more?

Thanks:money:

poppysarah

Ask an estate agent.

If it's a family house then a downstairs loo is enough...

And i've never understood the reason for having multiple bathrooms unless the water supply is going to cope with them all being used at the same time.

Doozergirl

People definitely prefer upstairs bathrooms. It's an issue for a lot of FTBs even with Victorian terraces where there's simply no room for an upstairs bathroom.

The more bedrooms you have, the more important upstairs bathrooms become, because there is the space for them. You're sacrificing what people perceive as a quality of life for more bedrooms. A large family needing four bedrooms would have even more need for an upstairs bathroom.

If you want to add value, I'd be looking at an ensuite for one of the bedrooms. The bathroom sounds big enough to be divided, just whether or not it's in a convenient place for the biggest bedroom.

A downstairs shower room might make it a bit more saleable to some people but I don't believe it would add value, therefore not worth doing. A study would be better, perhaps if there is space for that and a downstairs loo.

Value is usually only added by adding physical square footage but making better use of what is there can help justify a priced tag. Moving the bathroom downstairs I suspect would actually devalue the house.

Skint_Catt

Depends who your market is to rent to - students wouldn't care either way but obviously you'd get more money with 4 beds to let.

Could the 9' x 8' room be made into a downstairs bedroom (3/4 size double might fit depending on layout)? Always useful as a guest room/study if you're looking to sell.

hethmar

Definitely keep the upstairs bathroom!

Doozergirl

poppysarah wrote: »

Ask an estate agent.

If it's a family house then a downstairs loo is enough...

And i've never understood the reason for having multiple bathrooms unless the water supply is going to cope with them all being used at the same time.

They want to lose the upstairs bathroom altogether and move it downstairs, not have two proper bathrooms...

Leaving the equivalent of a downstairs loo upstairs, and an upstairs bathroom downstairs.

westv

When I was younger I lived in a house with a ground floor bathroom.

Never again.

mlz1413

Are you doing up the house as a developer or for yourself?

If as a developer you need to research your local area.

If as an owner you need to do what suits YOU the best.

If your hoping to add money as some point in the future then stop worrying live in the house and enjoy it and let whoever buys it next decide what is best for them.

serious_saver

Where I live

3 bed houses with upstairs bathroon = same price as 4 bed with downstairs bathroom
2 bed houses with upstairs bathroon = same price as 3 bed with downstairs bathroom

I think (personal opinion here) it really will depend on what the area is like and whether you are aiming at families or professional landlords. If you're going for families it would seem strange to move the bathroom when the odds are the new owner would just move it back.

poppysarah

Doozergirl wrote: »

They want to lose the upstairs bathroom altogether and move it downstairs, not have two proper bathrooms...

Leaving the equivalent of a downstairs loo upstairs, and an upstairs bathroom downstairs.

I would be scouring the area for whats for sale similar and what mix that has and see what is selling from that...

Barneysmom

I would never buy a house with an upstairs bathroom unless there was a loo downstairs for caual visitors. I don't want strangers up my stairs.

We've got a 4 -bed with a downstairs bathroom and it's really no bother at all.