If you were me, what would you do?

melanzana

Lived here 30 years. Lovely house, great neighbours, terraced, with access at the back to the garage and the bin store at the end of the garden which is 100ft long (I have a young hunk to cut the grass, highlight of my fortnight lol.) Not overlooked at the back, where there are playing fields, a stream, and then the hills. Parking to front for three cars in the driveway.

However, I am getting on a bit now and trying to future proof things. It's two storey and no room for a downstairs wet room/shower room toilet unless I extend.

There is a house for sale in the next road that has a conservatory, downstairs shower room and lots of bells and whistles. Lovely. But it doesn't have the open aspect that I love from the back.

If I sold mine and bought that one it is 25k dearer than mine would fetch (it's bigger and semi). To put an extension in the current house would cost nearly that just for the loo and shower, but I suppose if I went down that road, I'd get a full extension across the width of the house.

It's the disruption I would hate. Hate, hate!

I'm sitting here thinking everything will be fine, stay where you are and wait until you need to do anything.

I'm just getting this out on "paper" to gather my thoughts.

Any thoughts, or has anyone been in the same position as me? I'm late 50s, so maybe I am overthinking it just yet.

moneyistooshorttomention

Do you have any reason to assume your health will get worse?

I guess, if worst came to worst, and IF your health got worse - could you put in one of those stairlift things? ie are the stairs suitable for that?

Sounds to me like you're pretty happy where you are actually...

melanzana

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Do you have any reason to assume your health will get worse?

I guess, if worst came to worst, and IF your health got worse - could you put in one of those stairlift things? ie are the stairs suitable for that?

Sounds to me like you're pretty happy where you are actually...

Feeling fine at the moment thanks! Just have seen so many of my relatives stuck when they got older and couldn't do the stairs anymore.

Great idea about the stair lift. Never even crossed my mind! And yes, stairs are straight up, so very suitable should I ever need the stair lift.

I think I will stay now! Whew.

Great place this forum, although I am more of a lurker, puts ideas out there that one might not have thought of! Silly me. Worrying about nothing.

Thank you so much.

Argghhh

if you wanted to put a sunroom and wetroom on back of your house - you could book a holiday whilst the worst of it is taking place and come back to it all done?
happy days then

missbiggles1

melanzana wrote: »

Feeling fine at the moment thanks! Just have seen so many of my relatives stuck when they got older and couldn't do the stairs anymore.

Great idea about the stair lift. Never even crossed my mind! And yes, stairs are straight up, so very suitable should I ever need the stair lift.

I think I will stay now! Whew.

Great place this forum, although I am more of a lurker, puts ideas out there that one might not have thought of! Silly me. Worrying about nothing.

Thank you so much.

I was going to suggest a stair lift - much cheaper and easier than moving.

fairy_lights

You're only in your 50's! you've hopefully got many years before you start needing wetrooms and stairlifts and special padded toilet seats.

missbiggles1

moneyistooshorttomention wrote: »

Do you have any reason to assume your health will get worse?

I guess, if worst came to worst, and IF your health got worse - could you put in one of those stairlift things? ie are the stairs suitable for that?

Sounds to me like you're pretty happy where you are actually...

Although people of our age don't like to accept it, almost everybody's health and/or mobility gets worse as you progress through your seventies. I'm sure we'd all love to be fit and well until the age of 85 and then go out like a light but that isn't the way things normally work.

Wishing for something doesn't make it so.

melanzana

fairy_lights wrote: »

You're only in your 50's! you've hopefully got many years before you start needing wetrooms and stairlifts and special padded toilet seats.

Yes I know, but I was always a planner! Can't help my personality type. If only I had the planning bug when I bought the house in the first place lol. But I was quite young then and late 50s was SOOOOO far away, so I am sure I can be forgiven. How time flies.

Still I wouldn't be in the same house 30 odd years later if I wasn't happy here would I? So maybe my planning was somewhat ok at the time!

So a stair lift in time is what it will be. Although I hate the sight of them, but at that stage, if I needed one, will I flippin care?

melanzana

Argghhh wrote: »

if you wanted to put a sunroom and wetroom on back of your house - you could book a holiday whilst the worst of it is taking place and come back to it all done?
happy days then

My brother and sister suggested this, like a makeover lol.

Thanks.

I think the stair lift will be the answer. No moves, no refurbishments, no extensions, no dramas, no disruption. Just how I like it!

michelle2008

Could you not put a loo under the stairs? Most people manage without a shower downstairs. A loo is required much more frequently!!

And conservatories can be a pain in the @ss. Expensive to heat and really noisy in the rain!

melanzana

michelle2008 wrote: »

Could you not put a loo under the stairs? Most people manage without a shower downstairs. A loo is required much more frequently!!

And conservatories can be a pain in the @ss. Expensive to heat and really noisy in the rain!

The people I bought the house from had extended the kitchen back into the (rather large and wide) hall, so the kitchen now includes the "under the stairs bit" if you can follow me.

Most houses along the terrace have done this, and the kitchen is now a great size. Those who haven't put in a loo under the stairs.

So much for my planning eh!