Extension advice: 4 beds or 5 beds?

HomeBuyer

Looking for views please. We are in the early stages of planning a large extension and within the space available we are able to fit in a master suite with dressing room and en suite and two further bedrooms. The smallest (5th) bedroom will be approx 10x10. Due to its location this could also be used as another dressing room & en suit for the second bedroom.

Which do you think would add more value to the property
-5 bedrooms (one master suite, bathroom and a tiny existing en suite on bedroom 3)
- 4 bedrooms (two suites, bathroom and the existing en suite on bedroom 3)

For further info, the house is detached in a village in the east of England, the cost including the extension is estimated to be £550,000. The only advice received so far is from an estate agent who advised a four bed within the planned size would be worth £600,000+, depending on the finish.

Any opinions appreciated. Thanks

WYSPECIAL

Presumably it is three bed at the moment and the other houses around it are similar?

Unless you are planning on marketing it immediately and are developing it to make a profit why not just go with what will suit you and your family best while you live there?

Will you get any pleasure or use out of a small spare bedroom or will it just be a place to store junk?

Furts

Were we anywhere in Europe except the UK then the thread would be pointless. Here the sensible approach is adopted and property price reflects square metres of floor area. In the UK people are fixated on number of bedrooms driving property prices upwards. Which explains why developers like building box rooms then calling them bedrooms.

There is no definite answer to the thread. If it is being approached from a property developing perspective then you would, probably. get a different answer from a family home approach.

I had a similar situation with my home - 4 or 5 bedrooms? I decided on 4 to give decent size rooms, and because the area where the home is located is not an area where people seek 5 bedroom homes. But that is not to say I made the correct decision. Any commercial decision always carries a risk.

Doozergirl

From a developer perspective, 5 bedrooms. It pushes it up into the next category.

If people want five beds, they have them, if people want four, they still have them.

If someone did want a second dressing room, ther is nothing to stop them using them room as one. If they want a bedroom, then it's best that it is accessed from the hallway. You/future buyers can always knock the extra door through to use as a dressing room. Locked from the hallway, the room becomes private.

Flexibility is always important. I don't know many people who demand a second master suite. The other half of a couple might want their own one, certainly, but notnaccessed through another bedroom. If a family has one child, then it's nice, but more than one child and you have a major fight on your hands!

System

The main factor for me is, do you have enough living space and garden space for five bedrooms?
A five bed compared to a three bedroom should have a lot more living space/amenity space. I've currently got the same dilemma but be decided to go 4 bed with a master with ensuite and dressing room then open up the rest create a double volume over my current lounge... But could have easily made it 5 bed, problem for me is the drive can only really take two cars, the garden isn't huge and the kitchen/living/dining would have to be a bit bigger for the extra bedrooms...
On paper five beds is worth more.