I think I would put the ensuite where you are considering the walk in wardrobe- this would mean you could use the ensuite position as a dressing area making the entrance to the bedroom more spacious

I can definitely see the benefits, it would be great to remove that corner of the ensuite you hit when you open the door! Unfortunately, we don't have the budget to completely move the ensuite. Also the soil pipe runs along the current ensuite into a bathroom next to it out of view, so I suspect that would complicate things and drive the cost even higher..

Plus we'd also then have to move the loft hatch as well, again increasing the cost further...

If the budget had been a lot higher I'd have been tempted to do more and reconfigure upstairs, but.... then we're back to the cost of just moving house!

Not sure there's the room for a Walk in . What are the dimensions of the entrance in the blue box, and also what does the room measure in length from start to beam ?

Dimensions of the blue box would be 245cmx225cm (including the width of any walls put in... )

We're extending 3m.. so the beam to the window would be about 3m I think the extra 20cm comes from the depth of the current wall and where the beam would be.

I think if we did the walk in that big, you're right, and we wouldn't have space, as we're aiming to have a king bed and bed side tables, and I'd love to have a chair in there as well.

No point having a massive walk in and then still feeling like the bedroom is cramped!

Rough scetch:

Note: the blue rectangle could be anything, from a desk to dresser to bench, or all in one.

Thanks for this Rinq.

It's interesting that everyone's gone for it that way round! when I'd been thinking about it, I'd imagined the door in facing the bed. Hanging rail on the wall opposite , and the draws either side, to try and minimise the depth of the space more like this ...

But still wasn't sure how big others would expect something like that to be if we were to sell in the future...

I think I'm definitely being swayed back to just having free standing wardrobes! Will probably keep it feeling like a more generous space overall?

Kinda like this when you look in?

So with a rail going all the way round, so shorter stuff could hand above the chest of draws on either side, and then space for longer hanging things in front.. and then a shelf running along the top above the rail for bigger things to be stored, suitcases etc.

I was thinking with something like this might only need it to be 150-170cm deep for this kind of set up (60cm depth for the hanging space at the back and then about 1m in front of it

Which would then leave me with more space for the room?

I wouldn't box it in. Keep it open. Like in my scetch, use tall cabinets with hanging space and shelves above (and below, some drawers perhaps). And a freestanding cabinet (120-150cm tall for example, do mount it somewhere for safety) with shelves. More than enough storage space I'd say, especially with some extra drawers in the blue section.

Is the ensuite on the right already there? Or is it part of the new build? If so, could you post a larger floorplan? And is the entry door already in that position? Are you re-doing your landing too?

I don’t understand why having the en-suite next to the bathroom is cheaper than having next to the other en-suite shown on the plan.
I have moved a loft hatch and it’s not as big a job as you might think.

Oh! I hadn't fully appreciated you hadn't boxed it in in your version... I must admit I feel like I'm struggling slightly to envision what you're intending.

I think you're right there'd definitely be enough clothes storage there, we're don't actually use all the wardrobe space we currently have for clothes, as half of my bf's wardrobe is full of other boxes of stuff (that have overflowed from his man cave). I worry slightly that if it's not at least a normal wardrobe depth then we'll end up lacking the storage space for that and it'll end up looking messy... if we have the wardrobes at the sides (in my original post) he can get a 2nd 2 door wardrobe, to give him some extra storage space for his non clothes stuff. (He also has boardgames all on top of his wardrobe as there's no more space in the games cupboard lol)

It was my brother who suggested that as walk in wardrobes as floor to ceiling it's useful for hiding all that extra stuff that makes the place look messy

as to the rest of the floorpan, everything else is already there - the somewhat excessive number of bathrooms, all the doorways and the smallest landing possible! We can't extend backwards from the ensuite as it would block light for next door.

Ah - apologies! it's because that ensuite is already in situ. Great news to know moving the loft hatch may not be as big a job as thought tho!

We may retile/get a new sink +/- change the bath to a shower if we have the funds at that point.. and if not in a few years. The only thing changing upstairs is bed 2 getting longer. I thought adding some stud walls, a door, rails and shelf might not add that much cost compared to buying all the wardrobes! and theoretically better use of space

I keep adding up distances and sometimes thinking, "yea, that's fine.." and I'll do it again and think "That's really tight!"

Something like this is what I 'scetched', but with shelves (perhaps with doors on them) on the lower cabinet. Ceiling height on the hanging part.

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Ah! now I see what you mean Rinq, and I could always have a comfy chair in the corner of your blue box.

Being slightly naive, to get true ceiling height wardrobes on the hanging part, would they have to essentially be done as fitted wardrobes? or are there other ways and means you'd recommend?

I'll put this as an option to the bf at the weekend and see what he thinks. :)

I have a left field suggestion that makes beds 2 and 3 better too.

Fitted wardrobes would be better looking :) Depends on what your budget allows, I guess.

@Jonathan - I really like how you’ve managed to create extra space for bedroom 3 without compromising on the size of the master. Had not thought of that option. I wonder how much extra that would cost. Definitely something to consider if we can’t do it now, maybe doing in the future! Will have a chat.

@Rinq I’m being pessimistic and assuming there’ll be minimal funds left by the time we get to furnishing rooms, but maybe I’ll be proved wrong! Lol

I know that feeling, building is like: Here take my money!

If so, buy a secondhand closet and you'll have something to look out for later on!

Personally I think if funds are tight change the layout and fit the ensuite later when budget allows

@Rinq - so true! And we haven’t even really started yet!

@Jonathan yea that would be the sensible option if we were going to do it.. will talk to the boy and see what he thinks... :-) moving walls around upstairs - do you need to worry about structural integrity in the same way as downstairs? (No one ever seems to so I’m guessing not) wouldn’t need to pay for another structural engineer for example?

Your builder can tell you if anything is structural in which case you need extra investigation then- but it’s really unlikely. You can often tell from the thickness of the wall which you can then see in doorways.

So... managed to find time to discuss it late last night, and we definitely like the idea of being able to make bed 3 larger.

I've taken it slightly further in some ways but less in others to try and minimise the cost hopefully as bf thinks that regardless of what we do, it'll end up being prohibitively expensive to re-organise upstairs.

This plan would :

Keep doorways off the landing to bed 2/3 the same as they are currently (I appreciate the benefits of moving them in terms of not having it right at the top of the stairs, however there's still room for a stair gate at the top of the stairs (should we ever need one), and has never been a problem for us since we've been here regardless of who's stayed (almost 6 years).

Removing your study area - we have a separate office/mancave downstairs, and I always work at the dining table even when I had an office space if doing work at home, allowing us to have a bigger family bathroom (maybe a pocket door) with hopefully room for a bath and walk in shower? (as actually the 2 bathrooms we'd be joining are quite compact!)

Still quite a small landing area, which I appreciate is useful for general circulation space, but we'd be reluctant to cut into bed 3 more than we have to, and there'd be just enough room I think to have a small window which would hopefully make it feel more airy at least.

FYI the pink line I've added is where we get full height ceilings back, as the front half of bed 2/3 mostly have sloped ceilings, except for where the dormers are, but they drop to about waist height at the front.

The back wall of the ensuite would be the current back wall of the ensuite again to help reduce costs... Ideally I'd have preferred to creep it forward an extra 10-20cm to give that room to bed 3, however I think for such a small distance it's probably not worth having to knock down, and build another wall.

What do people think? ?

Obviously would still need to ask builders re cost etc and bf thinks I'm getting hopes up and it'll cost too much... (Anyone got any rough thoughts how much it might be?) but I did point out we could fit most of the bathroom stuff at a later date.

What do people think?

Is 1.8x2.7-2.8m ish is enough to have a family bathroom with separate shower and bath? I feel like it ought to be, but then feels slightly awkward when I try and draw it

Tbh moving doors is lots less expensive than refitting the whole bathroom or changing a window for two separate ones. I’m also not sure the shower position works in the family bathroom.

I agree about the shower, am struggling slightly with a layout for it, will give it another think.

I know refitting a bathroom isn't a cheap job, however it's one that would need to be done if not now, within a couple of years anyway. and thought we could keep the bath and toilet on the right initially and just replumb a sink until funds allowed to get it properly sorted, focusing on structural elements as you said.

It's interesting the stuff that non trade people (or ones with less experience in major house changes) think will or won't cost a lot more money. Incidentally, the window that was going to be the ensuite master on the original plans also needs to be changed one way or another as it is old, has poor ventilation and gets super condensed and mouldy... leading to a moudy bathroom too..

I think moving the wall between the 2 ensuite but only up to the window may not create a big enough room? Would probably be about 2mx1.8. I think we just wouldn't ever use that Study space area outside on the landing..

So many options and decisions!

The end ensuite really is somewhat squashed! Not entirely sure why the previous people were so keen to squeeze in 3 ensuites!

Oooo that looks perfect! Thank you Maths wife!

I suppose I hadn’t actually imagined refitting the bathroom just moving the basin.
If budget is tight I think you need to consider how often a full shower is needed in the family bathroom. I have one in the main bathroom which has been used probably ten times in 4 years...... thinking about it it’s has been cleaned more often than it has been used.

Yes... unfortunately both the ensuites with baths could do with an upgrade, chips out the bath etc and are on the list for some time in the future if not now... I definitely have a bias towards walk in showers, as I know when I try and wash my hair (really long) in a bath, I tend to shower half the room with just a shower screen. (and not keen on the look of curtains)

But you make a valid point... I think if we had one then it would definitely get used as we have friends and family who don't live close by staying relatively frequently.. for random weekends as well as Christmas/Easter etc. However there's no reason they couldn't cope with just a shower over a bath.

I guess it all depends on how much extra it would cost plumbing wise to add the necessary pipes where Maths wife has suggested, but leaving it out could be a good cost saving exercise. We're still leaning towards incorporating that study area into the family bath regardless I think..