Small bedroom, move bathroom upstairs, larger kitchen?

3 years ago

Hi all,

Happy 2021, let’s hope it is kinder to us than 2020!

Can I have your thoughts?

We live in a two bed leasehold Victorian conversion flat in London.

We are thinking about the layout of the flat which doesn’t work for us with the small kitchen at the back, as the dining table is in the front room (room with bay window) which is also our sofa tv area. It is a large room, but carrying food through the house and up the stairs doesn’t work.

Should we:

Knock kitchen and bathroom together and keep a separate loo, to make a larger eat in kitchen? Then could we relocate the bathroom upstairs to the second floor next to what is our bedroom? The space would be small, and the ceiling slopes (window side). The previous tenants made a walk in shower room, and moved the wall so the windows are both in the bedroom space (this is the original floor plan before they renovated it). We would need to undo this if we wanted enough space for a shower enclosure or bath, plus we are limited in terms of where things are located to have enough standing height.

Move kitchen to behind the front room, and have a spare room cum office space where the kitchen is now, with the bathroom layout as is? The previous tenants knocked the bathroom and toilet together and the space isn’t ideal but houses a shower over the bath, which is 1800 long. We could renovate it to make it more user friendly, in the space it’s in now.

or is there another option you can see?

As we see it, it basically boils down to cost, but also to whether we would be adding value in having a larger kitchen which we could fit a table into if we then had a small bedroom and bathroom, both with a sloping ceiling.

Expertise and wisdom gratefully received. We are two adults, no kids, no mobility issues, and want to be in the flat for another few years yet.

Thanks!

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Comments (4)

Claire Cadoux
3 years ago
I have done 2 x reno. Watched years (decades) of home change/build programmes. In one house, to my credit, I had learned when I needed professional advice. I found a local qualified experienced architect who had young kids, had to change her work so she went self employed, i paid for 2 hours of her time. Worth every penny of the £90 I paid her. I sent her a list of 2 or 3 things I would ask, I did that so we wd 'hit the ground running'. My advice is: know when it is right to get an architect who knows construction, sources, planning requirements, costs and colours. In minutes she had given me a palette for the house, explained what to do where, what I should not do, and why, and who to get to do what. In my own profession, I learned decades ago, get a feel for when my money truly is better spent on an expert at the start, then pick their brains. I am 66. I just wrote wisdom. Time and again, I have reaped the financial benefits of getting the right person for the job. Get an end plan/do-able layout from an expert (does not mean a paid for drawing) first. Then, bit by bit, work towards that end result. Properly. That way you keep the value of your property up, and do not make expensive mistakes. Starve, and get the best advice and best contractor ans be patient. You will know Im right.
Matilda Smith
Original Author
3 years ago
Thank you Claire - I appreciate your insights!
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Front hallway- I say save your money leave it up. Cost of removal is minor but you will likely have to move radiators and electrics and make good plasterwork and coving- I say protect another £1500 profit. Present the larger back reception as a living room and present the front reception as the dining room. Given that the bathroom is likely to go upstairs make the downstairs bathroom into a room to access the garden- I would present the kitchen as a kitchen/breakfast room with doors to see the garden as being able to see from the front door to the back garden should pay dividend.
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A S. That looks like a great idea, actually if we kept bathroom the same (it's already been newly done) and left the external wall into the cupboardy bit the same/no need for re-enforced beams and have washer/dryer stacked in the cupboard space, all we would need is the support between kitchen and living room which would work out much cheaper than I think my initial model would be (and possibly a little more practical too, and possibly more value) Here is a bit of a prototype of the size of the space we'd have to play with, I think it would be big enough for our needs (not massive amount of worktop space which is something we'd hoped for, but really I think it's enough) and also some space to fit a small table and 4 chairs in front of french doors and means not having to rip out whole of bathroom downstairs. I think I may take some advice from temple274 too, and instead of building whole bathroom upstairs and trying to readjust windows, I'll just make a small ensuite in top right corner of bedroom 2. I've seen little porthole windows you can get, but equally like temple274 says all I'd really need is adequate ventilation. All in all I think this new plan is better and more cost saving than the original!! I knew coming here would be a good idea! Thanks all x
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Few options, but it depends if you need a bath and who's using which rooms? (kids, adults, guests etc) You could Jack and Jill Master and second biggest bedroom. Plumbing is a long way away from kitchen, downstairs bathroom. Next is small bathroom at the back using current bedroom door and adding one next to it. Next option you could easily pinch a bit more from the long bedroom by moving the wall If you're looking to just add a shower + loo, could you squeeze it in the cupboards and just move the bedroom door a bit? Radical option... making double fronted master bedroom All really depends if you love the 6x2.6m bedroom to be honest! Opt 2, 3 & 4 would be the easiest plumbing wise and a bathroom upstairs always adds value (unless you actually remove a bedroom) and in this case you'd only be making one smaller.
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Jonathan
3 years ago
I agree with the advice to talk to professionals. These forum are however useful to refine your thoughts process and decide what you want to ask the professional.

You might also want to investigate your local property market to work out what adds the most value for your eventual sale
Matilda Smith thanked Jonathan
PRO
Nest Estimating Ltd
3 years ago
Hi Matilda, happy new year! Once you have decided on a layout, we can provide you with a budget cost estimate. The budget cost estimate provides a detailed breakdown of works and expenses as well as highlighting potential areas where you can save money. If this is something of interest please send the plans and photos to hello@nestestimating.co.uk and we can provide you with a quote
Matilda Smith thanked Nest Estimating Ltd

Small bedroom, move bathroom upstairs, larger kitchen?

Comments (4)

Claire Cadoux

Matilda Smith
Original Author

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Small bedroom, move bathroom upstairs, larger kitchen?

Comments (4)

Claire Cadoux

Matilda SmithOriginal Author

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Jonathan

Nest Estimating Ltd

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BUSINESS SERVICES

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CONNECT WITH US

Matilda Smith
Original Author