Size isn't everything - Part 2

week 2

We looked last time at the potential options for our dowmnstairs removation. And, while that area of the propoerty is probably the most important in terms of day-to-day living, the upstairs is a key factor in making sure we achieve our objectives, and deliver a functioning property that serves the family's needs.

Upstairs

Based on our objectives, we only really have two must haves for the upstairs:

• New master bedroom, with en-suite and good storage
• Increased floorspace for girls bedroom

Now you could argue that we don't need the first of those items if we can solve the second (the current master bedroom is pretty good, after all). Having said that, I'm struggling to see a path where we can solve the lack of space problem in the (essentially) fourth bedroom. Realistically, it makes sense to move the girl into the current master suite (which gives her a bigger room; more storage; and an an-suite bathroom) and then look to locate a new master suite elsewhere, probably by taking some space over the garage.

Looking at the current floorplan for the upstairs, this actually makes a lot of sense - we can relatively easily (!) extend over the garage to build out a large master suite, and either convert the existing bedroom in that quarter of the property into a smaller 5th room, or forego it entirely and make it part of the new master suite (maybe a dressing area). That would mean minimal work over the existing structure of the property (and also the new downstairs extension), with all of the work being focussed on the 1st floor over the garage (although realstically this may be demolished and rebuilt for foundation or pure access reasons).

If we explore those options a number of possibilities present themselves whereby we extend out over the garage to various degrees in order to form additional rooms.

We don't really need any additional rooms, so a layout where we simply reconfigure the fourth bedroom to be a part of an enlarged master suite over the garage makes most sense. We could (possibly) add more value from restoring a 5th bedroom (we sacrificed the original 5th for the en-suite off the current master), but this is likely to be negligable in the grand scheme of things.

With all of that in mind, we come to something that looks a little like the below. Incorporation of the current 4th bedroom into a big master suite over the grage, giving us space for a dressing room and en-suite. We then house our darling daughter in the current master, giving her the aditional space (and the bonus of a dedicate bathroom as she gets older and inevitably decides that's an important part of her daily ritual). We'll also (maybe) combine the existing en-suite (boy's room) with the family bathroom to make a much larger Jack and Jill bathroom. Both are currently pretty small, and given the little use the family bathroom eill get as a guest bathroom, it should mean a more practical space.

Functionally that works pretty well, and (he says with almost no idea if it even holds true) it should be relatively straightforward from a build perspective as we're extending above an existing structure. Cost wise, I'm sure there's a million and one hidden challenges that we'll face, but we're pretty happy with this as a basic premise for what we'd like to do.

Onwards and upwards!