4th bedroom or study?

Hi all,

I'm a newbie and building my first investment property. Currently I have an option of building a 3bdr + study, or 4bdr home. I think going the 4bdr option will cost me an additional $4,500. I would like to get your opinion on whether this is worth doing? I'm leaning toward yes for re-sale value and increased rental, but would really appreciate some advice! .

One thing I'm worried about is whether the 4bdr option will make the house feel cramp? The overall living area is 135m2, there is only 1 living area (6m x 4.4m), and the bedroom sizes (all excluding robes) are:

3.5m x 3.5m (master)
3.0m x 2.9m
3.1m x 2.9m
3.1m x 2.9m

If we go with the 3bdr + study option, then everything else would be the same - except the study would not have a BIR and the size would be 2.7m x 2.7m.

What do you think?

Cheers

 

Oh and one more thing... with the 4bdr room option, one particular bedroom has its window only 1m away from the boundary, potentially facing the neighbour's brick wall. The 3bdr + study option would reduce the size of this particular bedroom and hence increase the distance from window to boundary to 2m.

 

Do you have floor plans?

 

Not much help but I'd be basing my decision off the best comparable sales and keep inline with what the demographic wants. An extra bedroom is usually not a bad idea but not at the cost of screwing up the overall floor plan and proportions so be careful there. Build what the market is paying top dollar for, what ever that is.

Me 2 cents.

 

Thanks guys!

Here is the plan for the 3bdr + study:



The 4bdr room option would be to add BIR to Study, and shift the walls so that the final size would be 2.9 x 3 excluding BIR. (Bath, toilet, laundry and Bed 2 would all be shifted to the right so their internal dimension won't change).

I really appreciate your advice guys!

 

Hey @Leo2413 - agreed. In this case turning the Study into a 4th bedroom won't screw up the floor plan (I don't think!). It reduces part of the backyard by 0.2m, and places the 4th bedroom's window 1m away from boundary. The latter I don't really like, but other people might not mind...

 

Why don't you ask 1 or 2 top selling agents in the area which option they think buyers will prefer and get you a better price.

 

If you just shift the whole section to the right, then how does it make the rest of the house more cramped? Wouldn't everything else stay their same sizes?

 

A bedroom which can be used as a study is better than a study you can sleep in. Up to agent to market as “4th bedroom / study”.

We added a 4th bedroom to our development (had space over garage upstairs) and its added lots of value.

 

looks like an easy adjustment
Where you are 2140 off the fence, run that wall inline with the bathroom wall. id think that would be more cost effective running a straight wall (removes 2 internal corners) and a simplier roof also. (the builder wont tell you that)
Then you just shift the bathroom etc to the right 200mm so your 4th bed is 2.9m wide.
both moves dont greatly affect other rooms or footprint

 

@bob shovel, Construction Consultants Pty Ltd

 

Just putting a thought out there.... how much would it cost to make all the bedrooms just a little bit bigger? People like spacious bedrooms.

 

should I take them over?

 

idea 2



push the garage out flush with the north-south external wall. easier roof again. unless you want a feature of the gagrage set back. or there's a planning/setback issue

This upsets my OCD.... but must give them the benefit of the doubt as there may be some method to their madness

 

@Bernado
4th bedroom is what I would go for.

Agreed. That's how i would do it too.

 

I'd also rearrange the ensuite and walk in wardrobe to make the main bedroom bigger.
I'd also prefer it where the ensuite window doesn't face the street.

 

Is it really necessary to have a powder room in a floor plan that doesn't even have the minimum 3X3 size bedrooms...

 

Pretty sure thats actually a toilet, so I'd suggest yes

 

lol didn't even notice the toilet.

 

Many thanks guys for your feedback!

Great idea @bob shovel & @neK! I will check with the builder to see what they say.

@Anthony Brew Yes, everything else will be the same (except for the backyard) - so technically it'd not be anymore cramped. Just worrying from a perception point of view, you know.. would a 4bdr with 135m2 living "sounds" like a small house compare to 3bdr + study with 133m2?