Family home - ensuite addition

Discussion in 'Renovation & Home Improvement' started by Chon_2010, 1st Jun, 2021.

Join Australia's most dynamic and respected property investment community
  1. Chon_2010

    Chon_2010 New Member

    Joined:
    25th Jul, 2017
    Posts:
    2
    Location:
    Melb
    Hi everyone,

    Another floorplan advice thread...We just bought our family home, moving in one month.

    We love the layout currently but to future-proof we are looking to add an ensuite to one of the bedrooms and convert the rear family room to bedroom 4. A WIR would be great to add too but we may not have the space.

    Having a hard time working out the best place to put a potential ensuite if anyone has any suggestions? The house is a 70s Brick Veneer on concrete stumps. Beds 1 and 2 are facing North.
     

    Attached Files:

    Chon_2010, 1st Jun, 2021
    #1
  2. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    14,014
    Location:
    Brisbane
    Do you want to add a deck to the back, behind the kitchen and family room. It faces South but that's an obvious addition, right across the back.

    I'd close up the wall to separate the entry from Bed 1 and enclose the bathroom as the ensuite. Unless the bathroom is new, when you re-do it, rearrange it. There is enough space there for ensuite and robes. Lose the bath but dry to put a bath in either the ensuite or the main bathroom.

    Turn the back laundry into family bathroom with an airlock between it and the kitchen/meals area. We did this with a renovation. Created a two part bathroom, door beside kitchen/living area into 1.5m wide laundry with second door into bathroom. That means nobody looks into a bathroom from the living area.

    I'd also want to open up the kitchen/meals area to the family room. I'd actually knock all those walls down but some people would want to keep a separate second living area. This comes down to personal choice. Once kids come along, we really needed a second living space, but we built down under. It makes a huge difference to have that second space.

    If you don't want to add a deck off the kitchen/family, perhaps keep the family room walled which could be used as a bedroom one day, when you need it. Or create huge sliding doors to allow maximum flexibility. Close an area off, or have the whole space open.
     
    Last edited: 1st Jun, 2021
    wylie, 1st Jun, 2021
    #2
  3. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    23,517
    Location:
    Sydney
    I would convert laundry to a family bathroom and convert the WC and bathroom into a ensuite (without bath OR shower/bath alternative). May not need council approval that way ?. But changes to family room will mean all changes will need council approval.

    Are the shower and loo at rear of garage existing ? If not. That is strange. As strange as putting what seems a sink and a electric appliance beside the car. Wierd houses are hard to resell.

    One idea I would explre is changing garage to something shorter and use Bed 3 and rear of garage more productively. Close it off so its a extension to those house ? That gap between garage and house is wasted and could allow a repositioned kitchen and family room and closee off existing Kitchen as Bed 4. Cost may be a limitation.
     
    Paul@PAS, 1st Jun, 2021
    #3
  4. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    14,014
    Location:
    Brisbane
    Gosh... I didn't even notice the garage. Seems to be set up as a granny flat.
     
    wylie, 1st Jun, 2021
    #4
  5. Chon_2010

    Chon_2010 New Member

    Joined:
    25th Jul, 2017
    Posts:
    2
    Location:
    Melb
    Love the ideas! Decking across the length at the rear would be great. Converting existing bath to ensuite seems to be the go, and then a combo laundry/bathroom at the rear.
    My only concern is this may mean the window needs to be altered at the rear next to the back door. Not sure if this would be tricky or not, while trying to keep costs low.

    Yes the garage is a little odd. Shower and toilet are existing (as well as cooktop and sink) however it is only set up as a garage currently. Appears to have been used as more of a multipurpose space in the past.
     
    Chon_2010, 1st Jun, 2021
    #5
  6. Paul@PAS

    Paul@PAS Tax, Accounting + SMSF + All things Property Tax Business Plus Member

    Joined:
    18th Jun, 2015
    Posts:
    23,517
    Location:
    Sydney
    Illegally. One long garage is futile. I would be considering incorporating into the main house. Roofline ? Fascade ?

    I would seek some design ideas - eg Archicentre ?, before making assumptions. Changes to floor levels, roof framing and structural support are all considerations. Plumbing, sewer and roofline and future property use and resale are worth planning. A house with a family room closed off, a wierd loo at back of a illegal GF in a double length garage a huge central gap may be worse than at present and add little property value as space is being consumed.
     
    Last edited: 1st Jun, 2021
    Paul@PAS, 1st Jun, 2021
    #6