Attic Conversion vs Moving

We live in a very narrow single fronted semi-detached in the inner-city and now that there are 4 people in the house it is getting a tad squishy!

Ideally I would love to move to a bigger place but this would mean a lot of hassle, a lot of expense and probably having to work more days than I really want to so I was thinking that an attic conversion might be the way to go seeing that we have an enormous roof space (DP is almost 6 foot and can stand up in there quite comfortably). If we move it would mean stamp duty, real estate fees, removalist expense, increase in mortgage etc.

I guess the question is has anyone had this done? Is it worthwhile? What sort of costs were involved? If I was to go down this route do you think that it would be better to do a kids retreat and bedrooms upstairs or the parents area upstairs?

If I loved the suburb and amenities then I'd convert the attic if I wasn't happy with my location I'd move.

id convert too nai!!

Onyx, if we were to move it would be in the same suburb - we love it here and the lifestyle that we have.

I would have the kids upstairs .. I think... LOL

I would make it a parents retreat/bedroom.

For me if the kids were above with constant noise of them going back and forth above me it would drive me crazy.

are you sure it can be converted? Yanno, legally and structurally.

I would convert - I detest moving and you seem pretty happy there.

Nope not sure but getting the people out to have a look and quote. They do all the applications etc apparently. It is pretty common in this area with this style of house so I would think it could be done but will get the experts to check.

DON'T MOVE!!! Why would you? lol

I'd convert. There was a great article about this in The Age mag a few weeks ago. They had a pole for getting down. Too cool.

in the 110 options that we considered, that was on our list too. As to whether I'd do parents retreat or kids rooms, dunno but definitely put a bathroom up there. No-one, whether it's kids or parents, want to be traipsing downstairs and it will affect the resale value. I would probably do parents retreat up there simply because that's more common in two-storey places but really a parents retreat is just a room and an ensuite so you could still use it as a kids playroom and maybe shift up there when they are older. I would feel funny about having two little kids sleeping downstairs nearest to the front door while I'm sleeping upstairs.

So amidst that waffle. Do bedroom and ensuite upstairs to retain resale value but use it as a kids playroom/bedroom.

We have been thinking same line!!

We have had attic storage put in at start of year (pull down ladder, flooring etc) Have talked a few times about getting a room or 2 up there (back half of house was extension put on by previous owners and ceilings DH can stand up right and he is tall like your DH. We had a builder come out, dont think he was that keen for work as quoted at 300K plus !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He said as we have no back access and no off street parking etc would need to use cranes etc and would make it $$.

We do plan on getting attic conversion people who did storage for us back at some stage for quote to put 2 rooms up there whether it be a study and lounge or bedroom and something not sure.

Do not move from where you are as you have great location in great area!

If your going to put the kids upstairs make sure you invest in the flooring... thump thump thump :-)

don't know how big your backyard is Nai but another option we looked at was for a module home unit at the back - so like a fancy granny flat. They're pretty groovy. Advantages are that you don't pay builders so the costs are pretty much locked-in and it's quick - about 12 weeks from the time you sign off to them making it and craning it in. Rough costs are $2K per square metre. It was ruled out for us because it was going to be exorbitantly expensive to crane it in. I can PM you the company if you're interested, their factory is in Brooklyn.

if you love the suburb then i would definitely look at extending rather than moving. i would prefer to have the kids upstairs, because then if the adults want to stay up late with friends or something it feels like the kids are kinda tucked away iykwim?

You wouldnt need a permit as such as its under the roof liine but you would have to have alook at the stump's ect. You'd more then likely have to make sure that your joist ect are spaced out enough to support any weight in the roof.
Man if we lived closer J could come look and let you's know what you'd be in for. We're putting a floor in our roof space.....but cant put a room up there cause of the stupid duct work.
Let us know how you go

ETA - OMG :o Feeb you cant be serious...$300K for upstairs NO WAY!!! what the hell did he want a crane for????

I have to stop reading this thread...Im getting the itch to build up now :lol:....5th bedroom maybe

I'd renovate too, I hate moving with a passion. How steep will the stairs to the attic be? That would help me decide whether kids or adults went up there. Hope it all goes well for you. We got another room added 12 months ago and haven't regretted it. Even if you do decide to move later, it will definitely increase the resale value.

HTH, PX

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ETA - OMG :o Feeb you cant be serious...$300K for upstairs NO WAY!!! what the hell did he want a crane for????

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he crapped on that needed to use crane to get stuff eg building materials etc as no accees to back of house, to me he just didnt seem interested in the work. Its not that big an area and seems rediculous!!

Hi Nai

Yes, we do have an attic conversion. It would have been done in the late 90's before we bought the place. So our house has all the living area downstairs, then two rooms, ensuite and kids bathroom on the 2nd level and then on the third level it has two more bedrooms (which is the attic area). So this is where DD's bedroom is, she loves it and calls it her princess room, in another month DS will be moving into the other room up there. The stairs are just normal stairs up to it, the same from ground level up to 2nd level. We have a monitor in DD's room as when I am downstairs at night I wouldn't hear her and will put another monitor in DS's room - maybe even a video monitor. Just a word of warning - VENTILATION - make sure you have windows on all sides where you can to get the air flow happening, in summer it is amazing how hot it gets up there, we put an air conditioning reverse cycle unit in DD's room, which cools it down so it is completely fine and thinking about what to do with DS's room, maybe a portable one, we will have a fan in there, the sun doesn't set on the side where his room is so may not get as hot as DD's but on a day when it is 38 to 40 degrees, it feels like about 50 degrees up there. Ummm what else, we will need to put a gate up the top of the stairs when DS goes up there, we didn't for DD - she didn't move up there until she was three and has always been really confident with stairs as we have so many in this house but DS will only have just turned two and I don't want him to come hurtling down in the middle of the night. There isn't a bathroom up there, which at the moment isn't really a problem, the kids bathroom is at the bottom of the stairs to the attic. But I know when my parents were staying up there, they would have to traipse down in the middle of the night to use the loo. I don't let the kids play up there in the day at all, we only go upstairs to sleep as everything is down on the ground level, all their toys, etc.

Friends of ours have also got a converted attic, different layout to our house but in theirs, they have two bedrooms, bathroom and a study area, it looks great, they have done a great job on it, they have their DS who is 2 yrs sleeping up there and their other DS will move up when he goes into a big bed I guess.

Can't think of anything else to add, but ask any questions. Laurin x