Move House, Stay or Rent - Plan No. 103

[fionas]

Our house is too small. In the next couple of years our family may grow (if we have another baby) or shrink (if DSD leaves home).

I want to continue working part-time rather than full-time and that is my priority rather than having a big house.

So, I have been through full range of options:

1. Sell this house and move. We can't afford to buy a bigger house in the same area and we can't go too far out if DSD is to carry on going to the same school. If we go further out it will be hilly and if I get pregnant again, I'm likely to have a recurring health condition which could put me in a wheelchair so hills not good.
2. Renovate this house and add an extra storey. This will cost about $250K and we can't afford that.
3. Build a bungalow out the back. This would cost around $70 - 100K and would take up about a third of our backyard.
4. Rent this house out and rent somewhere bigger. This seemed like most sensible option but I can't find anywhere suitable or that I would be willing to leave this place for. I'm 30 seconds from a great shopping strip and tram line, 3 minutes walk from one train station, 6 minutes from another. Makes it VERY hard to move when we're in such a great location.

So ... weighing all this up has been very frustrating!!!!

PLAN NO. 103 is:

Buy a module bungalow for out the back as an interim measure. I saw them in the paper the other day and they're quite funky. You can basically have whatever you want - from a small bungalow with ensuite to a multi-bedroomed house. Takes about 12 weeks to build them in their factory and they deliver and install them in a day. The beauty of them is that they're movable so when we have enough cash to add a proper extra storey we could get rid of the module very easily or sell it. Ditto if things change and we do decide to sell this house (unlikely but you never know) - some people may like having an extra living area out the back, others not so much but no big deal to get it moved either way.

Quite optimistic about this plan. We're off to the factory tomorrow to have a proper look.

[AnyDream]

Sounds like a fabulous plan...in fact it was the thing I was thinking as I read through your list of options. FWIW an extra living space apart from the main house can be a real asset, if you plumb in a toilet and a small kitchenette it also becomes rentable, should you ever wish to go that way.

[fionas]

Unfortunately the council won't allow us to make it fully self-contained so a kitchen is out but we can have an ensuite which is great. Means the space can be used for whatever we want - office (our need right now) or an extra living room or an extra bedroom. That would be fab if we had another baby so I could spend the first few months out there doing the night wake-ups without disturbing the rest of the house. And if DP is still a shiftworker, he could use it to catch up on his sleep during the day without me having to pad around the house which just about sent me bonkers last time!

[Janie]

Well that plan is sounding better and better!!! I really hope it works out for you guys

[somewoman]

Can you plumb in a "bar" (and add in kitchenette facilities without calling it a kichenette)?

That would make for a wicked entertaining room for kids parties, family get together and such!! Keeps the mess out of the house =)

[fionas]

Well, we could probably do that but I'm not too fussed about the kitchenette TBH because it's quite a small space to start with (only about 6 x 5metres) and it's only a stop-gap until we can build a second storey. I'm more bothered about having an ensuite in there - will get used much more often than a kitchenette.

[fionas]

PROGRESSSSSSSSSSSSS!


Went to see the display module last Friday and it was fab. Talked to the woman there and have got a rough price. Only tricky thing will be to actually get it on site (they build off-site and crane it on to your property which is part of the attraction - not having to have builders in the backyard for months). We're in a terrace with a tight laneway at the back, so not the easiest but we've been told it should be do-able, just exxie. They recently craned one on top of a 7-storey building in East Melbourne so they're used to challenges.

Then we went to the council and looks like it will be fine by them too.

So next step will be to get them to have a proper look at the block to see whether they could crane it in here then it's all action stations and we'll get cracking on the design.

Quite excited.

[BrightSparkles]

Hope it all goes well for you. x

[AnyDream]

Fiona, there was a story on Better Homes and Gardens a week ago about a huge penthouse number they craned in on the top of a building, think that might be the one you're talking about? V. exciting!!!

[Doing my best]

Fiona, there was a story on Better Homes and Gardens a week ago about a huge penthouse number they craned in on the top of a building, think that might be the one you're talking about? V. exciting!!!

I was just trying to think what I saw it on!

[fionas]

Yes, that was the same company - didn't see it myself but hey, if they can do that ours shouldn't be too tricky you wouldn't think. Fingers crossed!