Fourth bedroom or second bathroom? Which is better?

[wylie]

Curious for those who know the inner south of Brisbane market (particularly Coorparoo) as to which improvement would be best.

Last two lots of tenants have been three singles and two singles/one couple, so the fourth bedroom is handy for storage/office, but not really needed for a large family because large families are looking for a second (or larger) bathroom and/or laundry upstairs, and a secondary living area.

This four bedder (4th is TINY and would fit a king size bed and nothing else ) but has a same sized room beside it - some tenants have used these two combined as one bedroom - not ideal), one small bathroom (no bath), no built-in storage, laundry downstairs...

I want a project to plan for when it is next empty to make it more attractive. I'm thinking we could knock out wall between bathroom and create a shower/loo/basin in one half and a bath/loo/basin in the other, effectively giving us two bathrooms. I'd also move the laundry upstairs into one bathroom behind doors.

To make sense of this, this side of the queenslander is (from rear to front) - bathoom, bedroom, office. If we "lose" the tiny bedroom we may lose some renters, but I think we lose some due to the size of the bathroom anyway.

Using the past two lots of tenants as an example, there were three or four adults all having to use one bathroom. There is a second loo downstairs near the laundry, but you have to go down the stairs in the dark and in the rain. Not very appealing at night.

Bathroom currently opens to the main living area and if we enlarge it, we could change entry point. Fancy having a dinner party with the toilet five feet away .

Whilst we have never had people lining up to view because this is similarly priced as a four bed/two bath modern house, we also never have trouble finding tenants, because the house is in great condition, attractive, open plan, big kitchen, huge deck.

So, do we lose a tiny fourth bedroom and get a second bathroom and washing machine upstairs?

The agent who leased it didn't really give us an answer that helped us decide. He did say that to get higher rent, we are getting into the area of needing that second bathroom and/or second living area. Either plan we lose some renters, but gain others.

Any thoughts or experience in losing a tiny bedroom to gain a second bathroom?

Normally, I would NEVER sacrifice a bedroom, but this "bedroom" is kind of the "bedroom you have when you don't have a bedroom".

Or... is ANY bedroom worth holding onto even if we are losing some renters due to the poor situation and amenities in the bathroom?

 

[Propertunity]

If the 4th bedroom is as tiny as you say, then I'd have no hesitation in turning the space into a 2nd bathroom.

They're only going to call brm #4 a study anyway....moreso than a 4th brm.

 

[wylie]

If the 4th bedroom is as tiny as you say, then I'd have no hesitation in turning the space into a 2nd bathroom.

They're only going to call brm #4 a study anyway....moreso than a 4th brm.

You are right about the tiny bedroom being called a study. Agent actually wanted to list as a three bed/study so as not to "dupe" anyone coming to inspect and feeling it was advertised incorrectly.

 

[Ed Barton]

difficult choice, but i wouldn't bother spending money moving the laundry. people are used QLDers having the laundry downstairs.

 

[Propertunity]

You are right about the tiny bedroom being called a study. Agent actually wanted to list as a three bed/study so as not to "dupe" anyone coming to inspect and feeling it was advertised incorrectly.

An agent who doesn't want to dupe anybody.......interesting concept.......a rare breed indeed, but I've heard that they do exist

 

[devank]

4 bed house needs 2 bath
How about an ensuite?

 

[Andrew_A]

A second bathroom would be hard to go past. A 4+1 house is always a little strange I think.

 

[Melbournian]

without a floorplan it is hard to say.

 

[wylie]

without a floorplan it is hard to say.

It has taken me a loooooong while to manage to get a floor plan drawn and uploaded. I would score myself a 10 for staying power, and a 1 for drawing ability .

This is not really accurately to scale, but close enough to see the basic layout. The bathroom, bed 2 and office are all about the same size (tiny). The "office" has a door from Bed 3 which used to be a verandah with entry through it. We cut a new front door but kept the double french original doors in case anybody wants to use it as an office with separate entry.

(Managed to upload a larger photo in the next post.)

[/url]

 

[wylie]

Trying to attach the photo of the plan so it can be enlarged...

 

[Wanderer]

Maybe existing Bed 3 could be made into the Main Bedroom, with a walk in robe in existing Study - thru to a new ensuite in existing Bed 4. Plumbing is all together in this design too.

Maybe ... you could close in a small "cupboard type laundry" on the deck next to the existing bathroom, near the top of the stairs ?? You could even have a laundry chute thru the wall near the toilet in the existing bathroom to the "cupboard type laundry"

Some WOW factor without an OUCH price can add $$ to your bank account.

Good to get lots of ideas before you tackle a project like this

 

[redwing]

An agent who doesn't want to dupe anybody.......interesting concept.......a rare breed indeed, but I've heard that they do exist

They live at the bottom of the garden amongst the birds & the bee's, where rainbows are born and fairies flourish

 

[devank]

How about just simple as attached photo. This can't cost much but you are added a walk-in and also storage for whole house. Main bedroom entrance also no longer opening to the main hall.

 

[wylie]

Maybe existing Bed 3 could be made into the Main Bedroom, with a walk in robe in existing Study - thru to a new ensuite in existing Bed 4. Plumbing is all together in this design too.

Maybe ... you could close in a small "cupboard type laundry" on the deck next to the existing bathroom, near the top of the stairs ?? You could even have a laundry chute thru the wall near the toilet in the existing bathroom to the "cupboard type laundry"

Some WOW factor without an OUCH price can add $$ to your bank account.

Good to get lots of ideas before you tackle a project like this

How about just simple as attached photo. This can't cost much but you are added a walk-in and also storage for whole house. Main bedroom entrance also no longer opening to the main hall.

Thanks. I had briefly considered this, but was struggling with losing the study as well as the tiny bedroom, but the loss of the tiny bedroom and study probably is outshone by gaining a walk in robe plus a second bathroom. I think with more thought, it is a good trade-off.

A second bathroom would be hard to go past. A 4+1 house is always a little strange I think.

This comment was good to hear, especially combined with the other two answers. I would lose a tiny bedroom, and possibly lose a few renters, but gain a WIR and second bathroom and this would be more attractive I think to most renters.

I've also thought about doing what has been done next door in an identical house. They moved the kitchen from the back to the area I call Bed 3 and study and have removed the walls between that area and the main living room. It opens the house right up, but feels a bit strange to have the kitchen there. They have knocked through the bathroom and Bed 4 and made one long but very stylish bathroom.

I've thought long and hard about copying that layout, but it isn't "expected" to have the kitchen there (not saying it is a bad thing though) and means the old kitchen could become a bedroom, but no chance of a WIR. It also means a LOT more cost to rip out the existing kitchen for no good reason.

Of course, we could raise the house and do all sorts of things, but again, I want to improve its appeal without spending an arm and a leg.

I think the ideas put forward would work better.

Thanks for your help, and please feel free to add anything more.

 

[DaveM]

Since the study has two windowsm, I would convert half the study into an ensuite for Bed 3, and the other half into a second toilet with wash basin and linen cupboard in the small hallway created.

Gives you 4 beds, one with ensuite, one full bathroom and one toilet.

 

[Macca]

If B3 is a similar size to B1 I would make B3 my main bedroom with WIR and access to Ensuite/bath which used to be B4.

Maybe you could use part of the existing bath as a laundry after creating a newer Bathroom.

I would think a 3 x 2 just as popular as a 4x1 for rental in the inner suburbs

 

[wylie]

Since the study has two windowsm, I would convert half the study into an ensuite for Bed 3, and the other half into a second toilet with wash basin and linen cupboard in the small hallway created.

Gives you 4 beds, one with ensuite, one full bathroom and one toilet.

The study is seriously small. It is the same size as Bed 4, probably about the size of a king sized bed and maybe enough room to walk around it. Not big enough to split, but it would make a good walk through robe and we could make Bed 4 the second bathroom/ensuite.

We are heading there this weekend to sign a six month lease, and I believe at the end of the lease, the tenants may move on, so we will measure these rooms so I can do some homework on just what will fit.

If we leave the french doors from the living area into the study/WIR, the second bathroom could be accessed from the living room without having to go through Bed 3... or the french doors could be closed for privacy so only the occupant of Bed 3 can use the bathroom.

I'm liking this idea more and more. Like most queenslanders, there is no linen cupboard, but more doors than you can poke a stick at. Working around the doors is tricky.

If B3 is a similar size to B1 I would make B3 my main bedroom with WIR and access to Ensuite/bath which used to be B4.

Bed 3 was an old verandah, long ago closed in and when we put through a new front door we decided to leave the original french doors in place. One tenant used this "entry" as a home office, and we thought someone else might like an office with separate entry, but there are way more people who would like an ensuite than those looking for separate office entry.

Downside is that it cops a whack of western sun, but so does Bed 1, so creating a WIR and second bathroom gives tenants the option of choosing which hot room they want . Living rooms are air conditioned and it does push through the whole house, but we can add a split for the main bedroom if needed.

Maybe you could use part of the existing bath as a laundry after creating a newer Bathroom.

I like that idea. I have always thought the laundry downstairs is a big drawback. I would hate it myself, and I'm sure that in the price rante this house sits in, many potential tenants would discount our house due to this, and the lack of a second bathroom.

I would think a 3 x 2 just as popular as a 4x1 for rental in the inner suburbs

I agree with this too. I am reluctant to give up the fourth bedroom, but the agent doesn't ever want to call it a bedroom, and he knows what tenants are looking for. So I'm not really giving up a "bedroom" but a teeny-tiny room that could fit a bed, and has a door.

I'm thinking the WIR and second bathroom/laundry is the direction we need to head.

 

[devank]

This is how I work out if any expense is worth.
Say the cost is $10000. Then interest on that at 6% is $600. Divide $600 by 40 weeks. That is $15.00. If the rent can go up by more than $15.00 then it is worth spending.

 

[wylie]

This is how I work out if any expense is worth.
Say the cost is $10000. Then interest on that at 6% is $600. Divide $600 by 40 weeks. That is $15.00. If the rent can go up by more than $15.00 then it is worth spending.

Thanks devank. That is pretty much how I work it out too. I am happy if the added rent covers the interest on the cost to do the work, but more would be great.

My main aim is to make this house more appealing to prospective tenants because we are getting $525 per week when the suburb average is $400 but it doesn't offer what many people think they should get for $525 per week.

I am hoping to increase the number of potential renters by making it more appealing to a wider "audience".

It is a very appealing house, but doesn't have storage, linen, ensuite etc. Tenants usually stay a long time due to what it DOES offer, but getting them through the door at such a rental price is the issue for me.

 

[ozsupra]

Apart from agreeing with Devank I believe you next step would be to determine the demographics you want to attract. If you are considering maximising rental income then focus on multiple occupants over families. If you a looking at long term tenants then consider the reverse.
Cooparoo has a wide range of properties and the location of yours should dictate the type of demographic that is most likely to be looking.

Personally I would probably gut the whole place and do a redesign. If your drawing is even roughly correct there is considerable wastage of space in the central area.
A.