Hi all,

A while ago, I wrote a post here about worry in overbidding on a house. Those fears have been remedied, but I’ve now been left with another big concern…the tiny rear garden size (it’s even smaller in real life):

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-55058472.html

As it stands, it’s a lovely 2-bed house, in a desirable area, 3-minutes walk from one of the best parks in Bristol. Houses in these adjacent streets of a decent quality, don’t come up often, and when they do they sell like hot cakes. In time, assuming we stay longterm, it may be that we do a loft conversion, making it a good sized 3-bed house. Not yet decided on kids…but probably. My concern though, is that we’ll be left with an imbalanced property, with a tiny garden that puts off potential buyers. Or rather, it will appeal to first time buyers maybe (if they can afford it), but potentially put off a lot of people who have kids, or want to have them, so capping it’s value and saleability severely.

Looking on Google Earth, this house has drawn a short straw on plot size, with all houses nearby having at least an L-shaped courtyard garden, if not something markedly bigger.

Anyway, I’d be grateful for opinions on whether to do away with the big kitchen extension, and put big sliding doors at the rear to allow light in, therefore opening up a courtyard garden. Or, given the close proximity to the park, just leave it as it is. (I’m guessing it would cost about £10k).

The last option (the chain hasn’t even completed yet, so we’re still at square 1), is to pull out and wait for something that ticks all the boxes – a nice house in that area with an extension and a courtyard garden. But as above, when that will be, or even if we’d be successful, who knows.

Basically, I love the house, but am just worried that we’ll be shooting ourselves in the foot when it comes to sell it in the future, in virtue of the practically non-existent garden.

Spending money on making the house smaller…!! … DO NOT DO THAT.

Are you over thinking it/cold feet ??

Looks lovely by the way…. Move in and enjoy your love nest.

Good luck

Reducing the floor area is a good way to knock £££ off the value of the house.  I think the lack of a big garden would be easier to sell to a future buyer (low maintenance etc etc).

Are you suggesting knocking down the extension just to have a bigger garden! That would be crazy and throwing money away. The extension should have been built to make the kitchen wider rather than longer then open into the dining room but it’s a bit late for that. The tiny garden will be a factor, especially if the surrounding houses have bigger ones, but it’s not everything. Plenty of houses without much outside space and lots of flats with none.

Personally I’d want a bit more outside space as it’s nice to have and gives room for expansion. We’ve got a reasonable sized garden that I’ve built an extension and workshop in but I still look enviously at the houses on the corner a few doors down with much bigger ones so I suppose whatever you have you’d like more

With regards to the rear, leave it be, especially if you’ve got a big park nearby.

I’d do nothing!!

Just as many people don’t want a garden as do. Especially in cities.

Looks similar to the 2 bed houses that I and many of my friends had in Bedminster. I wouldn’t worry about the garden affecting resale, most would prefer a larger kitchen. Besides even without the kitchen it would still be small. Besides 2 minutes from the parks means you have a massive garden.

Look lovely, I love double bay fronted houses, our street is only single bay fronted 🙁

that garden without the extension would still not be a good size garden for kids to play in, it’d just be a slightly less tiny garden. A loft conversion would leave you with approximately the same amount of living space vs bedroom space, which seems well balanced.

Utterly bonkers – as above, do not reduce the size of the house for a bigger courtyard (you can’t even call it a garden as it is clearly not a garden). Even if it was a beautiful little garden with open countryside views it would be financially crazy but as it is a mid-terrace (and I assume overlooking the backs of other terraces) there is hardly any value in the courtyard no matter the size.

Nice gaff.  I thought Bristol was meant to be expensive. Demolishing the kitchen would be mental – also not sure the mortgage company would be very happy as you’d be basically devaluing the property.  Kitchen>>>>Garden.

I thought Bristol was meant to be expensive.

+1, seemed very cheap to me….

Get rid of the astroturf, pave it nicely, some pots, few climbing plants on that blank wall, nice furniture. The only other thing you could do is put in some bifoldy doors around the bottom corner to make it a space you’d use on nice days.

At least you’re asking on here before doing mental stuff like knocking down extensions!

I’d be tempted to just try and bring the garden inside, remove that shed at the back of the kitchen and add bifolds at the back, add a pillar to hold the roof up in the corner and whack another opening down the side, you get a bigger garden and a bigger kitchen

Nice house. Sensible price. Plenty to do to help those spaces feel more together but nothing is necessary. Spend a year in it and see what it wants then

Really nice house. Move in and do nothing.

I would save your money for the loft conversion. Enjoy living in it for a bit before you go mad demolishing anything.

Imo babies and toddlers can manage with small yard  – with a park near by I wouldn’t worry.

Plenty of room there for bike storage. 🙂

Nice house, lack of garden is a definite bonus from my PoV, but then I’m lazy and don’t like gardening. As-is it looks ideal for a small table, sitting outside with a beer / glass of wine / coke on a warm night and not have to worry about the state of the lawn and how I’m going to have to mow it in the morning 🙂

Jesus Christ! That’s a beautiful looking house.The bathroom alone is quite possibly bigger than my house and I have two kids. Just knock down the little shed and get rid of the fake grass.

Thank you all for the helpful responses. As they say, a bird in the hand is better than 2 in the busy. I think I just need to stop looking at other properties, as always feels like the grass is greener.

e.g. this came on to the market today nearby. Firstly, it’s £320k and will probably go over asking (although we bid £305k on our one listed for £280k, as there were 5 bidders within 24 hours). And yeah it has a bigger garden, bigger bay windows, and has a tiny study (hardly a 3rd bedroom!). But in every other way, I would say it’s not as nice, plus it’s on a horrible through road, which is always busy with traffic:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67109491.html

At the end of the day, the one we have had an offer accepted on, ticks loads of boxes, and the garden point is far less of an issue given the 3-minute walk to a superb park (complete with playground, skate park and a lake). It’s also a 5 minute walk to Aldi and the 2 best pubs on Church Road. I hadn’t even thought about adding Bifolding doors at the back + taking out the shed + adding patio/potted plants/seating area against the end wall. It will still be a tiny space, but at least it would open things up a bit and make the most of the space available. And it’s West-facing. I’ll press ahead! Coincidentally the chain completed this morning, so it’s all go.

Thanks again.

But in every other way, I would say it’s not as nice,

Yep. Looks sterile as well, living room was horrible, just a temple to a gross TV.

Mr Scaled above has it right.  Get rid of the shed.

Also, get rid of the kitchen cabinets and move the fridge from the far end of the kitchen, and put up lots of open wall shelving further up into the kitchen.  You will then have a space which is actually big enough for a proper table and chairs.

You have a very big cooker.

Not yet decided on kids…but probably.

In some way’s your last option might be valid

wait for something that ticks all the boxes (or do nothing)

You could buy somewhere for just the two of you that would sell on to another couple in the same situation… if/when you do decide on kids your life priorities will change (garden, schools and 101 other things) or not spend extra on this you won’t get back?

Stevextc – sorry I don’t quite get what you mean in your final sentences. Do you mean it’ll sell on to a couple in the future easy enough, but if we spend money on making it a 3 bed/improving it, it’ll be wasted money, as it’ll never appeal to families anyway?

Ahem, so a further (probably mad) question on this.

Would it be financially viable to remove the existing extension, but extend the old kitchen sideways to the outside boundary wall? This would in theory create a wider, open plan kitchen diner (that could have plenty of glass in to let in light), and also opens up an actual backyard.

What would be a very broadbrush estimate for doing this, and would it even add any appeal/value?

(A look at Google Earth may assist in showing what I mean – 38 Cossham Road, Bristol – 4th house along from the end, with the skylight in kitchen roof).

If I understand you correctly, you would end up with exactly the same square footage, configured slightly differently.

And 40-50 grand poorer (guess) once you’ve accounted for demolition/building/fitting out/ landscaping costs. You will not make that money back, because you still have a kitchen diner of the same size.

Might make the place more sellable if you do it right, but I doubt it would add any value whatsoever.

EDIT: Also, what is wrong with that kitchen? If you extend out across the side return, you will not be any lighter because you will lose the windows at the side.

Would not make sense. Looking at the pictures you would have to sort all the drains from the kitchen out and the soil pipe, which is all do able but will cost money. I wonder if this is why they built out the back rather than do as your suggesting originally.

Just live in it and see how you feel in a years time! You are overthinking this.

Or if you can find another £40k+ to modify this then buy something else that works better!! 🙂

It would be a better configuration but no way would it be cost effective. It would also take a while and be very disruptive. I’d suspect for what it would cost you could buy a house in the same area already done and with other benefits

Basically you’ll be taking one of the best features of the house, that it is nicely finished and ready to move in, then undoing it.

Or if you can find another £40k+ to modify this then buy something else

This. 100%