Reply to: Bungalows

[shaunbhoy]

I am Larry the Loner incarnate!

ftfy

[malvolio]

To me the word bungalow screams "pensioner", and I'd never contemplate living in one. But they do have plus points, and are generally pretty saleable.

Ironically I have a two-bedroom single-storey annex to my main three storey house, and use it more like a large summer house. So I suppose in a way I have bought a bungalow after all.

To me it screams "45 years work done and dusted, no mortgage, three vehicles on the drive and a large sum in the bank". And I've never been busier and more fulfilled in my life.

Wait till you hit your mid 50s, your view of pensioners will change very quickly indeed...

[Wilmslow]

I am 43 and live in a bungalow. Detached. Loads of land - have converted the attic to a dormer and created an extension running right along the back. Fantastic large housed for just me!

[RonBW]

Was it the episode where she wasn't pregnant?

Yes, but the cold sore was there instead.

[filthy1980]

Was it the episode where she wasn't pregnant?

I don't there ever was an episode where she wasn't

[OwlHoot]

To me the word bungalow screams "pensioner", and I'd never contemplate living in one. But they do have plus points, and are generally pretty saleable.

Ironically I have a two-bedroom single-storey annex to my main three storey house, and use it more like a large summer house. So I suppose in a way I have bought a bungalow after all.

[northernladuk]

I remember that episode, it was a fare while ago though 10-12 years maybe

it seemed to work out for the bloke but his family had to live through the building work which he largely did himself which must have been an absolute nightmare

Was it the episode where she wasn't pregnant?

[filthy1980]

One of the Sarah Beeny programmes a while ago had some fella who made his money buying bungalows and then adding a dormer / attic conversion.

My in laws did the same to theirs to have more space - lost a tiny middle bedroom but gained a room the size of the whole building instead.

Might be worth looking into if you can't find a house you like.

I remember that episode, it was a fare while ago though 10-12 years maybe

it seemed to work out for the bloke but his family had to live through the building work which he largely did himself which must have been an absolute nightmare

[Lockhouse]

We've got a large (3000sq ft) 4 bed bungalow. My wife has Fibromyalgia and can't manage lots of stairs. We went from a 5 bed townhouse which was fine when the kids were growing up as everyone could have their own space but when the kids left, the house was not what we needed. The living space is open plan and spread out with high ceilings so seems huge and is great for entertaining. It's on a nice sprawling plot with neighbours at a reasonable distance. We wouldn't move back to a storied house unless we had to.

[ladymuck]

I pretty much grew up in a bungalow. My parents bought it for pennies about 30-odd years ago. It's on a large corner plot but annoyingly has a huge front garden and small back garden. Maintenance is easier as you can pretty much do everything with a step ladder.

I can't say a bungalow is any better than a house. Sometimes you get a bigger plot, sometimes not. What's more important is whether the location and layout work rather than whether you have an upstairs.

[maccas99]

We bought a 2 bed detached bungalow a couple of years ago on a large plot in a rural area (nice large village). All the rooms are much larger than our old 3 bed detached house and in fact the sq. footage is the same as the last place but with less bedrooms all on one floor.

Currently planning on rebuilding the garage to provide a utility room and more storage and then a loft conversion to add another 2 bedrooms and a bathroom.

We bought it because of the large plot (nice big garden for the kids) and the area it's in. If you can find a good one you will like it.

[SueEllen]

A delicate question, but how old are you? Bungalows are good for the retired or soon to be (or basically those without families), they usually come with a good garden too

I was talking to someone about bungalows just before Christmas and now families without disabled kids are moving into their semi-rural area. The main reason is there is more flexibility over how to configure and partition the rooms.

[RonBW]

One of the Sarah Beeny programmes a while ago had some fella who made his money buying bungalows and then adding a dormer / attic conversion.

My in laws did the same to theirs to have more space - lost a tiny middle bedroom but gained a room the size of the whole building instead.

Might be worth looking into if you can't find a house you like.

[SimonMac]

I've been house hunting to no avail for a while now and have decided to widen my options.

Somebody suggested looking at bungalows because often they are roomier and airier - I mean big windows that let in more light and bigger rooms.

Anyone on here ever moved to the single storey lifestyle and decided they could never go back to a house with a staircase?

A delicate question, but how old are you? Bungalows are good for the retired or soon to be (or basically those without families), they usually come with a good garden too

[Pip in a Poke]

A 3 bedroom, 2,000sqft bungalow will have the same number of bedrooms and floor space as a 3 bedroom, 2,000sqft house. The difference is the amount of land it takes up.

Rather than getting hung up on the number of stories, list out your requirements...
Near a school?
Near a pub?
Near shops?
Public transport links?
Quiet area?
New build or old?
Willing to do work on it?
Number of bedrooms?
Number of bathrooms?
Number of receptions?
Office space?
Size of kitchen?
Size of garden?
Orientation of garden?
Garage/sheds?
Off road parking?
Budget?
Short term investment, or long term living?

Detached,
Larger than average garden,
Off street parking /garage,
Fireplace or ability to have woodburner installed,
Rural/semi-rural,
Not an investment per se - a house is a home!