Does removing a bedroom devalue a house?

If you’re thinking of removing a bedroom, you’ve probably got a good reason. Perhaps you want to turn two small bedrooms into one big one, or maybe you’re willing to sacrifice a bedroom in order to gain another bathroom. You might even simply want to convert a bedroom into a home office.

But before you go ahead and make your grand ideas into a reality, there’s one important thing to check: does removing a bedroom devalue a house?

Does removing a bedroom devalue a house?

Yes. Removing a bedroom is likely to devalue your house. In fact, it’s one of the costliest home improvement mistakes you can make!

Your house could sell for a whopping 15% less if you put it on the market after removing a bedroom.

When potential buyers look for a home, there are two main things they’ll usually use to filter their search: price and number of bedrooms. By removing a bedroom, you’ll drastically reduce the number of homebuyers that will consider your property and immediately make your property less appealing.

What should I do instead of removing a bedroom?

There are three main reasons that homeowners might look to get rid of a bedroom:

1. Make existing bedrooms bigger
2. Create another bathroom
3. Create a home office

However, no matter the reason, removing a bedroom is still likely to devalue your home. Instead, it’s sensible to consider other ways that you can achieve the same result.

1. Extend

Investing in a house extension will help you to gain more valuable space, which you could use in various ways to improve your home – whether that’s to improve the footprint of your existing bedrooms, create a new bathroom or add a dedicated home office space.

You could even use your extension to add a whole new bedroom, which is one of the best home improvements you could make when it comes to adding value.

2. Avoid permanent changes

If you’re not planning on moving any time soon, it makes sense that you want to make your home work for your needs. However, if you decide to convert a bedroom into a room with a different use, such as a home office or a games room, avoid making any permanent changes such as adding bulky desks or built-in shelving. That way, the room will be easy to revert back to a bedroom when you come to sell.

Better still, keep the room dual purpose, so that it can still be used as a guest room. Hopefully, that’ll give you the best of both worlds.

Does adding a bedroom increase a house’s value?

Yes! Adding a bedroom is one of the most financially savvy home improvements you could make. Estimates vary, but adding a bedroom could add as much as 15-20% to your property’s value!

Doing a loft conversion to create space for a new bedroom and en suite will likely add the most value. But adding an extra bedroom doesn’t have to be pricey. You could simply convert an existing room – like a snug – into a bedroom by refurnishing and redecorating it.

If you’re planning to add extra living space to your home, it’s worth bearing in mind how much value an extra bedroom can add. So, whether you’re creating a snug, home office or games room, seriously consider making it dual-purpose so that it can also function as a guest room. That way, you can enjoy your home in the way that you want now, but when it comes to selling your property, the new room can be classed as a bedroom – allowing you to maximise your home’s value.

Key takeaways

• Removing a bedroom could knock as much as 15% off the value of your house
• Dual-purpose spaces can allow you to use a room for your preferred purpose, without sacrificing a bedroom
• Adding a bedroom could increase your home’s value by up to 15-20%