Converting A 2-Bedroom Flat To A 3-Bedroom Flat

Have you ever thought of purchasing a 2-bedroom flat in Prime Central London (PCL) and then converting it into a 3 bed flat?

Typically for a 2-bedroom flat to be converted into a 3 bedroom it needs a few things:

Minimum of 800 sq ft

Anything smaller than this will feel incredibly cramped…

Don’t forget that you need to fit a kitchen, a bathroom (probably two - at least one with a shower?!) and a living room into the flat, too, alongside three bedrooms.

You could, of course, put a small galley kitchen in the living room, which could mean that you have a larger 2nd bathroom, if the layout and plumbing, etc, allowed for it!

Add onto that any storage space that you need and you can probably see that anything smaller than 800 sq ft will probably not work!


“Try and buy a 2-bed flat with high ceilings.

Firstly, it adds an extra layer of spaciousness and could allow you to have a mezzanine bedroom, meaning your living room, kitchen and bathroom areas more spacious, too!”


Stay Away From Square Shaped Flats

This is because your bedroom will eat into part of the living room (if it has to be ‘created’) and it will be forced to be an awkward shape - most bedrooms are not a perfect square for this reason!

Alcoves

A 2-bedroom flat with a clear alcove (usually an alcove is in an ‘L-shaped’ flat) is a positive.

This alcove can easily be turned into a bedroom, with the use of a shortened wall or a sliding wall!

Don’t Make The Bathroom Ensuite

Whilst an ensuite bathroom may be desirable, with a 2-bedroom flat that is being converted into a 3-bed flat it is less than ideal.

This is because guests will then have to walk through your bedroom to be able to use one of your bathrooms!

Not the dream scenario for either party…

Freeholder

A lot of 2-bedroom flats are leasehold.

Essentially, this means that you will have to check and get permission from the freeholder of the building to make any changes to your apartment, such as converting it from a 2-bedroom flat to a 3 bed flat.

Please do not even attempt to make changes without getting the necessary written permission!

It may well have to be changed at an extra expense (and time!) to you.

Ceilings

Try and buy a 2-bedroom flat with high ceilings.

Firstly, it adds an extra layer of spaciousness and could allow you to have a mezzanine bedroom, meaning your living room, kitchen and bathroom areas more spacious, too!

So, would you ever consider buying a 2-bedroom flat and converting into a 3-bedroom flat?

If so, which area(s) would you look into buying your next home in?

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