A two-bedroom now, a three bedroom later? (wood floors, how much, sofa)

[Nepenthe]

I'm looking for a first home in the area north of Fort Worth, TX. I'm looking in the $140K-160K area, possibly a little higher. I'm single. Today I talked to Twinmark: Twinmark Homes - Available Plans in Innsbrook Place . I was impressed with the customization they seem to allow and *encourage* while keeping the prices in line with similar stuff in the area from Ryland or K. Hovnanian.

Anyway, I mentioned that I didn't really need two extra bedrooms but that having one large/long room would be great, and the guy suggested we find a plan with two bedrooms back to back with closets on the opposite sides and just omit the dividing wall.

This would create a 13 x 26'4" room, which would be a nice music room/den + workout room + small office/computer area. Nice large futon or convertible couch lets it function as a guest area as well. I can see it in my mind so clearly and it's great. This would let me have the "great room" area and dining area finished (and furnished) more traditionally (maybe even with wood floors as much as I tend to dislike them) but have this other area with ideal acoustics for an audiophile hifi system including this carpet: ShawFloors.com - Carpets - 5 Star - Residential - Twist - My My My . This "den" area would only need one hifi system and LCD TV to service my needs for television, gaming, movie-watching, and music enjoyment, and I could enjoy these while working at the computer/office, working out on the machine or treadmill, playing guitar, lounging on the sofa, eating at the motion table, or even lying in the bed/futon. This seems MUCH better than having one lonely little office, one lonely little workout room, and one lonely little guest bedroom and then having the living room double as a traditional living room and den. Yah, I'm a bachelor.

Anyway, the guy's idea was that when I went to sell it I could just convert it into two bedrooms (three total including the separate master bedroom of course) by having the dividing wall installed. I'd have to work out the details of how much of outside wall (where the two doors would be) would be built initially.

Does this sound like a terrible idea, a fair idea, or a terrific idea? Would I deeply regret my choice when it came time to sell the place and I had to worry about that wall? Anyone have an extremely rough ballpark estimate for how much adding a 10 foot high 13 foot wide wall would cost me?

Thanks folks!

[K'ledgeBldr]

Save yourself some heartache- go with 3 bdrms at the get-go.
But if your deadset on it, I'd do it this way:
Build the wall and install either 1 or 2 sets of french doors. That way can can close off one half the area when not in use and, when you do need two actual rooms- pull the door units, stud up the openings and cover with d/wall. Fill in the missing basebrd and paint. Done. No involved framing, electrical (which you would need to install in the wall for the rooms to meet code), D/wall, etc.
Good Luck-

[Nepenthe]

I'm not dead set, it just seems like it would make much more sense for me. Since I'm probably not going to have a large gameroom, and nobody has basements down here, and I'm trying to avoid having an office and computer room + treadmill and home gym IN my living room/family room, it seems like a great idea. I enjoy music and film while working at my desk and while working out, but if I just have two or three auxiliary cubicle bedrooms for each function, they're kind of off by themselves. I don't think I'd use them or enjoy them near as much (or at all?) that way as I would one combined comfy room.

I haven't thought about code -- personally I don't know why a wall needs electrical if the other three walls have it. I guess I'd have to look into that.

Thanks!

[rubytue]

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

I haven't thought about code -- personally I don't know why a wall needs electrical if the other three walls have it.

Cause the code requires it

Seriously, its to avoid the use of extension cords as permanent fixtures (which they should never be). You need to have an outlet accessible from every wall, b/c you never know where someone is going to want to put furniture.