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This is likely going to sound like a stupid question, but I'm curious to hear what other home owners thought processes might be if they were in a similar situation.
We're first-time home buyers, in the process of purchasing a 4-bedroom, 2 (full) bathroom cape that is already rear-dormered upstairs with the doggy-dormers in the front. The current layout is two smaller bedrooms and a full bathroom downstairs and two larger bedrooms with a full bathroom upstairs. We have plans to dormer the front upstairs as well (within the next five years or so), to add another bedroom on one side, and put a master suite on the other side (poss. with additional master bath), so all the bedrooms would be upstairs.
Since it's just the two of us for now, with no kids on the way for at least another 4 years or so, we figure we can mostly live on the main floor. Even though the bedrooms are smaller, it will save in heating bills (upstairs is a separate zone) and cleaning time, as well as allowing us to occupy both bedrooms downstairs until we need more space upstairs, etc.
We are currently sleeping on a Queen size mattress (a really crappy Ikea mattress) that we desperately want to replace with a REAL mattress. We always thought we would upgrade to a King when we bought a house, but the bedrooms downstairs won't comfortably fit a king mattress in addition to other normal bedroom furniture, but it will fit a Queen.
So, FINALLY, my question to you is, which of the below options is what you would do if you were in this situation?
1) Buy a new QUEEN Mattress, use the downstairs bedroom until upstairs is dormered and then upgrade to a KING mattress, repurposing the previously-purchased Queen Mattress as a guest room bed (in the meantime, the existing IKEA mattress will be the guest bed).
2) Buy a new KING mattress and squeeze it (with all the other furniture) in the small bedroom downstairs, following the same plan as the above when the upstairs is dormered.
3) Buy a new KING mattress and just live upstairs, leaving one of the downstairs bedrooms empty, and use the existing (crappy) Ikea mattress as a guest bed (other bedroom downstairs) indefinitely.
4) Other (please explain)
I know this sounds like I'm over-thinking it, but a mattress is a big purchase and I'm just curious what other more seasoned home owners would do and why.
A mattress is a major purchase if you opt for a $3500 (or more) mattress. I don't think anyone can really give an answer. If you need a new mattress then you should buy a new one. As for the size, that all depends on how you want to live. If you want to be cramped or have an empty room is entirely up to you. You can always use an empty room as a spare room/computer/TV/sitting room.
Do you realize the cost of dormering a cape? You seem pretty ambitious but, if you are concerned with spending money on a bed, you should really look into what it is going to cost to properly dormer your home. Think 100k +.
Quote:
Originally Posted by csteen85
This is likely going to sound like a stupid question, but I'm curious to hear what other home owners thought processes might be if they were in a similar situation.
We're first-time home buyers, in the process of purchasing a 4-bedroom, 2 (full) bathroom cape that is already rear-dormered upstairs with the doggy-dormers in the front. The current layout is two smaller bedrooms and a full bathroom downstairs and two larger bedrooms with a full bathroom upstairs. We have plans to dormer the front upstairs as well (within the next five years or so), to add another bedroom on one side, and put a master suite on the other side (poss. with additional master bath), so all the bedrooms would be upstairs.
Since it's just the two of us for now, with no kids on the way for at least another 4 years or so, we figure we can mostly live on the main floor. Even though the bedrooms are smaller, it will save in heating bills (upstairs is a separate zone) and cleaning time, as well as allowing us to occupy both bedrooms downstairs until we need more space upstairs, etc.
We are currently sleeping on a Queen size mattress (a really crappy Ikea mattress) that we desperately want to replace with a REAL mattress. We always thought we would upgrade to a King when we bought a house, but the bedrooms downstairs won't comfortably fit a king mattress in addition to other normal bedroom furniture, but it will fit a Queen.
So, FINALLY, my question to you is, which of the below options is what you would do if you were in this situation?
1) Buy a new QUEEN Mattress, use the downstairs bedroom until upstairs is dormered and then upgrade to a KING mattress, repurposing the previously-purchased Queen Mattress as a guest room bed (in the meantime, the existing IKEA mattress will be the guest bed).
2) Buy a new KING mattress and squeeze it (with all the other furniture) in the small bedroom downstairs, following the same plan as the above when the upstairs is dormered.
3) Buy a new KING mattress and just live upstairs, leaving one of the downstairs bedrooms empty, and use the existing (crappy) Ikea mattress as a guest bed (other bedroom downstairs) indefinitely.
4) Other (please explain)
I know this sounds like I'm over-thinking it, but a mattress is a big purchase and I'm just curious what other more seasoned home owners would do and why.
Do you realize the cost of dormering a cape? You seem pretty ambitious but, if you are concerned with spending money on a bed, you should really look into what it is going to cost to properly dormer your home. Think 100k +.
For what we're looking to do (front dormer only), it looks like it can cost anywhere between $50-$100k to do. And the only way we'll be able to save that much is by not spending frivolously between now and when we're ready to do it, which is why something like a mattress purchase for a couple thousand dollars needs to be thought-out, in my opinion. Do you disagree?
For what we're looking to do (front dormer only), it looks like it can cost anywhere between $50-$100k to do. And the only way we'll be able to save that much is by not spending frivolously between now and when we're ready to do it, which is why something like a mattress purchase for a couple thousand dollars needs to be thought-out, in my opinion. Do you disagree?
Front dormer only? That leaves you a very awkward house. Typically capes are dormered to look like colonials with full 8' ceilings in the upstairs rooms. The back of your cape doesn't have 8' ceilings and if it does than the roof is completely flat. If you are looking to make a box instead of a house than your front dormer idea will be fine. Think 100k + and a lot more taxes if you want a decent looking place.
A good nights sleep is priceless though so a couple grand on a mattress is money well spent.
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