[NSH]

我看中了一个3个bedrooms的townhouse。 这个townhouse在二楼还有一个大的family room,在一楼有一个living room 和dining room。 房子开发商可以免费把这个family room改造成一个睡房，并把family room 移到 basement。但由于到这个房间的楼梯是从上二楼楼梯分出几级上去的，装上一个门后显得不是太好看，而且这个房间的出口不在二楼的走廊上。

我不知道在渥太华是不是多一个卧室的房子将来要卖会好卖些?我现在烦恼的是要不要改造这个family room。

请各位大虾个一点意见。

[Sarah Sarah]

May be you can post the floor plan.

[Timothy's]

Does it mean the builder will finished your basement for free? If it is the case take it. May be just put a french door(glass door) in the family room. You can use it as office, family room or bed room.
A finished basement can increase your house value(as well as tax).
I saw this kind of house before. I believe the family room is over the garage, so it is lower than second floor, its entrance is at middle of stair. It is very easy to convert it to bedroom or convert it back to family room. For sale point of view, it all dependant on buyer. Some people may like it, some may not.

[NSH]

Here is the picture. The facing steps are to the family room. And the right steps to the bedrooms. It seems they are on the same level.

I just got a phone call from the house sales person. She said her boss was not willing to sign the contract since she had given us too much bonus. So she has to charge us for $1000 if we want to turn the family room into a bedroom. In this case, do you think it is still a good idea to rebuild it? Thanks.

[greensnake]

眼熟，那家BUILDER？

[NSH]

Claridge

[Timothy's]

It will depend on what they will do in the basement. But If they finish it, even a part of it. It costs more than 1000 dollar. Because they will need to frame the wall, put insulation, wiring, drywall,painting and carpet. 5000 at least if you do it yourself. I will go for it.

[NSH]

The basement will be finished as their standard specification. $1000 is charged for turning the family room on the second floor into a bedroom/office. In that case, they will move the fireplace to the basement, and add a door and a closet to that room.

[NSH]

By the way, this new town house is at Bank and Walkley (north-east of the cross of these two roads). Is that a good area for living?

[Timothy's]

One way to tell is school grades. Check with public school board, if the school is ok then the area is ok. Another way is to see are there low end apartment nearby. You also can check houses in the block to see if people care about their yard.

[greensnake]

是Claridge的房子，我不建议改成睡房，因为它在车库上面，冬天真的狠冷，不如做厅，它有个大壁炉，很不错。

[开喜]

最初由 greensnake 发布
我不建议改成睡房，因为它在车库上面，冬天真的狠冷，不如做厅，它有个大壁炉，很不错。

楼上的说的也是我想说的. 如果是我, 我就留着Family Room, 不改. 以后容易卖.

[小傻]

From re-sale point of view, it would be better if you change it to an extra bed-room.

$1000 is fair, since moving the fireplace may cause the builder to re-route the pipe (say $500) and a door would cost you extra 250 somehting..

[Timothy's]

The problem is where to put fireplace, not family room or bedroom. Add or remove a door and closet is a easy job. You can do it now or later depend on you needs.
It is good to have fireplace in family room, office. Not bad in a guest bedroom. I don't like a fireplace in basement. It feels kind of cheap. I will keep my money, leave it like that. Later if I need a office or bedroom I add a door myself.

[小宝妈]

我周围的朋友都觉得把fire place移到basement是最好的solution。这样子在冬天basement就没有那么冷了。。倒是从来没有觉得有cheap的感觉，各花入各眼吧。。

我觉得那个地方叫loft比较合适，如果加上french door，可以做一个书房，也不觉得一面封死的门给人感觉不好。。将来如果要住人，在里面装个纱门帘就可以了。。