In a survey of UK estate agents, 56% said they have increasingly seen new downstairs bedrooms being created in the past few years.
The new research from Churchill home insurance found that 11% of Britons say they have either recently created, or plan to create, an extra bedroom on the ground floor, with 74% of those who have converted or are planning to convert, expecting the value of their property to increase as a result.
However, only 21% of estate agents say that converted sleeping space on the ground floor adds to the value of a home. They see the main effect is a rise in potential rental income, with an average increase of 16% for swapping living space for an extra bedroom.
Although 23% of bedroom converters say that increased property value is the primary reason for the change, the reasons for this trend are not just financial, Churchill said.
Many homeowners are looking to help out their family, by making best use of the space they already have in their home. 21% wanted to create a spare bedroom for occasional guests and 13% wanted the extra space for an adult son or daughter who was moving back home. 11% converted sleeping space on the ground floor for their elderly relatives and an equal amount converted it for someone who was unable to climb the stairs, or for making extra room for a child that had outgrown their previous bedroom.
Martin Scott, head of Churchill home insurance, said: “Putting in a downstairs bedroom can be a very practical solution for homeowners, whether they may be finding space for a growing child, helping to care for elderly relatives or making visiting friends feel more comfortable.
“The cost of converting a downstairs room is likely to be significantly less than moving home, so whilst high property prices continue to be an issue, homeowners are making sensible changes to what they already own.
“Increases in the number of bedrooms or occupants within the household could affect Home insurance cover and policy limits. Therefore, it is important homeowners make their insurer aware of changes to their properties.”
