Hi all
I’m new here. I’m sorry if this has already been asked, I have done a couple of searches but couldn’t find anything….
We have a highest home in Queensland, just out of Brisbane on the redcliffe peninsula. Upstairs has 2 bedrooms, one small bathroom & toilet, a kitchen and lounge, large decking and small front room (tiled entrance way with a small dining room table that we don’t use).
Downstairs has external access only via exposed stairs (no rain protection- not good on days like today, or most of Queensland summer for that matter!) the rooms are there is a laundry, large bathroom & separate toilet and 1 bedroom. Also there is a large space used at the moment for storing our junk but could be filled in and made into a large rumpus room albeit with a couple of large concrete piers in the middle of the room.
I would like your advice if possible on whether it is worthwhile installing an internal stair case? The only possible place would be from the front room. We are looking to move out of Queensland in the next year and so we would need to rent the place out and eventually sell. If we rent as is, it could really only be rented out as 2 bedroom with a separate study- unless you have adults sharing and one has the bottom floor bedroom to themselves. That means a smaller market and less rent / eventual selling price! I cant imagine a family with small kids or even early teens would be interested. All that would be interested would be a couple with no or one child who is looking for a guest room.
However, I understand that building an internal staircase and then concreting, new gyprock on walls, painting, tiling & possibly new windows downstairs will add up to quite a lot. Has anyone faced this dilemma? How would you work out the cost v benefit involved? Should I look at comparable properties in the area for 2 bedroom highsets and then 3 bedroom highsets, or is it worthwhile speaking to a real estate agent?
Or would we be wiser investing in something to protect the stairs from the rain so at least if someone was living downstairs they could get down & up without getting wet?
Thanks in advance for your help!