studio conversion to one bed

It is a new development condo.

I believe all bedrooms must have a window to be approved by DOB. Also with no window room will be dark and probably be a huge negative for resale.

I dont know what DOB is.

I guess in these circumstances people call the room a "study".

Personally, to me, a dark bedroom is not a big deal because I would just sleep there. Also, it would be quite easy to leave the top part of the wall with some knid of glass so there would be some light pouring in. But I am interested to hear what people think..

To be legally called a bedroom, the space must have a window as per the DOB (department of building.) If you were to re-sell, it would still be considered a studio.

what is no big deal to you is a big deal for others. While i agree that a dark bedroom is no big deal as it is a place to sleep, I know that when i go on a cruise i personally would never choose an inside cabin as it is just to dark.

I lived for years in a jumbo studio in lincoln towers and never converted to a bedroom as others have because the open space is great. I would have met all definitions as it was wall to wall windows, but i just felt the space would feel closed off and anyone who came would then have to walk through an actual bedroom to get to the bathroom.

I do know that if i was to see a place that had a closed off dark room i would immediately strike it off my list as a one bedroom.

thanks;

* I don't think the legal definition is all that relevant in that any buyer could see for themselves and determine if they think of it as a one bed. There is enough space to reasonably call it a one bed in colloquial terms.

* The problem is the lack of window. Would it work if the wall incorporated a sliding door with french-door type panes, or a row of widows along the top of the wall, or something like that..to let some light in.

* If done well, perhaps building in a small closet for the bedroom (because there is no closet in the alcove area), it would seem like a one-bed.

* I thought lots of people have done this at Lincoln Towers and elsewhere on the idea that it adds value. Is that not right?

I don't mind a studio too much but I like to have a guest every now and then and in that case I hate a studio because your guest is sleeping in the same rooom.

Buyer, you wouldn't be able to list it for resale as a 1-bedroom. It is not going to be what most reasonable buyers would consider a 1-bedroom, and attempting to charge a premium for putting up a wall wouldn't get you very far. You could list the room as a Home Occupancy unit. For comparison you can check new developments like BelTel lofts, 20 Pine. They have lots of windowless "bedrooms" but they can't technically be advertised as such, and they definitely sell at a discount to actual bedrooms with windows. A transom or panes don't make up for the fact that there isn't a window.

If it's something you'd do for your own happiness living there, then by all means go ahead, but don't expect it to hike your resale value.

Buyer, the lincoln tower apartments are wall to wall windows, so it is nothing like what you are talking about.

You have to remember that a lot of people enjoy studios for their open feel. To close off the room and make it dark, even if you do glass to let light in is going to limit people when you go to resale.

I agree with evnyc that it will not add value as you are not even doing any real work. Even if you spend $5k putting up a wall, what sort of value do you think you are adding?

I take your points. It sounds like most prudent is to do something easily reversible, to keep flex for me and any buyer.