To get back to thread(!) A friend of mine bought such a house - now has 2 kids - spends all her time running up and down stairs & is totally fed up with it. I think it's just builders trying to get as much house on as little land as possible. As for room size, the smallest rooms are deemed ok by those who don't have to live there.........................and put up with by people whose income doesn't allow them much choice. I once saw the DCC rules on room size and if you put a king size bed in the master bedroom, you coulnd't fit a wardrobe/chest of drawers. (If your partner is much heavier than you, you *need* a king size bed!) The poor will always be treated with contempt.