I will see if anyone else comes along in a while to see their opinions then put you all out of your misery.

About flaming time too - taps fingers with frustration.

LYNN I'm sticking with my fireplace!! OMG so excited

Yeah, I am going with the fireplace, and also the fact that it isn't going to be that expensive to sort the stairs out. I paid nearly that to have new spindles and bannisters put up in my house, never mind new stairs!!!!

No idea which you will choose but I'd choose that black and white cottagey one just coz I love old houses like that - even if they are totally unsuitable!

Ooops but meant to say I WOULD have a bog standard sized staircase though. I was advised to do this back when I did my very first loft conversion and glad I listened. 'Funny' stairs might be OK if you are always careful, but a nightmare if you are carrying a basket full of laundry or anything else that obscures your view as we do up and down stairs 'off by heart' or from memory really. Too short a step or too steep a rise and problems can crop up.

In Jen's last house where she had the loft, I couldn't get up and down them when my leg was gammy and Bella couldn't go up them at all because her body being quite long for a short dog, she couldn't get her back legs onto the stair with her front legs!

Ok. Drum roll we have chosen this one.

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-...?premiumA=true

It felt so right going back into it having the rights to moor a boat and not having difficulty for permission for a jetty and steps so the kids can fish when visiting.
Good size bedrooms and kitchen and lounge and it just felt right when we walked back into it.
The stairs can be sorted and we will have a stable door on the front of the house. We both feel we have made the right decision.

YES!!:

CONGRATULATIONS LYNN AND FAMILY
Delighted for you

Gorden has checked you are only 45 minutes away.
Well Peterborough is anyway.

Breathes a big sigh of relief for you Just imagine the fire in there in the winter Delighted for you all Lynn.

Plumbing for washing machine in the Lounge

Oh, wait till Dilly Dally gets a load of that garden