does an ensuite bathroom add value?

[kiwibella]

we've moved in to a four-bed property with three bathrooms - a wc downstairs, a poky family bathroom with a bath upstairs, and an ensuite with a shower off the master bedroom.

I would like to (eventually) knock through the wall between the family bathroom and ensuite to make a large bathroom (possibly, still with two entrances). I think it could be organised much better. Except, hubs doesn't agree. He thinks that not having an ensuite would affect the value of the property.

Is there a middle ground ?

[mumblechum]

I think it prob would affect it as people are obsessed with en suites. We've arranged our house so the guestroom has an ensuite but we don't, because as dh charmingly puts it, who wants to listen to their other half farting/pooing before they come to bed?

[flowerybeanbag]

I agree with your DH. If it's a 4-bed property a buyer may well expect there to be an ensuite off the master bedroom, and if there isn't, will be looking for ways to put one in, and will want to adjust the offer they make accordingly. I know I would.

Apart from anything else, you might easily have 6 people living in a 4-bed house and really don't want to be queuing for the bathroom in that situation!

[flowerybeanbag]

Picture the scenario. Family of 6, including for example Mum, Dad, 2 teenage girls, a 12 yo boy just discovering the mirror, and a young child. All sharing the same bathroom. And it could be 4 teenagers plus Mum and Dad, even worse.

[kiwibella]

damn! I need to get creative with the family bathroom.

I at your comment about noises from the bathroom mumble... our teenage dd actually has the master bedroom. I liked the layout and location of our room better.

[AppleandMosesMummy]

If you were a family of 6 wouldn't you have a 5 bed house though ?
I know that's a major consideration for us.

[ComeOVeneer]

For a 4 bed property I would want at least 2 bathrooms. We have an ensuite bathroom, as does dd, then there is a further family bathroom (basically ds's as he is the only other one here, but also used by geusts when they stay), and then a cloakroom on the upper ground floor.

[flowerybeanbag]

Perhaps all families of 6 can't afford a 5 bed house!

The point still stands with a family of 5 anyway. Mum, Dad and 3 teenagers sharing a bathroom would be almost as bad.

[kiwibella]

so, basically... I think that you are all not considering the downstairs wc as an actual bathroom? Is that right?

Mum, Dad, and a toddler are having enough of a squish in our family bathroom regardless of teens and number of bedrooms!!

[flowerybeanbag]

If the downstairs has a shower in it, then yes it counts. Otherwise no, because it's not much help between 7 and 8 in the morning when everyone's trying to get ready for school/work at the same time.

Is putting a shower in the downstairs one a possibility? You do see that sometimes.

[mumblechum]

Downstairs loo I'd consider a bathroom only if it has a shower.

[kiwibella]

definately not a possibility. In my opinion, it would have been better as a closet.

It's interesting tho... I almost don't want to admit that our toothbrushes and hair stuff is downstairs. More so we're not traipsing up and down for those last minute jobs.

[HerHonesty]

consider that you dont spend much time in a bathroom so size isnt that important but families tend to be in them at the same time iyswim, so number is!!!

also personally dont consider downstairs toilet as a bathroom, it is a cloakroom

[leenasmom]

I was in the same dilema when I refurbed upstairs...The choice of a 4 bed with ensuite or a 3 bed with family bathroom and ensuite in master bathroom...
we opted for the fourth bedroom and having an ensuite in the master feltthe extra bedroom- though a bit small would suit us better than the other bathroom upstairs as have a family bathroom downstairs aswell...
so i guess we chose the oppisite to what you want the ensuite over the family bathroom ....good luck

[HerHonesty]

obviously, not all int he same bathroom at the same time...!

[Fizzylemonade]

I think most en-suites are considered to be something functional, whereas a bathroom is somewhere you spend time as a bath takes longer than a shower so it needs a bit of room.

Can you not nick a bit of space from any bedroom next to the bathroom to make it bigger? Even if you nicked a bit from 2 bedrooms? One either side?

I think once you have lived in new builds where even some 2 bed houses have en-suites then you never look back.

I love the idea of a period property but unless I could get an en-suite in I wouldn't want it. But then I would never consider living in a property with a bathroom downstairs

[kiwibella]

Fizzy... that is exactly what hubs wants to do - extend sideways into the fourth bedroom which is the baby's room at the moment. It's a small box room now... and I fear that we will end up losing that room altogether? Then we would be in a three-bed .

We are in a new build.

[goldenpeach]

Don't care for ensuite. Since having my daughter I have become a very light sleeper so I have to sleep on my own. DP loves having his own room too. So it's useless to have ensuite, we'd rather have good rooms for each of us, one for the little one and a fourth for guests. I'd rather have a family bath upstairs and a cloakroom downstairs.

[HerHonesty]

love having an ensuite, its like me and Dh have our own space, like our own hotel room! its very grown up (or was, until dd crapped on v.expensive wool carpet on sunday...)

[MrsSpringsteen]

i think ensuites are a bit naff

[HerHonesty]

er naff? how, explain?

[Fimbo]

I live in a house with an ensuite (having previously not had one) and really don't get the fuss about them. If I need the loo in the night, I still get up and go to the bathroom anyway so as not to wake dh up with my abolutions.

[noddyholder]

They don't add value.But are seen as a nice extra and might swing a sale between 2 houses if someone was waivering.they are considered naff!Although I think useful for having crazy night of passion

[noddyholder]

Ds loo does from my experience

[kiwibella]

I'm so confused now. If I was making a decision about the best place to have a crazy night of passion, I would be back at square one... building ONE more spacious bathroom.

Really intrigued that some think an ensuite is tacky . It certainly feels like a waste of space for me although dd likes having her own bathroom. However, I do understand the arguments for a number of people squeezing into one bathroom.

[willowstar]

well we are buying a house where the current owners have knocked in a wall ready to put an en-suite in, making it a 3 bed with ensuite to master and family bathroom, but with another bathroom downstairs.

They didn't get any further than knocking in the wall, so we are going to rebuild the wall, convert it back to a 4 bed and have a bathroom upstairs and downstairs.

Neither of us are keen on en-suites so makes sense to us. but then we are going to have a bathroom upstairs plus a shower room downstairs so slightly different situation.