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To keep outside toilet

41 replies

NoNoHellaNoNoHellaNoNo · 01/10/2023 17:32

Victorian terrace, long narrow back garden, with an old outside toilet block at the end. It still has a functioning toilet.

We have an indoor bathroom and toilet but DH thinks we should keep the outside toilet, albeit cleaned up a bit. He thinks it would be useful during BBQs and stuff.

I think we should rip out the toilet and convert the block for use as outdoor storage, which we need.

Who, if anyone, is being unreasonable?

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NoNoHellaNoNoHellaNoNo · 01/10/2023 18:31

There is space for some storage within the toilet block, even with the toilet retained. We don’t have much lawn and so don’t have a mower, we either use a strimmer to tidy it up or my dad pops down with his mower. So maybe that’s the compromise. Shelves above it is a good idea.

OP posts:
User63847439572 · 01/10/2023 18:30

I’d keep it - nice bit of social history, but I’m a bit weird like that

UsingChangeofName · 01/10/2023 18:20

Haven't voted, as neither of you are being unreasonable, but I can't tell you how useful either an outside toilet, or one near the back door is over the years of small dc playing outside ..... + when you have people round outside ..... + workmen / builders ...... + when elderly, or physically impaired people are round.

Ideally though, I'd be looking at trying to configure a way to have it so that the toilet is inside, but by the back door. It just makes it so much more useful throughout the year.
You'll always fill whatever storage you have, but a downstairs toilet is just invaluable.

TheNoodlesIncident · 01/10/2023 18:18

I think a diagram would be useful.

We also have an outside accessed loo, but ours is under the stairs. It's very handy for all the reasons outlined by PP. When we were having the garden landscaped the workmen all used the outside loo (and it has electric sockets in there too which was beneficial).

But, we don't have another toilet on the ground floor, so if we're indoors and need the loo we have to traipse upstairs. Not a biggie to do that at the moment but my mum's partner struggles with mobility and I'd rather we had a loo on the ground floor as well.

Yours sounds like it can only be accessed from the garden which simplifies things. Can you build some storage into the space within the block, or add to your storage with Keter boxes or similar stashed behind the toilet block?

Mabelface · 01/10/2023 18:14

Keep it! There's only 2 people in my house but we both have IBS so only one toilet is a bloody nightmare.

BIossomtoes · 01/10/2023 18:13

Unless you have another downstairs loo, keep it. Trekking up and down stairs every time you need the loo is a pain.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 01/10/2023 18:10

I would keep the toilet. You can never have too many toilets, and old Victorian ones flush the best. Also a well ventilated loo at a distance from the house can be a blessing.

KajsaKavat · 01/10/2023 18:09

I think the outdoor toilets are quaint, very English to me, who is not English. I would keep it.
also as a gardener working in peoples gardens I loooove them even more because I don’t have to worry about about dirtying anything .

quickqpls · 01/10/2023 18:07

I like the idea of the toilet. Why not spend a summer with it and see how often it's used and then make a decision?

Also, I've just downsized and getting rid of clutter has been so nice. The more storage you have the more crap you accumulate. I'd vote to keep and find a storage solution that works, but as you've said; without seeing a diagram hard to tell what additionally storage you may need.

Riapia · 01/10/2023 18:07

Eh? Why would this be an issue? Workmen are human beings too.
Except MN workmen.
😉😁😁😁

CharlotteStreetW1 · 01/10/2023 18:06

I was one of five children so a household of seven with one bathroom indoors. It was only when clearing the rammed shed as a teenager (and only three of us living there by then) that I discovered it was actually a working toilet! It would have been a bloody godsend. Keep the loo!

LadyEloise1 · 01/10/2023 18:01

We were lucky enough that we were able to get rid of an outside toilet and incorporate the freed up space back into another room.
I hated the one we had growing up, never went into it - you wouldn't know what was lurking there.
I would never have asked someone working in my home to use the outside toilet if we'd kept it.

Though the man we bought the house from had "notions" so he probably did. 🙄

Mimilamore · 01/10/2023 18:01

Keep the toilet.... so useful. I had 4 children who spent a lot of time in the paddling pool in the garden, the outside loo meant no water trails through the house. Sometimes when I'm busy it is quicker for me to use our outside loo rather than run upstairs. My husband, we are ancient now, finds the stairs a challenge unless he is going up and staying up so uses it a lot. When I'm gardening it comes into it's own.., also good for storing garden stuff with easy access.
Apart from that , I am fond of the old loo, there is a new cistern etc in there but it suits the character of the house to have it outside. Mine is attached to the house though next to the old coal hole but that houses my washing machine and tumble dryer now.

Tumbler2121 · 01/10/2023 18:00

I like having the outside loo, but then again just have bathroom indoors. It's really easy to build storage inside around the actual loo; there is quite a possibility that people will appreciate this kind of original feature when you come to sell.

Ilefttownonsaturday · 01/10/2023 17:59

Am extra toilet is useful when someone is having a bath and you're desperate for a wee. Plus when you have visitors and parties etc and for when the kids grow up.

Ohthatsabitshit · 01/10/2023 17:56

Keep it. I have one and it’s really useful. In fact so much so I got the plumber to attach it to the hot water last year. It’s beautiful and private and quiet.

PuttingDownRoots · 01/10/2023 17:55

One of our previous houses had a toilet just inside the back door (off the utility room) and it was so useful especially with small children. No getting the wellies off in winter to go to the toilet, parties, when the paddling pool was out...

However it was freezing and that was inside the house. Outside... it would be unusable for a large part of the year.
A shed would probably be more use.

MintJulia · 01/10/2023 17:55

Having a gardeners loo saves people walking grass cuttings and mud into your house when they need a quick wee. And it is useful for bbqs. We have one and ds's cousins used it last year when they camped in the garden. Useful for tipsy teens too.

Alphabet1spaghetti2 · 01/10/2023 17:52

Put some shelving and hooks up above the loo. Storage and a loo.
I would keep it, and get a keter storage box/locker for lawn mower etc. (we have one and they are fab, takes all the garden tools and the tumble dryer.)

saltinesandcoffeecups · 01/10/2023 17:51

NoNoHellaNoNoHellaNoNo · 01/10/2023 17:48

Thanks all.

It’s hard to explain, probably needs a diagram, but there’s nowhere else to put a shed other than where the toilet block is. Well, not without it just looking a bit daft because of the narrowness of the garden.

I’d rather an extra toilet and a daft looking garden 🙂

saltinesandcoffeecups · 01/10/2023 17:50

Keep the toilet!

Storage is great and all but an extra toilet when the need arises is priceless. You didn’t give much in the way of details, such as how many you have in the house, size of family, frequency of guests, etc. But as a rule storage is pretty easy to sort. A toilet when in need is not.

RichardArmitagesWife · 01/10/2023 17:49

So handy when you’ve a pack of children playing out in the summer! Especially if you have a paddling pool - so wet footprints through the house!

cardibach · 01/10/2023 17:49

SM4713 · 01/10/2023 17:45

Of course they are, but OMG! We've been renovating for 2 yrs and no issues with the toilets until this week! We discovered the biggest poonami explosion in the toilet. It was so forceful- that they not only shat all around the bowl, but it blew upwards too- covering the underneath of the toilet seat!!! I'm honestly unsure its even humanly possible to do that! 🤔😩💩

Even if this is true, it being in an outside loo wouldn’t change much…

NoNoHellaNoNoHellaNoNo · 01/10/2023 17:48

Thanks all.

It’s hard to explain, probably needs a diagram, but there’s nowhere else to put a shed other than where the toilet block is. Well, not without it just looking a bit daft because of the narrowness of the garden.

OP posts:
Gypsum5 · 01/10/2023 17:48

I’d keep the bog, it’ll add value to the home.