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Original poster

Would you buy a house with a toilet in an open-plan room?

232 replies

lostinspace00 · 14/09/2026 15:30

Hope to find some sensible opinions here before I (possibly) waste loads of money (and so sorry i just posted this on an existing thread by mistake).

My house has a separate dining room and kitchen with a hallway between the two leading to a toilet. I want to knock the walls down to create one large room but keep the toilet as it’s very useful. To cover all bases:
1 no I can’t afford to put the toilet anywhere else it would make the job too expensive

  1. I want to keep the toilet (it’s a shower too) rather than get rid of it as it’s useful.

would you buy a house with a toilet in the middle of a big open plan room?

I’ve created some excellent architectural designs to show you what I mean (by excellent I mean a bit shit)

Thank you to anyone who can be bothered to respond

[image removed by MNHQ at OP's request]

OP posts:
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10
thatwasclose · 14/09/2026 16:33

SethTrek · 14/09/2026 15:36

I don't think that would pass building regs. A toilet can't be directly off a kitchen. You need 2 doors between the kitchen sink and the loo

Not true as long as the toilet has a basin in it.

JuneSoon · 14/09/2026 16:32

My niece has just bought a new build and the huge downstairs loo opens directly into the small kitchen/living room.

Eta @beaglescurleduplikebagels you are doing a sterling job trying to educate people about building regs!

beaglescurleduplikebagels · 14/09/2026 16:31

ChaChaChaChanges · 14/09/2026 16:29

It was very normal. But it’s against building regs now.

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No, it's not.

smilesy · 14/09/2026 16:31

BritsAbroadly · 14/09/2026 15:48

I think you need two doors between a kitchen and loo? It would be properly grim either way and I really wouldn’t.

No you don’t but you must have handwashing facilities in the toilet

Purplebunnie · 14/09/2026 16:30

No. I discount all houses that have a toilet off the kitchen. If there is a door into a utility room and then another door into the kitchen then that's a possibility

ChaChaChaChanges · 14/09/2026 16:29

beaglescurleduplikebagels · 14/09/2026 16:26

Loads of homes in the UK have bathrooms directly off the kitchen. It's very normal.

Show quote history

It was very normal. But it’s against building regs now.

TubeScreamer · 14/09/2026 16:28

not a chance!

nomas · 14/09/2026 16:28

Some suggestions from ai

Would you buy a house with a toilet in an open-plan room?
OrangeFlower14 · 14/09/2026 16:28

But why don’t you want to remove the loo? I don’t get it. No, I wouldn’t view it.

beaglescurleduplikebagels · 14/09/2026 16:27

Womanofcustard · 14/09/2026 16:27

It would be against building regulations! You can’t have a toilet opening onto a kitchen. Has to be two doors (like it seems to be at present).

It's not against regulations. Loads of homes have toilets directly off the kitchen (we do, for example). Our bathroom is directly off the rear of our kitchen.

Laiste · 14/09/2026 16:27

SethTrek · 14/09/2026 15:36

I don't think that would pass building regs. A toilet can't be directly off a kitchen. You need 2 doors between the kitchen sink and the loo

yep

we got told that recently - we've got a door taken off our dinning room (which is knocked through to the kitchen now) only temporarily to get stuff through easier and the building reg bloke clarified that its def going back on ....

i want it left off

Womanofcustard · 14/09/2026 16:27

It would be against building regulations! You can’t have a toilet opening onto a kitchen. Has to be two doors (like it seems to be at present).

Mildmanneredmum · 14/09/2026 16:26

And have your local council agreed the plans? My local council back in the day would always insist on two doors between the kitchen and toilet.

beaglescurleduplikebagels · 14/09/2026 16:26

Waitingforthetimetopass · 14/09/2026 15:46

I am pretty sure that a toilet is not allowed to open into a kitchen. At least if you live in England that is. I would personally have major reservations as well.

Loads of homes in the UK have bathrooms directly off the kitchen. It's very normal.

Yupstillhere · 14/09/2026 16:26

I don't understand what the purpose of the finished room will be. I've used the loo in people's utility rooms that have a random toilet. If the utility room is large I have felt a bit exposed. You say the toilet is a shower too, it's a small bathroom? I don't get it. Doesn't sound appealing to me.

happylittlefruit · 14/09/2026 16:25

I'm interested in where the stairs are 😂

Could you build a utility room around it somehow?

Mildmanneredmum · 14/09/2026 16:24

SecretDressAgent · 14/09/2026 15:35

Imagine going into it and other people in the room watching you enter and leave and hearing the flush.

I'd be amazed if that's all they hear

hotmumshit · 14/09/2026 16:22

Keep it as it is, its lovely - you could go big with the doors, get lovely arch ones, or glass ones and have the loo on one side and shower on the other

Or have the loo on one side and your washer dryer on the opposite

Original poster
lostinspace00 · 14/09/2026 16:22

Well this is depressing as I just had a text off the builder saying he will start next week.

so to summarise

OP posts:
Cosimarocks · 14/09/2026 16:21

No way. You’d essentially be putting a ‘toilet box’ in the middle of the room. It would be incredibly awkward. It’s almost putting the user on show. Perhaps you could add a fanfare that plays whenever the door is opened?

Boot room or something as others have suggested. Even though everyone would still know where someone is going, that little be extra hiddenness would create a massive amount more privacy psychologically.

KnickerlessParsons · 14/09/2026 16:21

Are You sure you can knock both those walls down? Aren’t they holding up the upstairs?

LibertyLily · 14/09/2026 16:20

Can you share the whole downstairs floor plan @lostinspace00? There might be other options for your layout change.

SquidgyPudge · 14/09/2026 16:20

nomas · 14/09/2026 16:11

You could just go upstairs!

But I take your point, I might feel awkward going upstairs too.

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Me: Can I use the bathroom, please?
Friend: Of course, it's right there.
Me: Erm. Can I use the one upstairs?
Friend: Noooooooo!
Everyone else: Awkward silence...

We all know how, (only on MN admittedly), people aren't allowed to go upstairs, never mind use someone's bathroom!

😬😂😬

crazycatladie · 14/09/2026 16:18

Probably wouldn’t bother me as it’s not in the lounge.

Pallisers · 14/09/2026 16:18

No I wouldn't. Definitely not.

When we renovated our house one of our reasons was to put in a downstairs loo. The architect put it pretty much where you have - right between the kitchen and the dining room. I was like wtf? As was my builder (he was better than any architect). At the builder's suggestion they moved it so it was outside the kitchen and we put a walk in pantry behind it.