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Original poster

Bathroom design ... separate toilet or no?

38 replies

alwayswrighty · 21/02/2022 19:00

We've got a 70s house. No toilet downstairs. Bathroom and toilet upstairs separated by a stud wall. I'm considering knocking them together and having one big bathroom but then my husband said what if we have guests. We rarely do, so not something I'd considered.

Also the pipework where the toilet is takes up about a foot from the wall so we'd have to consider what we're doing with that.

Would you knock through or not bother?

OP posts:
Yeahbutnotreally · 21/02/2022 19:17

I would make it one bathroom.

Is there actually a sink in with the toilet? The only houses I’ve been in with a separate loo had no sink so you had to walk into the bathroom to wash your hands anyway which is always odd.

Lindy2 · 21/02/2022 19:21

My mum's house was like this. She had it knocked through which made it feel quite a bit bigger.

Like Yeahbutnotreally said the sink was in with the bath anyway so you had to go into both rooms.

jeanne16 · 21/02/2022 19:22

We have a separate bathroom and toilet and although it is considered unfashionable, it was a life saver when the whole family was getting ready for school/ work.

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Home improvement
Foxyloxy1plus1 · 21/02/2022 19:22

I dislike a separate toilet, if there’s no basin, so I’d go for making it one bathroom.

I wouldn’t like guests to have to use the toilet and basin in separate places.

Nyfluff · 21/02/2022 19:24

If the sink was in with the toilet then I'd leave it, more practical for someone enjoying a bath. I'd rather spend the money on a downstairs wc.

Whiffle77 · 21/02/2022 19:26

We kept our wall in place but turned it in to one room by moving the door further into the corridor, and then turned what was the toilet into a walk in shower, and put the bath/toilet/basin into the main bathroom. It feels really luxurious and so much nicer!

Original poster
alwayswrighty · 21/02/2022 19:36

@Yeahbutnotreally no basin in with the toilet here. I have looked at those toilets with a basin on the cistern.

@Whiffle77 we can't do that because of the pipe work (the main down pipe takes up quite a bit of room).

Not having a sink in the toilet is grim, well I think so.

OP posts:
coronabeer · 21/02/2022 19:46

Recently converted a 1960s separate toilet and bathroom into one large bathroom and really glad I did so. We have a really big, luxurious bathroom now with a separate shower, bath, wc and basin.

We also had a weird soil pipe arrangement which meant the toilet was about a foot away from the wall. That was easily moved by the plumber and we how have a toilet against the wall, like most people do. Ask a plumber about moving the toilet and cutting down the amount of exposed piping.

swirlsy · 21/02/2022 19:48

Personally I never understand the big bathroom thing particularly when there is only one toilet. Who wants their bath or shower interrupted by someone needing the loo or vice versa

Pixiedust1234 · 21/02/2022 19:49

Hell no, keep them separate. Years down the line the toilet will be a stinking dh reading room and the kids will want their bedtime bath or shower. If you had a downstairs toilet or ensuite then fair enough but does and teenagers are both bathroom huggers in different ways.

swirlsy · 21/02/2022 19:49

But yes if separate it needs a sink in, didn't know it was common to have a toilet but no sink.

Pixiedust1234 · 21/02/2022 19:51

dh and teenagers - bathroom hoggers. I guess huggers would kind of fit the context too Grin

Hexagonmum · 21/02/2022 19:51

Knock it down...separate toilets make me shudder, dirty hands touching the door handle to go into main bathroom to wash hands, hassle and very ewww

Original poster
alwayswrighty · 21/02/2022 19:52

Only have kids here eow so not so much of an issue but we definitely need a sink if keeping separate and because it's so narrow we'll have to have one of those sink on the cistern jobs.

OP posts:
swirlsy · 21/02/2022 19:53

Can you not do one of those little corner sinks? I've seen some clever use of space in restaurants

swirlsy · 21/02/2022 19:54

Knock it down...separate toilets make me shudder, dirty hands touching the door handle to go into main bathroom to wash hands, hassle and very ewww

Is it not normal to have sinks in the separate loo? Do people have downstairs toilets without sinks in them as well?

Original poster
alwayswrighty · 21/02/2022 19:57

Offending toilet (put in by previous occupant)

Bathroom design ... separate toilet or no?
OP posts:
Carpetmoth · 21/02/2022 19:58

My FIL house has a separate toilet without sink and I hate it. Doors are always closed if he's used them so you have to touch 2 or 3 door handles after using the toilet before washing your hands . Yuk. Then if you are just going into the bathroom part you are touching the same handle. I also don't like the cubicle feel.

Original poster
alwayswrighty · 21/02/2022 19:59

So pipe crosses and goes down into kitchen in the wooden piece of crap box thingy. Hence only a couple of inches to play with (had plumber out)

OP posts:
DetailMouse · 21/02/2022 19:59

I wouldn't know it through if there's no other toilet.

Teenagers can shower for hours and no one can have a wee...

littlepeas · 21/02/2022 19:59

Knock them together! Separate loos are a relic.

Original poster
alwayswrighty · 21/02/2022 20:00

@Carpetmoth that's how I feel 🤮

OP posts:
wizbit93 · 21/02/2022 20:03

We don't have an upstairs bathroom but have a separate bathroom and toilet downstairs. What we have done is rehung the door so that it opens outwards and we have been able to have a small sink in there. I'd love an upstairs bathroom but that won't happen!

Bathroom design ... separate toilet or no?
DressingPafe · 21/02/2022 20:04

I wish I had a separate loo! I have IBS and the amount of times I’ve been desperate and someone’s been in the bath or shower is unreal. It’s not fun or pleasant. What works right now, may not work in the future. If they’re already separate no way would I be making it into one room.

Kite22 · 21/02/2022 20:05

I would keep them separate, but try and squeeze a tiny handwashing sink in.
Different if you have another toilet in the house, but as you don't, then invaluable.