Why do so many new builds have en-suites/lots of bathrooms?

[Bloodybrambles]

Just out of curiosity really. Growing up I don’t really remember them being much of a thing. Maybe large houses (4+ bedrooms) would have an en-suite off the master bedroom. I remember house hunting with my parents as a kid and a downstairs toilet was a deal breaker. Even then I don’t remember that many houses having en-suites/lots of bathrooms (I feel like we viewed hundreds of houses).

A few of my friends live in new builds and something I’ve noticed is a lot of bathrooms:bedroom/space. One friend has a five bed with five bathrooms! No wonder she has a cleaner…

My best friend has just bought his first house. It’s a cozy two bed, open plan downstairs with a WC, then the master bedroom with en suite and bedroom 2 (just about fit single bed + wardrobe) with the family bathroom opposite. He had been looking with his partner for months and just wanted something in budget, that had at least two bedrooms + parking.

It’s almost made me conscious that we’ve not future proofed with what we hope to be our family home. One family bathroom for three bedrooms (plus wc downstairs).

@Kpo58
Its a one off
Someone has bought the land and squeezed a property in. Possibly owner occupier development?
Long thin site and they clearly wanted 3 beds
If that’s what it takes for these people to have a home in Wimbledon then that’s up to them
At least they’ve used up a piece of brownfield land in the city.

Agree. It’s not an ideal layout but these tight sites are hard work getting in everything the client wants.

The link won’t open I’m afraid
I’d love to have a nose though

Try searching manually. Postcode is LE2 6TP. Number 5 sold for £290k

but what's the point in having a huge loo downstairs with a wheelchair accessible doorway and everything, when all the bedrooms are upstairs and no way to make an accessible downstairs bedroom?

Building regulations say that new build houses must have a WC downstairs, large enough to convert to a shower room. This is so if a conversion is required by a disabled homeowner, it can happen easily. Most new builds have at least one room (or a garage) that can be converted to a bedroom.

I'm sorry you feel homes shouldn't be designed with future proofing for disabled people, but remember, anyone can become disabled at any time.

I think some people see a new build as status symbol.

And some see a Victorian property with "period features" as a status symbol. There is a lot of snobbery around homes generally and by and large all of it is meaningless.

We bought a new build because after 30 years of living in various different older properties, both my husband and I were sick of every bit of DIY being difficult and costing a fortune.

My washing machine and dryer were in the bathroom when i lived in Germany, my washing machine lasted nearly 10 years, dryer only made it to 8.

Our house was built in the late 90s we have a master ensuite and downstairs loo. Between 2 of our bedrooms we have a massive walk in cupboard if this house was built around now it would probably have been made a jack and jill ensuite, however the cupboard is so much more practical than another bathroom!

You're right. I think we should put toilets back outside 🤣

I would nt buy a house without a downstairs cloakroom. I saw the consequences of not having one at my parents house when my Dad became frail. I am in the process of buying and selling and surprised that older houses that have not had one incorporated into them. A small utility room with a toilet is such a good add on to have. Always alot of interest in houses that had these and IMHO a worth while investment.

There was a house 1.5 miles from me. The only loo was outside. Needed a wee in the middle of the night? Walk down the stairs, into the lounge (where stairs were), through the dining room and into the kitchen. Then outside, walk the perimeter of the kitchen, bathroom (bath and basin). Read somewhere that still about 60-85k houses don't have a toilet inside in this country.

My DM broke her hip which had to be pinned before it was eventually was replaced. First 12 weeks she had to sleep in the lounge as couldn't use the stairs. That downstairs loo was a godsend.

Previously we put a basin into the third bedroom, it lived inside a cupboard with sliding doors . DH used it for shaving, which meant he wasn’t occupying the bathroom for ages. We also had a sink in the room I used as a studio which had a spray option tap, excellent for washing hair. So one bathroom, seperate loo and no traffic problems.

Although my brother who bought a new build had over 600 snagging issues. Including sewage in the garden. It took a year for the developers, Persimmon, to connect up the pipes under their garden and get rid of all that sewage.
They still have diy to do, just like any other house.

That Wimbledon house layout is awful. None of the bedrooms will fit anything bigger than a double bed comfortably. They were so keen on that big open plan look with folding doors to the garden that they completely compromised the function of the space. The kitchen is not an efficient layout and it makes it difficult to have a proper living space. There's only so much you can do if you want to squeeze 3 beds into that square footage over 3 floors, but there's still better choices they could have made.

Gosh. I thought DH’s 147 was bad (including a bay window you could lift out, fitting the wrong kitchen, the driveway taking out the bottom of my car, cutting down the internal doors before the carpets went down so every door had a 3 inch gap, including the toilet at the top of the stairs). I think he got £20k in compensation (and everything fixed) and then sold it 18 months later.

My brother didn’t get a penny compensation. Even for the sewage.