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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

No bathroom

119 replies

GiBlues · 28/07/2019 16:57

DH and I are thinking of building a 2 storey extension on our house which will mean all 4 bedrooms we have now will be bigger as well as adding 2 extra en-suites. So 4 bedrooms, 3 en suites.

DH has suggested we do away with the main bathroom and make that a 4th en-suite so everyone has their own bathroom. I’m not sure as I think it seems odd not to have a main bathroom although we do have a downstairs toilet for visitors so the main bathroom would only be used by the person in the 4th bedroom.

Would love opinions on what we should do:

YABU for no main bathroom and YANBU for keeping the main bathroom

OP posts:
LIZS · 28/07/2019 17:03

Could one of the bathrooms be a jack and jill, so ensuite to one or two bedrooms, or one bedroom and access from landing.

Purplerain16 · 28/07/2019 17:06

I think doing away with a main bathroom is a great idea tbh.
What's the point in keeping it if every bedroom has their own bathroom?
Just in case someone comes for a visit and for some reason needs a shower? Nah, get rid and have a 4th en suite. Sounds perfect

Original poster
GiBlues · 28/07/2019 17:06

We could do that but it would mean just having a shower in the main bathroom.
However we would have a bath in our en suite so we would still have a bath in the house.

OP posts:
Pipandmum · 28/07/2019 17:07

No I hate jack and Jill style - you still don’t get any privacy.
I would think one family bathroom that’s not en suite would be better than all en suite. It may be only used by the fourth bedroom but it still allows for flexibility.

ReeReeR · 28/07/2019 17:08

I think if you have a downstairs toilet then you don’t need a main bathroom

Anyone needing a bathroom (shower or bath) as opposed to just toilet and sink would presumably be staying over so can’t think in what scenario you’d need a main bathroom

MediocreOmens · 28/07/2019 17:09

I hate en-suites (especially ones with no external window and poor ventilation) but I know I am in the minority on that.

I would say it's always handy to have a main upstairs bathroom. Irritating to have to walk through a bedroom just to use the loo. I also sometimes use the bath to soak house plants or hand wash curtains etc which I'd prefer not to drag through bedrooms to get it outside to dry. All small things I know but I just can't imagine not having a main bathroom!

Will any of the en-suites have a bath? as in a 4 bed family house that is a definite must.

ReeReeR · 28/07/2019 17:14

Irritating to have to walk through a bedroom just to use the loo

But you’d presumably use the downstairs loo unless you happened to be in one of the bedrooms already?

Original poster
GiBlues · 28/07/2019 17:14

the en-suite to the main bedroom will have a shower and bath and all the en suites will have an external window for ventilation.

OP posts:
MauisHouseOnMaui · 28/07/2019 17:15

Would it not affect the value if the house is ever sold?

NotMyCircusMonkeys · 28/07/2019 17:18

I think I would keep the family bathroom, especially if it was bigger/also had a bath. I'm not sure I'd buy a house with no main bathroom so it may affect resale value.

Alsohuman · 28/07/2019 17:19

If it were me I’d have two en-suites and a massive, utterly luxurious family bathroom.

ReeReeR · 28/07/2019 17:20

Why wouldn’t you buy a house without a main bathroom? If it had four en suites and a downstairs toilet

ShirleyPhallus · 28/07/2019 17:21

I hate en suites personally, all that steam and, ahem, scents piped back in to the bedroom as they rarely have windows

I’d keep one bathroom accessible by the hallway instead

SabineSchmetterling · 28/07/2019 17:21

Our small, 2 bedroomed house has no main bathroom. We have an en-suite, there is a small ensuite shower room off the second bedroom and a there’s toilet off the landing that visitors use.
I think having an en-suite for each bedroom works well as long as there’s a toilet that you don’t have to go through a bedroom to get to.

Tavannach · 28/07/2019 17:27

I don't like en-suites, so I definitely think YANBU.

MauisHouseOnMaui · 28/07/2019 17:28

I wouldn't buy a house that doesn't have a main bathroom. I have small children and if I was buying a family home I wouldn't want the younger children in an en suite room as its enough of a headache keeping toddlers out of the main toilet and bathroom unsupervised as it is without putting one right there in their bedroom, it's also extra bathrooms to clean and manage when they're too young to take care of it themselves.

MauisHouseOnMaui · 28/07/2019 17:29

My ideal in a four bed house would be 1-2 en suite rooms and a really nice family bathroom.

Isatis · 28/07/2019 17:29

I must say, given the choice I'd keep the main bathroom, lose one or both of the en suites and take advantage of the extra space to make an extra room or two, perhaps as study/workrooms. Having en suites is a terribly restrictive use of the space you'll be gaining, and how difficult is it for people to walk a few steps to the main bathroom?

Iloveacurry · 28/07/2019 17:32

I would keep a main family bathroom. From a selling point in the future, I think most people would prefer this.

Poppins2016 · 28/07/2019 17:36

I'd rather have a main bathroom. I wouldn't want (day) guests to walk through a bedroom in order to get to an upstairs bathroom.

Additionally, I wonder whether you need/would get true value out of having three en-suites? How often would they be used? Could you use the space for storage/a walk in wardrobe, for example? Could you even create an additional bedroom rather than adding two extra en-suites?

anothernotherone · 28/07/2019 17:37

No main bathroom and the only bath in the main bedroom's ensuite is not ideal for a family. Parents might not mind bringing toddlers through to bath them in their ensuite, but if they have visitors with a toddler staying a few nights and the guest room has an ensuite shower only it's a bit unsatisfactory. Far more unsatisfactory for a family with two teenagers who like baths...

There should be a family bathroom with a bath IMO.

I don't think ensuites are great in a family house anyway though, better to have a big family bathroom with separate bath and shower cubicle and only the guest room and master have ensuite shower and toilet with proper window if you have to have them.

Who's going to buy the house after you?

GeorgiaGirl52 · 28/07/2019 17:38

An en suite for every bedroom plus a downstairs powder room? That would be a great selling feature for me! If you have an overnight guest they get a private bathroom -- if it's just visitors then they have the powder room. Perfect!

Original poster
GiBlues · 28/07/2019 17:39

We would be adding a dressing room as well as the en suite to our bedroom. Visitors would not need to go through the bedrooms to use a toilet as we have a downstairs w.c

OP posts:
bridgetreilly · 28/07/2019 17:42

Four bathrooms plus a downstairs toilet for a 4 bed house is insane. Building an extension to make it happen is doubly insane.

Medicmog · 28/07/2019 17:44

It seems odd to me to not have a family bathroom off the corridor.

If it is your forever home and you are happy then go for it, but it may effect your resale value. I wouldn't for this reason.