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Original poster

House design dilemma!

37 replies

maude87 · 01/08/2019 08:18

We are in the process of extending our 3 bed terraced house by adding a double storey extension. I'm really happy with the downstairs layout BUT the way our architect has designed upstairs leaves our bathroom with no windows. I'm not sure how I feel about a bathroom with no opening ventilation - we'd have 2 sun tunnels and an extraction fan in there but it's still not quite the same. My dilemma is this, do we:

a) move the bathroom across the hallway, sacrificing a spare bedroom (small room) and making the old "bathroom" into a walk in wardrobe/en suite for the master. This would mean we were a 3 bedroom house still just with bigger rooms and a new ensuite/walk in wardrobe!

b) keep the bathroom with no windows and have a small 4th bedroom upstairs. Meaning we were a 4 bed house.

We don't want to devalue our house by removing a bedroom to sleep in BUT as we don't plan on moving for a number of years, can't decide if we will regret not having a window in the bathroom and wish we had!

Any experience on bathrooms with no window? Any advice at all?!

Thank you Smile

OP posts:
Scottishgirl85 · 01/08/2019 08:22

We need to see drawings! I wouldn't buy a house with a windowless bathroom, but a double storey extension without adding a bedroom seems a shame...

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 01/08/2019 08:22

The main bathroom in our current house has no external windows and I don't like it... It feels musty and claustrophobic. It's quite a small room as well.

StillRunningWithScissors · 01/08/2019 08:25

Is it only possible to do the sun tunnels? If you had a velux roof window, I think it would solve the issue.

I'm guessing it's the loft space above, but is there a way to section that bit of loft off and extend part of the ceiling up?

PaquitaVariation · 01/08/2019 08:28

I’ve never had a bathroom with a window, can’t say it’s ever been an issue. So long as you have appropriate ventilation it’s fine.

StillRunningWithScissors · 01/08/2019 08:32

Kind of like these

House design dilemma!
House design dilemma!
House design dilemma!
Borderterrierpuppy · 01/08/2019 08:32

I had a biggish bathroom with no windows, as long as you have excellent lighting, ventilation and mirrors it’s fine.

MRex · 01/08/2019 08:37

Need to see the layout please.

flouncyfanny · 01/08/2019 08:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SmallPinkBear · 01/08/2019 08:42

I had a bathroom with no window and it was fine. The person who had lived in the house beforehand had put a huge mirror on the wall by the bath instead of tiles (though there were a couple of rows iirc) and it made the room feel big a light. As long as you have good lighting and a good fan I don’t see it as an issue. I wouldn’t lose a bedroom for the sake of a window in the bathroom

Original poster
maude87 · 01/08/2019 08:46

I can't add pictures for 28 days after I open my account so can't add plans for now unfortunately!

Thanks for all the replies so far though, it's food for thought!

OP posts:
Original poster
maude87 · 01/08/2019 08:48

@StillRunningWithScissors i'm not sure if you can do that, never heard of it! Yes it would be under a roof. Will look into it though as that could be a possibility! Thanks!!

OP posts:
mummywingingit · 01/08/2019 08:49

We viewed a house we liked but had no window in the bathroom. Was very dark and dim and mould!

Original poster
maude87 · 01/08/2019 08:49

@flouncyfanny the 4th bedroom is 2854 x 2122

It's not the smallest room ever, would easily fit a day bed that can pull out for guests (which is the intended purpose) and a desk for my make up!

OP posts:
GreekOddess · 01/08/2019 08:49

I prefer bathrooms with windows but not having one wouldn't put me off buying a house that I like. Having said I prefer the idea of a bedroom with walk in wardrobe and en suite than an additional small bedroom.

How is the layout of your house going to change?

envelopeofpubes · 01/08/2019 08:52

I wouldn’t go through the trauma of an extension to not even end up with an extra bedroom. Speak to your architect, that’s what he’s there for.

motortroll · 01/08/2019 08:52

I have a new build and 3 of the 4 bathrooms/toilets have no window. I was concerned but the ventilation fans are amazing and I've had no condensation mould at all.

MRex · 01/08/2019 08:53

I'd go with the walk-in wardrobe and windowed bathroom in that case, when you extend above you can add extra bedrooms but a nice bathroom and good storage makes a huge difference to a home.

Trillis · 01/08/2019 08:59

That's actually a pretty decent size for a 4th bedroom.

When you say 'our bathroom' would have no windows, is that the main family bathroom? I wouldn't mind a windowless ensuite, but wouldn't be convinced by a windowless family bathroom. Saying that, I do like the pictures posted by StillRunning.

theWarOnPeace · 01/08/2019 08:59

One of my bathrooms has no window but the ventilation from the fan clears any steam within a couple of minutes. Never smells, never has mould. No issues at all. There was nowhere else to put it with access to natural light, so it was either suck it up or don’t have the extra bathroom. I’m glad we went with it as the extra bathroom has made life so much easier!

Original poster
maude87 · 01/08/2019 08:59

@envelopeofpubes we would be gaining an extra room downstairs (study) which we will put a sofa bed in and also a utility room, downstairs toilet, open up for a kitchen/diner etc so the extension is more than just the extra bedroom for us if that makes sense?

OP posts:
User135790 · 01/08/2019 09:00

As a buyer I'd prefer the window in bathroom & walk in wardrobe option.
We viewed a house with a bathroom with one of those sun tube things and it felt really dingy, really put me off.

PooWillyBumBum · 01/08/2019 09:02

We're in the process of buying a house and chose a 3 bed, even though our budget would buy 4 beds, with a better layout/garden/location. Bedrooms aren't the only thing that add value and an en suite etc would be attractive to me.

Plus, if you're going to be there a few years you may as well have something you enjoy.

recrudescence · 01/08/2019 09:04

The extra bedroom is really worth having and outweighs the very small deficit of a windowless bathroom.

Original poster
maude87 · 01/08/2019 09:05

@Trillis yes it would be the main family bathroom. We are also having a downstairs toilet put in as we currently don't have one but it won't have a shower in

OP posts:
Mummyoflittledragon · 01/08/2019 09:05

When you do work to your house always think from a selling POV as much as practicality for you. Don’t sacrifice the bedroom for a bathroom. You live in a terraced house, an en-suite cannot possibly have a window. The bathroom will still add value as will a 4th bedroom.

People telling you they wouldn’t buy a house with a bathroom with no window will be more likely to be those, who can afford to live in semis or detached houses. Those, who live in terraced properties will accept these constraints. My first house was a terraced and had a bathroom with no window. Totally normal.