'Lootility'

[Twotinydictators]

Currently refurbishing, our old small kitchen is being turned into a utility room with a toilet at the end, obscured by a dwarf wall.

The builder is half way through, DH says he thinks this is an error and we should build a full height stud wall with separate door. I think it will be dingy and not the best use of space.

I've looked online and found a few examples of new builds designed with a 'lootility' and other properties listed on house purchase websites being advertised as having a one. I'd never heard this hybrid word before tonight, which makes me think it's not as an usual as DH believes. He says it'll put buyers off.

YABU - a lootility is a bad idea and will put buyers off
YANBU - it's a good use of space and becoming more common

Ours is perfectly legal - it's on a fused connection so the switch for the machines is outside the bathroom.

Sorry, not larder cupboard but one of those tall ones to fit mop in etc. Definitely no food in the Utility room.

I've spoken to the builder who thinks it definitely should be seperate and now wants to block it off entirely from the utility and access the w.c. instead from what will be the entrance hallway (once new stud wall is up in lounge). Which cause a bit more work, mess and general chaos as we have family over for 3 days at Xmas and another 3 at new year. But, if your going to do it, do it properly I guess.

Thanks for everyone's input - I liked the design as it was, but we are definitely selling as secondary schools here are not great. So I think I'd be crazy to ask the question and ignore 75% of the responses as you may well represent 75% of potential purchasers.

Farewell Lootility/Pootility...twas not to be

Surely no one shits in downstairs loos? They're like bus toilets - wee only!

I never understood the British thing of putting the washing machine in the kitchen

Besides the safety aspect with the electricity, it's a space issue. Old houses that had indoor loos crammed in later and no utility rooms, or the space to put one when modernising.
Modern houses are designed to have a utility/lootility. I'd love one, although washing machine in kitchen has never bothered me as it's what I grew up with.

OP, the half wall is perfectly fine (just tell DH to shit upstairs)

Glad to hear it StatisticallyChallenged, and I accept my statement was a bit harsh. There are ways to do it legally but it has to be done correctly, it's not a DIY job.

malmi

The laundry rooms in Oz tend to be bigger than U.K. as well. It is not likely that you can reach the washing machine from the shower if you know what I mean. And yes, everything is very properly fused and connected. Very very rare to do electrical DIY in Australia and be able to sell your property. Only know one guy who did own electric anything and it was just laying cable and no connections.

OP, our downstairs loo is actually a small wetroom. Not a utility room, as we haven’t got a washing machine in there. But we use it constantly for many purposes including hanging laundry to dry (we put in a radiator that works by electricity as well as gas, so we can switch it on when the central heating isn’t on). We also do hand washing in the basin, and use it as an extra water source when the kitchen sink is in use. It’s the guest bathroom, and cycle storage room for security when we’re away. We put in a shower curtain so we can also use the rail for hanging clothes on hangers to dry. And the curtain hides stuff when we’re tidying in a hurry
I’d say go with the lootility. I wouldn’t put in a full-height wall.

Cross-posted. Best of luck with it all, OP.. As long as the result is something that suits you, not just what you think buyers will want, as you dont want to be stuck with something iritating for years.

Fine for me as long as door is lockable , a lot of other countries have set up with laundry equipment in the bathroom due to space

If the room locks so it’s really a toilet OR a utility room, not used as both simultaneously then not so gross. Just the idea of hiding behind a half wall to poo while someone else is sorting clothes - noooo. I saw a half wall concealing a toilet in the actual kitchen once- shocking!!

Have you seen the videos of how bacteria goes everywhere when you flush the toilet? I wouldn't want my clean laundry near a toilet.

A dwarf wall is terrible - it will be like a police holding cell

But I have stayed in an air bnb with a full height wall dividing off a long narrow bathroom and utility and it worked ok. Loo down the end, then washbasin then airing/washing machines etc. Lock to main door. Was ok and the flow of space and storage capacity much better than having a full door on it.

I would never buy a house with a lootility. It would totally put me off if I wanted to just be able to move in with no major work to be done. You are reducing the marketability of the house. Not a great thing to do if you find your ideal home and want to sell yours quickly.

Telephone a few Estate Agents and ask their opinions.

I've kept intentionally clear to allow for drying washing whilst still providing a walkway to get to the toilet

I have no issue with toilet and WM in same room.

I do, however, dislike the idea of drying washing in the same room as a toilet.

You also mention cupboards? I assume for food storage?
Get a proper wall.

As long as it's got a lock on the door I'm puzzled by the controversy! Seems a sensible use of space.

Agree with this.

We have one. The cloakroom is actually quite large and there are double doors to a space that has the washing machine in it. My DH has also built a worktop with a sink, so you can do hand washing. The laundry basket, detergent etc, sit on the worktop and he’s also fixed a maiden in there to dry the washing. It has the hot water tank, so is warm.

No one spends long in there and the double doors separate it from the toilet and washbasin anyway. No one does a poo, stinky or otherwise in there either. That’s what happens in the bathrooms.

Oh goodness I would not want a lootility. So unhygienic! All those germs and smells near fresh laundry...!
Why not use glass bricks to preserve natural light and then least create some privacy and keep those spaces separate?

definitely worth accessing loo from hallway. don't have to have visitors exploring your utility then so can chuck everything out the way in it.

We have a lootility! It is small (loo, sink, washing and dryer stacked together in a cupboard), and with only the two of is it's doubtful anyone would walk in. And there's a lock on the door. I love it. Bright and not claustrophobic

Either have a full length wall or one that comes up to within a foot or 2 of the ceiling (depending on ceiling height) so light can still get in or don’t have a wall at all.

A short wall serves no purpose at all.

Friend had a large utility with a toilet and wash basin at one end.

I have got used to it but initially I thought it was very exposed when you were sat on the loo as it was quite a big room.

So do all those saying it is unhygeinic remove all of their clothes before/after using the toilet?

Thank you for the electrical explanation. It would never occur to me that people would be doing their own electrical work routinely.

I understood the space issue in the older British houses for no laundry but not the selection of the kitchen over the bathroom.

In my mind laundries have more in common with bathrooms than kitchens.

Can you have an electrical appliance in the bathroom in the UK

For everyone saying it's disgusting or unhygienic to have laundry in the same room as a toilet, are you forgetting that every day you brush your teeth in the same room as a toilet?

Honestly, some of these responses are totally ridiculous.

Loo and laundry in the same room is totally normal. Go for it. With or without a dwarf wall.

As long as the whole room is lockable, it sounds fine to me. The washing machine etc. won't affect the room's use as a lavatory. Putting the loo behind a wall will mean that anyone who is squeamish about looking at a toilet while they're putting the washing on, needn't do so.