Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to argue a tumble dryer is more important than a downstairs toilet

288 replies

user1471462428 · 15/02/2021 15:18

I have a three bed townhouse. Top floor has en-suite,middle floor has a family bathroom and ground floor with a small toilet. I would like to rip this out and replace with a small laundry washing machine, tumble dryer and a pulley maid. My mum thinks I will devalue the house doing this and it will be inconvenient for the kids. I’m looking to move in the next five years but don’t want to be running to the laundrette to dry clothes till then. AIBU

OP posts:
PickAChew · 15/02/2021 15:58

You'd probably be better off looking for space, elsewhere for a condenser dryer. They can go anywhere with reasonable air flow eg under stairs. In your situation, I'd probably put it in the en suite, if you can get it up there.

CherryBlossomTree7 · 15/02/2021 15:59

I would definitely keep the downstairs toilet. Your mum is right about devaluing the house.

I don't use a dryer so wouldn't see it as a positive to have space for a dryer but would see a downstairs toilet as a major selling point.

AaronPurr · 15/02/2021 15:59

@duckalemon

People without driers. Where do you dry your clothes, towels and bed linen in the winter?
Radiators and heated airers.
Bluewavescrashing · 15/02/2021 15:59

Get a dehumidifier and ho for the downstairs loo.

dementedpixie · 15/02/2021 16:00

@duckalemon

People without driers. Where do you dry your clothes, towels and bed linen in the winter?
I have a room with 2 clothes airers and a banister at the top of the stairs
NoSquirrels · 15/02/2021 16:00

Buy a dehumidifer. Or get a washer-dryer. I really think in a townhouse you appreciate a downstairs loo. OTOH, as your living room is on a level with a bathroom, perhaps you'd get away with it. But most people will prefer the downstairs loo over a laundry room.

Allgirlskidsanddogs · 15/02/2021 16:00

Do not get rid of the loo if you are soon to toilet train a toddler, or if it’s a house that families of young children would buy.

I presume you have a washing machine? If so you have 2 choices, get rid of the WM and buy a washer drier or get a condensing tumble drier (they only need plugging into the electricity and will have a water tank that you can empty).

borageforager · 15/02/2021 16:00

@duckalemon

People without driers. Where do you dry your clothes, towels and bed linen in the winter?
I have a ceiling airer in this house, but in previous houses just used a normal clothes maiden/airer.
Comefromaway · 15/02/2021 16:01

You see I detest having wet clothes on radiators everywhere. And even if I used every single radiator in the house (a 5 bed) that would be half a load of washing and I do about 2 loads a day.

MotherOfCrocodiles · 15/02/2021 16:01

Do it! life is too short to live surrounded by damp/drying laundry.

In most cases it would be pretty trivial to remove the loo and cap the waste, and either put the drier in (heat pump + condenser -- no plumbing) or both the washer and drier (using the fill pipe for the look to plumb in the washer, and replumbing the basin waste for water going out of washer).

You wouldn't have to change any pipes. I reckon I could do this myself in half a day. Then switch it back to sell, if necessary.

FiddlefigOnTheRoof · 15/02/2021 16:01

Downstairs toilet. Squeeze tumble drier elsewhere. On top of washing machine, in a shed or garage, in the bathroom is a good idea.

PickAChew · 15/02/2021 16:01

And don't get a washer drier unless you're able to shell out for a really good one, as even those are a bit rubbish.

Dragongirl10 · 15/02/2021 16:02

You would be devaluing the house by removing a downstairs loo. Get a good builder to find a space upstairs and move your laundry upstairs. After all that is where it is generated.
All you need is a cupboard 70 cms deep and 60 cms wide (stack washer and dryer) with an extractor and a cold water supply.
After living in the US for a couple of years all houses have this even apartments it is ideal.

Cloudsurfing · 15/02/2021 16:02

[quote user1471462428]@SquirtleSquad the ground floor is a small kitchen diner, middle floor living room and bathroom, top floor bedrooms. Tiny footprint. Just reading the other replies. Thanks for everyone’s opinions. Currently running round with a tape measure.[/quote]
Now you’ve said this I would turn the downstairs toilet into a laundry room. I’d want a toilet on the same floor as the living room but no need for one on all three floors

NoSquirrels · 15/02/2021 16:02

@duckalemon

People without driers. Where do you dry your clothes, towels and bed linen in the winter?
In the utility with the dehumidifier going. With the radiator on in winter, stuff dries really quickly. We have a wall-hanging laundry bar so you can drape stuff high up. Could have a tumble dryer too, we have space, but has never seemed a particularly urgent thing to spend money on, so we haven't.
2bazookas · 15/02/2021 16:03

If you're planning to move, I'd keep the downstairs loo and save the Building costs money for the move. A condenser dryer can go in any room (and take it when you move).

duckalemon · 15/02/2021 16:03

Ah So you have a utility room?

duckalemon · 15/02/2021 16:05

@borageforager
Yes but where? In your bedroom?

borageforager · 15/02/2021 16:08

[quote duckalemon]@borageforager
Yes but where? In your bedroom? [/quote]
Well, now I have a ceiling airer in my kitchen (very high ceilings) so it goes there. It dries in 24 hours.

In previous houses used to keep the maiden in the spare room/on the landing/in a corner of the kitchen.

itsstillgood · 15/02/2021 16:08

No way would I sacrifice a downstairs toilet for a tumble dryer. But I don't have a tumble dryer and have never seen the appeal.

Bingowin · 15/02/2021 16:08

I would love a downstairs loo however I love my tumble dryer,and as you have two other loo’s then I would go for the utility space.
We also have family bathroom and en-suite in the loft which is plenty!

callmeadoctor · 15/02/2021 16:09

If the toilet has heat (radiator) then a pulley above (on the ceiling would do the job perfectly (the pulleys you can buy, shelia maid etc can be cut down to size)www.lakeland.co.uk/25214/Modern-Extendable-Ceiling-Airer?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_smaxqLs7gIVkMx3Ch3-JAD9EAYYAiABEgKYyfD_BwE&src=gfeed&s_kwcid=AL!49!3!455679695039!!!g!!&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMI_smaxqLs7gIVkMx3Ch3-JAD9EAYYAiABEgKYyfD_BwE:G:s

ikeepseeingit · 15/02/2021 16:10

Why not find a really good washer dryer? Or, perhaps you can stack your washing machine and dryer on top? I have a condensing dryer and it works great, you can put those in any room in the house. Maybe you could find a spare corner in a dining or living room and take it with you, then you won't lose the value on the house! :)

Beenaboutabit · 15/02/2021 16:11

If you want to replace the toilet, your convenience is important and more so than the house price. There's no point in being unhappy for 5 years with this just the have a few £1000 more later on. There'd also be no point in replacing the toilet now then reinstating it before selling... the new buyers might have their own plans, so if you take it away, don't bother putting it back.

As several others have said, you could replace your washing machine with a washer dryer (condenser) if the main thing is getting a dryer in the house. But other than that, do what makes you happy rather than what makes you money

Swipe left for the next trending thread