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

[user1471462428]

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

I'd put the dryer in and not worry about what might happen 5 years down the line. When it gets nearer to the time of you actually wanting to sell, ask the estate agent whether the extra value a downstairs loo will add to the sale price is worth the cost and hassle of putting a toilet back in.

i'd do it in a heartbeat...esp with your layout of living room in the middle with the bathroom.

I hate laundry hanging about the house, it makes it smell damp and looks dreadful.

@duckalemon

Ah So you have a utility room?

Yes, in this house. But I've never lived anywhere with a tumble dryer, and our last two properties were a one-bed flat and a teeny 2-up 2-down with 2xDC. You just drape the bedding over shower rails or banisters, hang stuff out if you can even if the weather looks a bit dreich - lots of moisture can evaporate even on an unpromising day - and always do an extra spin cycle. I'm sure if I was used to a tumble dryer though I'd think it was essential.

Go for a wall-mounted folding rack. Unfold it out when you're drying, fold it back in when you're done. ...
Install invisible drawer dryers. ...
Hang laundry rods. ...
Opt for a ceiling-mounted pulley rack. ...
Put up a retractable accordion rack. ...
Create pull-out vertical racks. ...

I can't imagine drying my laundry in the kitchen. It'd stink of cooking
I'd have the dryer all day long. You can sell it as a utility room

I don’t have a utility room, a downstairs loo or a tumble drier and I’d love to have all three! However, I bought a drier from Lakeland, and they are fabulous. It saved me having to drape washing over radiators, it will dry a full load over night (including bedding or jeans) and is very economical to run. I think others have already mentioned them above, but I would recommend it.

[quote duckalemon]@borageforager
Yes but where? In your bedroom? [/quote]
Just remembered that in one house we used to keep the maiden in the shower, and in another house it went behind the sofa in the living room, which worked quite well as it was next to the radiator.

I'd have the laundry room. I'm pushing 70 and running up and downstairs is good exercise. Obviously a bit different if someone can't manage stairs but then a 3 floor town house probably wouldn't be for them.

I have a three storey house with a toilet on each floor. I don't have a tumble dryer. If you should ever find yourself unable to climb stairs (after an accident or when you get old) you will find yourself literally desperate for a downstairs loo.

I would say 5 years is a long time so go with what you need which is a laundry room. The soil pipe and plumbing will always be there for the buyer to put the downstairs toilet back in. Just make sure you don’t do anything to stop it being changed back and make sure the estate agent knows it used to/can be a downstairs toilet. Most buyers would not be put off by a small project like that.

@PickAChew

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.

You must have a bigger ensuite than mine.

Agree with the Lakeland heated airer. We have 2 young DC and just use one of these, never had a drier. Everything is dry in 12 hours and there's not much we need more urgently than that. Plus I'd really miss my downstairs toilet!

I'm voting tumble dryer as you have the ensuite for emergency if the bathroom is busy.

Someone once asked my why I had my dryer and washing machine in the area I prepare food (kitchen), she's French and she has her washing machine and tumble dryer upstairs. I put my dryer in the spare room and had a dishwasher installed where my dryer was (I've always wanted a dishwasher but never had the space) I find that it's so much easier to put my clothes away now the dryer is upstairs. If I could sort the plumbing I'd put the washer up there too, would save carrying my washing up and down the stairs all the time. This is all dependant on having a spare room of course

But to answer your question op, I would say a downstairs loo would be a better investment, you can put a tumble dryer anywhere

Get one of those heated line dryers and put it in one of your rooms. Dry clothes + less ironing + doesn't wear your clothes out so quickly.

Tumble dryers are a menace - eat clothes and eat money. Haven't had one for years, and I live in a flat with no outside space. (And my line dryer isn't even heated, and it's fine!)

I thought washer dryer’s were rubbish but it’s about 14 years since I used one. The heating in this house is rubbish and when I tried clothes airer they were still wet 2 days later. Anything taking up floor space is a nightmare as it’s so small. I like the idea of stacking them but would have to lose a kitchen cabinet.

Assuming you have a washing machine somewhere, I would change to a washer dryer so you don’t have to go to a launderette and keep the downstairs loo. If you have to go to launderette for washing and drying, then I would change the downstairs loo to a laundry room.

Toilet vote here, 100%

Is there any way you could fit the dryer into the family bathroom or en suite? Def leave the loo in place.

Don't do it unless you don't mind devaluing your house
Invest in a decent condenser washer-dryer instead.

@duckalemon

People without driers. Where do you dry your clothes, towels and bed linen in the winter?

i never use my td. i have a pulley rack thing which i put laundry on to dry, and use the bannisters for jeans and towels. everything seems to dry fine, in 2/3 days, there are 5-6 of us. not sure if its because the house is well heated and ventilated? also have another dryer rack for overspill which can go amywhere.i kind of altwrnate between the 2 and it works fine.

@duckalemon

People without driers. Where do you dry your clothes, towels and bed linen in the winter?

On the washing line outside if it’s not raining and finish off on the clothes horses or just straight onto them. Window open / cracked to prevent moisture build up, sometimes move the dehumidifier upstairs (lives in the kitchen as we don’t have an extractor fan or heating in the kitchen).

MN would look down on my peasant home I’m sure.

I tried clothes airer they were still wet 2 days later.

Have you tried a heated airer? They do take up floor space but are quite compact considering how many things they're able to hold.

YABU because... you shouldn't be arguing with your mother. It's your house. Get on and do it. I spent far too many years looking for "proper grown up" approval for any big changes from people who were never going to have the same taste or opinions as me. You want it, your mother doesn't have to live with it.

We live in a townhouse too and have done the same, although our lounge and kitchen are downstairs so we do need to go upstairs to the loo. We have a family bathroom on first floor and second bathroom on second floor. We used to have our tumble dryer in a tiny box room but we turned that into a home office instead. We also put the washing machine in what was the WC to make space for a dishwasher in the kitchen. Our plumber said it will be very simple to change back to a WC if we want to do so before selling. Personally I like having less toilets to clean and find having 2 bathrooms sufficient for 2 adults and 2 young children. The only time I really miss it is when we have guests.