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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To remove the ensuite?

124 replies

StayOrGoOrWhat · 15/06/2021 21:55

After reading another thread on here, I’m really surprised about how many people have said they hate en-suite bathrooms! It got me thinking… we love our house but the house bathroom is a pokey little cupboard. The previous owners crammed an en-suite into the master bedroom but this means that we have barely any storage space and are left frequently walking into the bed because there’s hardly any space around it. There’s no space for a beside table on my side.

So, is it unreasonable to have one tiny bathroom and a decent sized main bedroom or would you keep the en-suite? There is no downstairs loo although we are thinking of adding one but it wouldn’t be anytime soon.

OP posts:

HeronLanyon · 16/06/2021 04:24

No way on earth would I keep a poly little ensuite and have not storage !
I have removed an ensuite before.
The only type which I don’t mind too much are those where basically a new door has linked the bedroom to eg a box room or smaller room repurposed as a bathroom. Otherwise they’re really awful.

fourminutestosavetheworld · 16/06/2021 05:31

I haven't come across the mn hatred for en-suites before, but am really surprised. I wouldn't buy a house without one, or at least the potential to put one in.

I walk through a dressing room to mine, and it's got a big window and an extractor fan, so no steam or toilet smells ever.

I love having a bath or shower, pottering around my bedroom, straight to bed in complete privacy while kids and teens make as much mess as they want in the family bathroom.

custardbear · 16/06/2021 06:50

I'd probably take that out - albeit we have three en suites in my house, all our bedrooms are more than 4-5m length/width (excluding the bathroom)and the bathrooms are also roomy so they don't feel like you've crammed them in

Would you be able to make your main bathroom a bit bigger and include a walk in shower? Or do you just want the whole area as a walk in wardrobe type thing? I have a walk in wardrobe too (redesigned our house recently to get everything we want in) and I like having this space - I guess think what's most important to you andy your living space - it sounds like you don't want the en suite

Fizbosshoes · 16/06/2021 06:58

I haven't come across the mn hatred for en-suites before, but am really surprised. I wouldn't buy a house without one, or at least the potential to put one in.

Apparently they are grim and vile and akin to actually crapping on your pillow, according to a lot of MN. One didnt even like her DH brushing his teeth in theirs (I'm not sure what he was actually permitted to do in there!)

Soontobe60 · 16/06/2021 07:00

I think you’ve got bigger issues than your small bathroom and en-suite - like why there are no doors into the front 2 bedrooms 🤣

RampantIvy · 16/06/2021 07:00

I think ensuites are grim too. Who wants to hear & smell their partner's bodily functions while relaxing in bed on a Sunday morning

Doesn't your partner close the door when he is in the bathroom? Our ensuite has an extractor fan and a window, so that wouldn't be an issue. Why can't your partner use another loo if you are still in bed.

The issue here isn't the ensuite but an inconsiderate partner.

Soontobe60 · 16/06/2021 07:06

Move the door onto the other wall - if possible make it either a sliding door or a small bifold so that it doesn’t protrude in top your bedroom. That way you may be able to fit in a built in wardrobe where the door currently is.
As far as having no bedside table, can you put up a small shelf at bed height that will take in the sloped wall? There’s some nice ideas here
www.digsdigs.com/floating-nightstands/

HeronLanyon · 16/06/2021 07:20

As a ‘hater’ I completely accept there are en suites and en suites. Some work but the vast majority seem rammed into a too small space. I also fully accept that a lot of family set ups make a ‘rammed in’ en suite kind of sensible. So It’s quite a subjective/personal circs hatred here.

CharlieAteThePies · 16/06/2021 07:32

Maybe the ensuite hate is for the small new build houses where they squish in as many bathrooms as possible and the toilet is a few feet from the bed.

If you've got a spacious bedroom and good sized ensuite with a window and powerful quiet extraction fan, there's literally no downside to an ensuite.

QualityRoads · 16/06/2021 07:40

En suites can be grim if they open off a small bedroom. This can be more of a problem in a hotel than in a home. However, you will be glad of the en suite once your children are teenagers, and if selling your house I think the majority of potential buyers would prefer to have it. Work on adjusting the layout instead so that you can squeeze a bit of storage into the bedroom.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 16/06/2021 07:41

As an architect I can’t say I’ve ever had a client that doesn’t want an ensuite. It’s quite strange how different the mood is on MN. I have an ensuite and I wouldn’t give it up for the world. It’s not squished into my bedroom to be fair.

OP as a compromise, could you steal a bit of your ensuite into the family bath and then take the rest back for your wardrobe space/ open the bedroom up and fit wardrobes to your liking?

Nononsense2 · 16/06/2021 07:43

My next house will have to have an ensuite but also a good size master bedroom. I think they're very useful.
I think you shouldn't get rid of yours since you'd be left with a single bathroom for a family of 4 which is not enough.

Upamountain43 · 16/06/2021 07:45

I've never seen the point of en suites unless you have a massive house or massive family - but a separate toilet can be useful so you need to weigh this up.

But no matter what you have you will find a way to make things work - you know what is needed for your family.

namechange6754 · 16/06/2021 07:46

I don't understand the hate for ensuites, it's just basics manners to not do a poo in it when someone else is in the room! It's so handy for needing a wee in the middle of the night and being able to shower/dress in privacy.

Anyway, I could not live with one toilet in the house even if it was just 2 people. I need there to be 2 toilets. If you put the downstairs toilet in then it wouldn't necessarily write the properly off for me but it would if you didn't.

I also like to have a full bath and separate walk in shower, our last house had a bath in the main bathroom and walk in shower in the en suite which did the job (although prefer it now we have walk in showers in bathroom and en-suite), I hate it if there's only a shower over the bath.

Conchitastrawberry · 16/06/2021 07:46

Only you know if you can do without it. I love ensuites but only if there’s enough room.

Bluntness100 · 16/06/2021 07:54

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn

OP as a compromise, could you steal a bit of your ensuite into the family bath and then take the rest back for your wardrobe space/ open the bedroom up and fit wardrobes to your liking?

Um she’s already said it’s a pokey little cupboard.

alwayscrashinginthesamecar1 · 16/06/2021 07:54

There are definitely ensuites and ensuites. I used to rent a house with a tiny internal ensuite. There were no windows and the extractor fan was rubbish, so it had a tendency to go mouldy. I have a full size bathroom with double shower ensuite now, and I wouldn't buy a house without one!

TheRebelle · 16/06/2021 08:10

I love en-suites, it was my only “must have” when we were house hunting and it’s so useful, I roll out of bed and get showered and dressed before I leave the bedroom and DH gets up to pee at least 3 times a night so it’s easier for him rather than having to wake up fully and negotiate the hallway.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 16/06/2021 08:11

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn

OP as a compromise, could you steal a bit of your ensuite into the family bath and then take the rest back for your wardrobe space/ open the bedroom up and fit wardrobes to your liking?

It's a size issues for most. As an architect I am sure you can imagine how for example typical (council eastate)1930s 3 bed semi bedroom ends up if you stuff in ensuit.... If a room cannot fit a bed, 2 nightstands and at least 1 otheer furniture like wardrobe or chest of drawers it should not have an ensuit stuffed in imho.

That's what the problem for mlst of us is. Tbh we are probably not part of your clientele until extension is done...

bigbluebus · 16/06/2021 08:12

Don't know what age your 2 DCs are OP but I'm guessing they're not yet teenagers. I think you will regret the decision to lose a bathroom once they are!

burritofan · 16/06/2021 08:18

Do the ensuite haters hate ensuite hotel rooms as well?
Yes, actually. Always prefer to stay somewhere self-catering rather than a hotel and one of the benefits is not having a loo in the bedroom. If DP gets up for a wee in the night, he gets out of bed and leaves room: barely disturbing. With an en suite: he turns on a light, sets off extractor fan, can hear his shuffling around, hand washing, etc.

I like a demarcation zone between a bathroom and a bedroom. Same way I hate cafes or other public space loos where it’s just a door between you and the premises instead of a door and a cubicle door.

I can just about see the reasoning on a floor plan where it’s a proper separate room with a door in the adjoining wall, but we’re currently house hunting and there are so many where it’s a corner carved out of a bedroom – leaving a weird shaped room and essentially creating a little corner poo box. Nein danke.

namechange6754 · 16/06/2021 08:20

If a room cannot fit a bed, 2 nightstands and at least 1 otheer furniture like wardrobe or chest of drawers it should not have an ensuit stuffed in imho.

That's still personal preference, whilst I live in a bigger house now, my last house was one of these small new builds, I think our house was about 800sq ft but had 3 toilets! The en-suite was tiny, my husband hit his elbows on the shower walls, but it was still one of the reasons we bought the house, because an extra bathroom was hugely useful, I like having a walk in shower and I personally don't think you can have too many toilets until you start having more toilets than people.

If the majority of people didn't like them, developers wouldn't put them in, it's clearly beneficial in their business model or they wouldn't go to the expense.

BeachSunsets · 16/06/2021 08:25

I don’t mind en suites but if it’s taking up too much space then there’s no need to keep it. Might as well use the room for something useful like storage.

StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes · 16/06/2021 08:31

Is it possible to take out the ensuite and give some of the space to enlarge the family bathroom and give yourselves some space in the bedroom?

tiredanddangerous · 16/06/2021 08:33

I wouldn't remove it if it will leave you with only one loo.

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