Would you buy a house with the door to the downstairs toilet in the kitchen?

[Lexi198]

Would be interested to get your views on this and will explain my reason for asking once I have some perspective so it doesn't sway the vote.

But basically

Would you but a house where the door to the downstairs loo is in the open plan kitchen / dining room?

YABU - NO I wouldn't
YANBU - Yes I would

Thanks

@FatCatThinCat

It used to be against the rules but I believe the rules were changed to accomodate the legal requirement for a downstairs toilet in new builds and the size of new builds being absolutely tiny.

For the people who can't rtft. Our 3yo new build has this. I didn't think I'd like it but it's fine. We don't have many visitors though

Literally no guest ever unless they are a monster would poo next to the kitchen so close.

Hahaha I love this.

This was my exact thought with people put off by the smell. Surely if this was a worry the family simply wouldn't poo downstairs and a guest most definitely wouldn't (unless they were a monster 😂😂).

Surely it Just offers more choice to a buyer. Use it or renovate the space, I think a downstairs loo is always a bonus,

What if you have tradespeople working at your house? We all know what they are like for performance pooing!
*lighthearted.

If everything else was right (more or less) it wouldn't put me off although I would look to relocate it.

It would put me off, it just feels unsanitary.

We bought an old house that had one. I wasn't thrilled and had always wanted a pantry so we had the loo and basin taken out (with the soil pipe capped so that it could be easily reinstated). I put shelves all round the room and absolutely loved it. Some years later we sold and the new owners had the loo put back!

@Booboosweet

I wouldn't like it. The problem is you can't tell guests only to wee in the toilet.

Of course you can.

Our last house, a very old cottage had This. And it was the only loo in the house. It was fine. You get used to it!

@annacondom
I think a combination pantry / loo could be quite good. You pop in for a stock cube and whilst rummaging through the shelves you think 'Oh well while I'm here I'll just take a quick dump' and you can waft the door as you exit, Knorr cube held high.

It's a definite no from me. Am looking now and won't consider a viewing with such a layout. Privacy, smell, feeling unhygienic, drafty if window has to stay open all the time - there are lots of reasons why I don't want it. I know it used to be that way - fine, there were reasons - but it's beyond me why anyone would put it in like that now.

Just the other week saw a house online - typical 3-bed terrace - where they'd removed the wall between the hallway and the lounge (front room) so it was all open plan downstaires except from one very conspicuous door into a tiny 1 square metre ish area, from the 'hallway'. Yes, that was the downstairs loo, with a 'paperthin' wall a metre from the couches. No thanks :-)

I wouldn't buy a house with the toilet effectively in the kitchen, no.

We’ve got one off our kitchen and it’s fine. I couldn’t cope without a downstairs loo.

Yanbu. I would.

@CounsellorTroi

Our downstairs loo is off our very small utility room which is off the kitchen. It’s not a problem.

Same - the utility room was added next to the kitchen as an extension in the early 80s, and a little downstairs loo is fitted within the utility. Even though it’s not directly off the kitchen we only use it for wees. It’s very handy.

Ours has this. It’s not ideal, more for privacy, but it’s better than not having one. Alternative in my style of house is under the stairs which are cramped and you can still hear everything!

Doesnt bug me as much as people using the voting buttons for polls.

I've a downstairs toilet. I wouldn't give it up for anything me.

No definitely not, building regs - there is meant to be a passage between b

If it was between that & no downstairs loo I wouldn’t rule it out.

It wouldn’t be my preference but wouldn’t be a total deal breaker either. Though we’d probably be thinking about how we could change it to give more separation.

I realised the other week staying at my brother’s 1 bathroom house how much I’ve changed / how much of a spoiled brat I am now…I wouldn’t consider a house without an en suite + family bathroom + downstairs loo as a minimum now. However am obviously very lucky to be able to think like this.

I would, but only if I was planning on changing the layout pronto! So no, I wouldn't.

I wish people would stop saying all new builds are tiny. Some new builds are small. Some older houses are small. Some new builds are large. Some older houses are large.

It's legal now, it's changed, there does not need to be another door between them. I had a lay out like that and it didn't cause any problems.
If anyone wanted to do a dump and I was cooking they would use the upstairs bathroom.
Any downstairs loo is invaluable.

Personally, I wouldn't like the idea of it. If everything else is perfect about the house then it might not be a deal breaker though. It's always possible to lock it and not allow use.

Ours had a (loud!) extractor fan, which you could put on when you went in, which disguised any sounds.

As with all pros and cons, ultimately it would come down to what the market was like - what other options we had, how much cheaper it was than other similar houses, how often one cam up in that location, how desperate I was to buy, etc etc etc, but it would definitely be off putting, yes.

Ours used to open to the dining area.
We had an extension and made an adjustment which meant adding a second “door” - so two doors between the loo and open plan kitchen. Much better both for as and guests in terms of privacy and smells!