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Original poster

Settle an argument- downstairs loo or not…?

362 replies

TheBeaTgoeson1 · 13/04/2026 11:58

Please help settle an argument…

Starting on a small renovation. One person thinks that a downstairs loo is important as part of the work, there is space for it.

The other doesn’t see that it adds attraction to a property, and there’s a nice bathroom with loo at the top of the stairs…

Those who have or haven’t got one, who is reasonable?

(It would bring the total of loos in the house to two.)

OP posts:
400rider · 13/04/2026 15:55

we moved into an Edwardian house with an outside privy, posher than others though, it was within the house but you still had go outside from the kitchen, down the path and back in through another door. The previous owner knocked the wall down to save his poor wife the embarrassment of running outside when she was heavily pregnant.

It’s now our utility room, washing machine where the original high cistern toilet was and a modern toilet brought behind said outside door.

Brilliant in the summer to have grandchildren running inside without going through the house upstairs to the installed new bathroom. The men can pop in while working in the garage. Great addition for parties, gents sign on the downstairs loo, access from indoors. Unfortunately it’s not elderly visitors friendly, unless they go to the original method of outside and back in through the privy door, due to the steps down.

Wouldn't be without it now.
(Hubby flatly refused the washing machine in the kitchen, hygiene and food prep’, he’s a chef)

Picklesandfrickles · 13/04/2026 16:01

Needs a downstairs loo.

Dreamingofdisneypt2 · 13/04/2026 16:07

Definitely second loo if possible it would also have a shower/bath tbh. We’ve got 2 bathrooms 3 bedrooms and that second shower/loo is definitely a plus side. When kids are young great for potty training when kids are teens great so everyone can get ready in the morning without a wait for the shower! When we bought it wasn’t a deal breaker for us (we were more focused on being in the right catchment areas) but now we’ve got 2 bathrooms if we move in the future then it will be on the must haves list!

Droplet789 · 13/04/2026 16:11

Add the downstairs loo without a doubt.

loislovesstewie · 13/04/2026 16:12

@400rider my downstairs shower room was clearly the outside loo and possibly coal house! I live in a Victorian terrace house, a lot of the houses on my street had the loo /coalshed turned into a utility room, I'm so glad mine wasn't!

Dragonscaledaisy · 13/04/2026 16:15

It's essential but I would want a bathroom with walk-in shower not just a toilet and it must be a decent size. Space is everything.

frostedshreddies76 · 13/04/2026 16:16

Team Loo!

Buffy81 · 13/04/2026 16:18

Defo get a loo put in while you can Its a god send, better to do it now, than having the regret and having to have more disruption in getting it done futher down the line. Handy for when we were in the potty training stages and its hand now for the ILS as they are not great on the stairs one of them has dementia who now struggles to follow directions and gets confused with doors and where to go and the other has had both knees replaced. Its also handy when we get in from somewhere and both DSs need the loo at the same time or when they leave it a little bit to late on going. I tend to use it early in the morning so I don't risk waking anyone when I use it before leaving to go to work.

FeegleFion · 13/04/2026 16:21

Get the loo. I’m lucky enough to have 3 and we keep the downstairs loo strictly for peeing.

Funnywonder · 13/04/2026 16:25

My mum ONLY had a downstairs loo as she lived in an old terrace that used to have an outside toilet before one was built into the house. We eventually got an upstairs toilet put in for her so that she didn’t have to go downstairs during the night. If you have the space for a toilet on each floor, definitely go for it. People like the convenience.

wendlene · 13/04/2026 16:28

There are so many reasons to have an extra downstairs loo!
For visitors so they don't have to go upstairs
For potty training when you have little ones
For use when someone is sick - you can have a quarantine loo 😂
A few years ago I had a sudden expected stay in hospital and when I got home after a month it was so useful having a loo downstairs so I didn't have to drag myself upstairs to use it. Or stay upstairs then not have to worry about it
I will have having major surgery soon and it will again be such a help having a loo downstairs.
Plus if you are both struck down with d&v at exactly the same time ...

zingally · 13/04/2026 16:30

I don't have a downstairs loo, but do have two upstairs. We'd have loved a downstairs loo, but unfortunately, it ended up being the thing we had to sacrifice to get a property we otherwise loved.
There is the capacity to build one in if we were absolutely desperate, but it would most likely mean losing our lovely, large garage. And it turned out, for us at least, that a garage was a bigger boon than a downstairs loo. But every family is different.

NeedWineNow · 13/04/2026 16:32

We’re in a Victorian cottage with a downstairs bathroom only. To be honest it is an absolute godsend, particularly when you come flying in the door bursting and you don’t have to charge up the stairs. On the other hand of course you need to go downstairs if you need to get up in the middle of the night. That’s okay for us but not my partially sighted elderly mum so it’s difficult to host her now.

I would say if you are renovating then definitely put in a downstairs loo.

DivorcedButHappyNow · 13/04/2026 16:35

A second loo without any doubt!

Dragonscaledaisy · 13/04/2026 16:38

SerendipityJane · 13/04/2026 13:47

Downstairs loo helps makes a property much more accessible for a wheelchair user.

Yes - it's important the bathroom meets current regs regarding wheelchair accessibility.

FrostyPalms · 13/04/2026 16:40

I think having two loos in a house instead of one is a huge advantage. But more importantly, what if one of you is injured and can't do stairs temporarily? That has happened to me a couple of times and I'm only in my early 50's. You never know when you might blow out your knee for example.

Jiski · 13/04/2026 16:40

I’d kill for a downstairs loo. They add value and convenience. New houses always include one.

PicaK · 13/04/2026 16:41

I can't stand downstairs loos - think they are grim. But I'd never voice that thought in public cos I'm well aware 99.9% of the population disagrees. So your other half is definitely completely in the wrong.
Tell him to imagine one of Sarah Beeney's goggled eyed are you absolutely mad? faces!

godmum56 · 13/04/2026 16:42

Funnywonder · 13/04/2026 16:25

My mum ONLY had a downstairs loo as she lived in an old terrace that used to have an outside toilet before one was built into the house. We eventually got an upstairs toilet put in for her so that she didn’t have to go downstairs during the night. If you have the space for a toilet on each floor, definitely go for it. People like the convenience.

People like the convenience.
oh I see what you did there

godmum56 · 13/04/2026 16:43

PicaK · 13/04/2026 16:41

I can't stand downstairs loos - think they are grim. But I'd never voice that thought in public cos I'm well aware 99.9% of the population disagrees. So your other half is definitely completely in the wrong.
Tell him to imagine one of Sarah Beeney's goggled eyed are you absolutely mad? faces!

why are they any grimmer than any other loo?

BMW6 · 13/04/2026 16:45

A downstairs loo will add value to your home so absolutely worth the expense to fit.

catipuss · 13/04/2026 16:46

We used to have one loo, when we extended I insisted on one loo per person living in the house, which was three at the time, never regretted it, no queuing or knocking doors....

And a downstairs loo means you don't have to let visitor's go upstairs!

BeaLola · 13/04/2026 16:50

Definitely have a downstairs loo ,so handy to have a toilet in each floor , works for guests etc

SwirlyGates · 13/04/2026 16:56

Bezaz · 13/04/2026 12:03

A second loo is a really useful thing. Our only toilet is upstairs, in the bathroom, so if you want to wee when somebody's having a shower, then thats tough.
Not having a downstairs loo also makes entertaining our elderly parents difficult as their mobility isn't good enough to get upstairs. (Obviously some would consider this a good thing!). If we end up staying here into our old age, we will have to put one in somewhere.

Even worse if someone is in the bath for an hour!

A second loo is a major plus; a downstairs one even better.

SwirlyGates · 13/04/2026 16:59

You don't mention how many people are in your household. We've found that with 3 or 4 people, if we are staying somewhere with only one loo, it's a pain all leaving the house together. Everyone wants to use the loo before we go out, we need to wait for the flush to refill between people, then by the end the first person needs to go again...