1950's house - keep toilet separate or knock though into bathroom?

[hippipotamiHasLost92lbs]

We are in the process of buying a 1950's house. (Due to exchange by the end of this week, fingers crossed!) We will only be the 3rd owners of the house since it was built. The previous owners have been there 40 years so it all needs redecorating.
The toilet is currently separate from the bathroom. It is right next to it however.
So here is the question:

Do we knock the wall between the toilet and bathroom through or keep it separate?
Things to consider are that our dc are 7 and nearly 11 and this is the only toilet in the house until we can afford to build a cloakroom and utility off the kitchen which won't be for another 4 years at least.

Thanks in advance

My toilet is separate and I like it that way ..nice peaceful baths

Depends how big the bathroom is - if you don't feel it needs extra space, I would keep it separate, at least until you get a downstairs loo put in.

could you fit a small loo under the stairs? Then you could knock through.

The bathroom is quite small, but we are already planning to incorporate the (soon to be obsolete) airing cupboard into the bathroom to make more space. I have played around with various layouts and it doesn't make that much difference to the overall size/layout of the bathroom to knock it through.
So it would be purely personal preference to knock it through or keep it separate.

I was convinced I wanted to knock through, but now I am not so sure....

No space under the stairs - the tallest part of under the stairs is acutally in the kitchen and houses a larder / fridge. Would not want my toilet directly off the kitchen.

Knock through. We had a separate loo & with kids it was difficult I had to put them on the loo & then go through to the bathroom for their bathtime.

Keep your loo and bathroom separate! Madness to have a single loo in the bathroom - do you really want people in there poo-ing while you are in the bath/brushing your teeth?

Can you put a proper basin in the loo so that people don't have to barge into the bathroom to wash their hands?

I would knock through. But then bathrooms without a loo in annoy me.

Your children are quite old, too - your 11 year old will want privacy in the bathroom soon.

My thinking too Bonsoir! Plus the fact that ds is nearly 11 and will soon want some privacy whilst in the shower - so if one of us is desperate for the loo...

I think we can squeeze a cloakroom sink next to the toilet but am not sure. Will take a good look once we have moved in and if we can then I think separate may be the way to go...

Ah, cross posted re the age of ds!

Annoy you how, Professor?

Keep separate. Nothing worse than settling into a nice bath and then having kids burst in needing the loo!

As Bonsoir said - can you put a sink in the toilet?

Don't knock through it is cleaner to have the bathroom and toilet separate and if you are more than a couple it provide less fights for time spend in the bathroom i.e. DH spend ages on the loo or in the shower, and I have got a baby and a little girl to wash and relieve IYSWIM. WE always choose houses with 2 toilets or separated T/B.
Much easier to live with.

We have one separate toilet and bathroom and can't knock through because of layout - there is a staircase in between! I like it, though would put a sink in toilet if we could afford it/put it high enough up the priority list. (But as it is can always nip downstairs and wash hands in kitchen if someone in the bathroom.)

I think the possibility of adding a sink is the deciding factor. Will dig out the floorplans (despite having pretty much memorised them )and have a look.

Consult a plumber or two - they are experienced in fitting out loos, and will know what's around to fit a small space and how to make it workable.

What has washing got to do with shitting? Keep them separate.

I like them separate. Not sure why houses are built with them all in the same room. Also think that it is inkeeping with the age of the house - if that was a factor to you.

If you can get a little corner sink in even - you're sorted!

If I am in a bathroom with no loo I can guarantee that the moment I've stripped off and put a foot in the water I will suddenly realise that I desperately need the loo and have to traipse around wrapped in towels and trailing water after me.

And, yes, I find it a bit gross not to have a sink in the loo to wash hands (where the sink is in the bathroom) -- if you have to barge into the bathroom to wash your hands it's rather defeating the object of not barging into the bathroom to use the loo, I think. And, probably irrationally, I don't like washing post-toilet-visit hands in the kitchen sink. But you can get teeny tiny sinks that solve that problem for most room sizes.

you need a sink with the loo if not knocking through.

I also don't like bathrooms with no loo. You can do all morning time things in one go without having to go room to room. Kids as well - on the loo & straight in the bath.

Yes, I see where you are coming from Professor and blue - I too tend to strip off, turn on the shower and then need the loo. Am now envisaging nekkid trips along the landing

I would definately not have a separate loo without a sink - in fact when we viewed the house I did not touch the doors on both the loo and the bathroom and was mentally 'ewwwwing' at the arrangement. (and promptly decided to knock through straight away)

But I do like the idea of privacy whilst showering and both dh and ds are stinky poo-meisters so I like the idea of not having their fumes anywhere near my toothbrush!!

could you knock through but leave a door to bathroom - even a folding door arrangement?

With DCs of that age and the fact that 4 people will be using one loo and one bathroom, I'd strongly advise keeping the rooms separate until you can afford to build your cloakroom.
At least you can then have a bath or shower in peace without someone banging on the door desperate to use loo.

Our toilet is separate to our large bathroom, I much prefer it that way (but we also have a downstairs loo designated the poo loo so the upstairs doesn't get stunk out).

The loo and bathroom are right next to each other (the doorframes meet at 90 degrees IYKWIM) so no hassle having them separate.