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Property/DIY

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Original poster

what's more useful/desirable- downstairs loo or ensuite?

43 replies

3isthemagicnumber · 05/09/2010 17:03

Looking to put a 2nd toilet in our house.
Its a 5 bed, 3 storey Victorian semi with ,currently, only one bathroom (with w.c, bath, sink and seperate shower)

£ growing boys and us dictate that we would very much like a 2nd toilet but cannot decide between downstairs loo or ensuite.

Ensuite would be built into the '2nd' bedroom (currently large double which would be reduced to a small double)

Downstairs loo would hopefully go understairs but may compromise the kitchen space a bit.

We plan to probably move on from here, though not for 5 years or so.

Which option would
a) You prefer in your house
b) think would appeal to most buyers

????
thanks

OP posts:

Original poster

3isthemagicnumber · 05/09/2010 17:04

that should be 3 growing boys, though feel the £ sign is just as apt

OP posts:

thighsmadeofcheddar · 05/09/2010 17:05

downstairs loo I think. Is your main bathroom fairly big?

Original poster

3isthemagicnumber · 05/09/2010 17:08

No, not really, but big enough to not feel too cramped with everything in it.

Thanks for reply,Why downstairs loo, if you dont mind me asking..?

OP posts:

onimolap · 05/09/2010 17:08

En suite is preferable for whoever sleeps in that bedroom. Downstairs better if DSes are still small, or if the target market when you come to sell will include those still in the lovely phase of potty training.

For 3 larger boys, have you considered a self-flushing downstairs urinal? Not a selling point, but possibly useful for your immediate needs?

Meglet · 05/09/2010 17:09

downstairs loo.

NorbertDentressangle · 05/09/2010 17:13

Downstairs loo most definitely.

theyoungvisiter · 05/09/2010 17:14

I personally dislike en suites on principle - so I would say downstairs loo if I were doing it for myself.

However with 5 bedrooms I should think some potential buyers would want an extra shower at full occupancy, just for getting people out on time in the mornings.

If you are JUST building a loo in the second bedroom I would say downstairs loo. However if you are comparing en suite with shower against loo in the kitchen, I woudl say in a house that size I'd go for the extra shower for resale potential.

kando · 05/09/2010 17:15

For my house it's a downstairs loo (but we have one anyway!) I think for your house though, as it is a 5 bed house, an ensuite would appeal more to prospective buyers.

Tortington · 05/09/2010 17:16

if i had a lots of visitors i would opt for sownstairs loo then i wouldn't have to tidy upstairs when anyone knocked on

NorbertDentressangle · 05/09/2010 17:18

Is there the possibility of creating a second bathroom/shower room upstairs without it being en-suite?

If so that would be my preference as that way you/visitors have access to 2 loos/2 baths or showers without having to traipse through a bedroom to access one of them

ethelina · 05/09/2010 17:20

I think a downstairs loo because it benefits more people. En suites are nice but only if it's got a shower.

Original poster

3isthemagicnumber · 05/09/2010 17:20

"custardo" The tidying up upstairs thing has been raised by my slatterny self...

you have got me thinking again though.
DH believes ensuite is the way forward, for exactly the second shower issue "theyoung visitor",
also, the downstairs loo probably would be more problematic as would most likely require a kitchen redesign too.....

OP posts:

theyoungvisiter · 05/09/2010 17:24

I think it also depends on the function of the second bedroom - if it's a guest room / study then that's good.

If it belongs to a member of the family then that's more awkward as guests are going to feel weird traipsing through someone else's bedroom to access it.

The ideal for resale would be both but am guessing that that's out of the budget?

Third option (depending on the design of your house) - snip a bit of the the second bedroom but have the bathroom door lead into the corridor? So it's not an ensuite as such, just a second bathroom.

theyoungvisiter · 05/09/2010 17:25

"snip a bit of the the second"?! not sure what happened there.

Was supposed to be "snip a bit off the second bedroom"

Original poster

3isthemagicnumber · 05/09/2010 17:27

DH has just suggested exact same thing tyv!

The ensuite would be accessed from our bedroom (the master)
The second bedroom is DS1's, and he is very resistant coming around to the idea

OP posts:

TheCrackFox · 05/09/2010 17:38

downstairs loo.

Fiddledee · 05/09/2010 17:53

Both I would expect a 5 bed house to have both. Ensuite master bedroom for 4+ bedrooms seems the norm now. I wouldn't buy a large house with no downstairs loo - you will get the money back.

dinkystinky · 05/09/2010 17:57

For some reason buyers seem to place a high value on downstairs loos is the advice I've been given.

IHeartKingThistle · 05/09/2010 18:13

If I was viewing a house that size I'd be surprised if it didn't have a downstairs loo. It's just an essential for me tbh. If it had an ensuite it would be a bit of a bonus but the lack of one wouldn't bother me.

Evenstar · 05/09/2010 18:15

I am downsizing from a larger house with bathroom, en suite shower and downstairs loo, and the downstairs loo was the essential for me. An en suite doesn't answer the problem of someone needing the loo whilst someone else is in the bathroom or the tidying up upstairs if a visitor needs the toilet. However, my current house is 5 bedrooms and when we refurbished it we put in an en suite as I do think buyers would expect a house that size to have at least 2 bathrooms and a downstairs loo.

Pannacotta · 05/09/2010 18:29

I also think your best bet is to put in another bathroom (ideally not ensuite) plus the downstairs loo, as someone else says you should get your money back on both.

Speak to a few kitchen designers to see if you can squeeze in the loo without it affecting the kitchen too much.

Meglet · 05/09/2010 18:54

Another reason for a downstairs loo is for visitors who can't use the stairs. I can't have my 94yo Aunt round as she can't use stairs and I don't have a second loo.

Also downstairs is useful for times when someone has injured themselves / is recovering from an op. Not going to happen very often but having had broken feet / c-sections and major op recovery in this house at various time then the stairs were out of bounds for a while so everyone ended up bored and stuck in the bedroom.

throckenholt · 05/09/2010 18:59

downstairs loo - good for family and visitors. You already have a bath and a separate shower - so not worth compromising the bedroom space for a small ensuite.

Alternative would be a to squeeze a separate loo upstairs somewhere ?

Original poster

3isthemagicnumber · 05/09/2010 19:01

Thanks for all the replies
Have actually just had a builder round, and he, along with the others who have already been have all said that due to size, and building regs, the downstairs loo option would require a kitchen redesign.
The ideal would be to do both but budget does not allow.

I think that to do that properly it would in turn need a kitchen extension so realistically would be looking at massively increased costs.

That might be something we consider in the future maybe-full downstairs extension adding a downstairs loo and maybe a futility room as well .

This has been really really useful though, and must admit surprised at the almost overwhelming response in favour downstairs loo, definately food for thought.

OP posts:

PYT · 05/09/2010 19:02

Def downstairs loo.

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