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Property/DIY

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Original poster

Is a second shower downstairs a big no, even if you really cannot find a place to put one upstairs?

52 replies

Pernickety · 11/09/2012 16:38

I live in a 4 bed semi - 1930s build. It was built as four bedrooms. It's a lovely house. It has one not very large bathroom. There is a toilet downstairs, still sort of out the back, but joined to the house. When we extand the downstairs, we'll make sure we incorporate a better downstairs loo. I'm keen to make the room big enough for a second shower, as we have fairly frequent visitors and two DDs heading towards double figures.

My research leads me to believe that downstairs shower rooms are undesirable and put buyers off.

I've looked at every potential place to fit a shower in upstairs but it's not possible. If we did not have a chimney breast in our bedroom, it would be possible to squeeze a very narrow ensuite in, but the chimney breast can't go anywhere, as we have a fireplace in the living room below. Where do people manage to eek out a space for an ensuite or shower room upstairs? Am I missing something? And if we can't have a 2nd shower upstairs, is it better to not have one at all?

OP posts:

frenchfancy · 11/09/2012 16:40

OUr second shower is downstairs. Actually it is bigger than our upstairs bathroom so I guess the second one is upstairs if you se what I mean.

I use the downstairs one much more than the upstairs one. That way I can shower at night or in the morning without waking the kids.

MrsCampbellBlack · 11/09/2012 16:41

Well we're going to have a downstairs shower/wet room and with a DH who does a lot of cycling and 2 mucky boys I think its pretty practical. Quite a lot of people seem to do them now and we're not going to extend purely to facilitate an additional bathroom upstairs.

But we're not planning on moving for a while so want our home to work for us now rather than focusing on re-sale value.

charade · 11/09/2012 16:41

Are you moving? You need to live in your house the way that suits your family, not mythical future buyers.

Original poster

Pernickety · 11/09/2012 16:44

We're planning to be here another 12 years at least.

My DH is not keen for another shower. He doesn't see the point. he can't quite understand that our two (happy not to bathe for weeks) DDs will likely change into people who hog the bathroom. I ought not to be worried about reselling the house but I don't want to persuade DH to go along with my plans, only to have a shower that is rarely used and then puts buyers off sometime in the future.

OP posts:

Milliways · 11/09/2012 16:45

We have a downstairs shower - it's great (but DS's bedroom is downstairs so it's like his en-suite!)

I know lots of people with downstairs showers- also with a loo & small sink loke ours. Never thought it odd.

Machadaynu · 11/09/2012 16:45

I bought a house with a downstairs shower. I didn't know it was supposed to be undesirable, so I thought 'cool, it has two showers' It was very useful for use after doing gardening - can't say it got much use apart from that, but then I didn't have kids then.

Original poster

Pernickety · 11/09/2012 16:53

So, maybe the article I read was written by some mansiopn-dwelling pretentious estate-agent.

OP posts:

AnnoyingOrange · 11/09/2012 17:03

I would have thought a second shower would be an asset in a family home. Better than only having one bathroom even if it is downstairs.

7to25 · 11/09/2012 17:06

We have a downstairs shower (mine!)
It was very useful when we had small, dirty children and I also use it for the dog.

Original poster

Pernickety · 11/09/2012 17:08

We are getting a dog! I keep telling DH the shower will be useful for that, even if it is just rinsing off our muddy boots after walking it.

OP posts:

CointreauVersial · 11/09/2012 17:14

How old are your DCs? Mine are approaching their teens, and only having one shower would be a nightmare. Your DH certainly needs to look ahead!

I think a downstairs bathroom is regarded as undesirable if it's the only one in the house (with the exception of houses such as small Victorian terraces where it is the norm), but if it's a second one and done well (i.e. not in a weird place) it has to be a plus point.

cantspel · 11/09/2012 17:18

I never knew having a downstairs shower was bad as it was one of our must haves when we were looking.
But then i have a disabled mother who cant do stairs.

Surely having a extra downstairs bathroom widens your market as it then includes people with disabilities.

nemno · 11/09/2012 17:22

I'd have one again in a heartbeat. It's possible it will have such great water pressure that it becomes the preferred place to ablute.

financialwizard · 11/09/2012 17:26

I would put one in. We have been house hunting and it wouldn't have out me off.

Chestnutx3 · 11/09/2012 17:27

If you are going to be in your house for 12 years then have it how you want to do it. I think you can get trapped into will this add/destroy value to your house when actually it is a home not (just) an asset.

Chandon · 11/09/2012 17:31

what charade said makes sense

BalloonSlayer · 11/09/2012 17:34

We only have a bathroom upstairs, and we have a shower room downstairs. We gave up our en-suite shower to get a 4th bedroom and put a shower into the downstairs loo instead.

I am pleased to have it. I have not thought about it being less desirable. Frankly, in our case, I think what we have now - a 4 bed house with a bathroom and shower room - is far superior to what we had before - a 3 bed house with a bathroom, ensuite shower and downstairs loo.

BalloonSlayer · 11/09/2012 17:36

What I mean by my last paragraph is that the en-suite is only available to the owners of the bedroom really, so guests won't be able to use it if you are in bed. So the downstairs shower room is much better.

firawla · 11/09/2012 17:38

we have a downstairs shower. we bought the house recent-ish and it never put me off at all, I find it really handy. never heard that its supposed to put people off. if theres no room upstairs then a extra shower downstairs is better than no extra at all, and personally i find one up and one down more convenient

ThisisaSignofthetimes · 11/09/2012 17:41

Go for whatever your lifestyle demands. I have been house hunting recently and one of my stipulations is that there must be a 2nd bathroom. I'd prefer it to be upstairs but that's just my preference and I would expect all other things being equal to pay a bit more than one downstairs. The majority of buyers will want a 2nd bathroom upstairs, I don't fancy traisping upstairs to get dressed to be honest, but if you are set on being in the house for a number of years and need the 2nd bathroom go for it.

PigletJohn · 11/09/2012 18:22

A extra shower is useful.

Having it downstairs will be handy for you when you break your leg and can't get up the stairs.

It will also be handy for guests. The room should have enough enclosed space to (un)dress and hang your clothes. If you can put a basin and mirror in there as well it will be useful.

Be sure to include a radiator and a powerful extractor fan, preferably coming on with the lightswitch and having a delay timer. Some people have an aversion to ventilation and will not turn on fans or open windows. The wet towels will take a long time to dry, as will the shower tray, so you may get condensation and mould if not well ventilated.

If the ventilation is good, you can put a roll-away washing ine in there for rainy days and it will prevent the moisture spreading round your house.

frenchfancy · 11/09/2012 18:26

I don't go upstairs to get dressed - I take my clothes with me when I go to the shower. I have a laundry basket in the bathroom so if I shower in the evening the clothes go straight in the basket. As the washing machine is downstairs it all seems sensible.

LadyofWinterfell · 11/09/2012 18:27

We currently have a 2 bed one bath and 3DC. When our extension happens next year we will have a 4 bed, one bath, and a downstairs shower room. It's mainly for me and DH, but will be useful for when my 86yo grandmother comes to visit as she can't do stairs very well any more!

SunnyUpNorth · 11/09/2012 19:28

My parents have a main upstairs bathroom with shower and downstairs shower room. Growing up (3 girls) we all used the downstairs one as it was a much better shower. Guests tend to use the main bathroom so there is no embarrassment for them wandering around in a towel.

When you are used to it there is no problem going downstairs to use it and then back up to get dressed. That would be no different to coming down from an attic room for example, to use a first floor bathroom.

If future buyers don't like it they still have a large downstairs loo that can double as a utility room, so I think it can only be a good thing.

MrsCampbellBlack · 11/09/2012 19:34

Yes I think that now they're actually seen as an advantage - I'd far rather my muddy DH and dc's go into a downstairs shower room rather than traipse mud upstairs. That could just be my filthy family though . . . .

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