Seperate toilet room or combined? We can't agree

[MordecaiMargaret]

Hi all, my husband and I are embarking on a project build.

In the plans, next to each other they have a separate toilet room - no washbasin and no room for one - and the bathroom with washbasin, shower and bath but no real storage.

I hate the fact the toilet doesn't have a washbasin and want to knock the wall between the rooms, thereby eliminating one of the doors and creating space for shelf unit or similar for towels etc. My husband thinks a separate toilet is a real bonus in a house and it's not that big a deal to go into a different room to wash your hands.

What do you all think?

We will have an ensuite in our bedroom so this will mainly be used by our son and any guests we have (we only have people stay 5/6 times a year for a few days at most)

Thanks for any replies

Hate having a washbasin in another room (think of the germs on the door handle!) - I would definitely knock it through!

Definitely combined if no room for a basin.

Definitley combined

Definitely combined, yuck think of the germs otherwise!

If it was the only toilet in the house then separate is sensible. If there's another then definitely knock through. Separate WC is very old fashioned.

It's no big deal only if you never wash your hands after going to the toilet.

That's exactly why I want to combine, I hate the thought of the germs on the door handle and you'd know whoever didn't wash their hands

unfortunately here in Aus it's the norm to have separate with no washbasin and apparently the separation adds value.

If we could somehow fit one in, maybe move the wall a little, making the 'bath'room smaller, would you still prefer combined or separate?

I did wonder if you were in Aus. My sister who lives over there recently redid their bathroom and lots of people were surprised that the wc wasn't separate.

Mind you, a lot of Australians seem to be horrified by the idea of a bath over the shower

I would go for separate every time. But I speak as an IBS sufferer with a husband who loves long baths!! You can always put antibac hand gel in there so no germs get on the handle, then go to the bathroom to wash properly.

I'd put in a teeny wash basin. The type normally sold as space saving for small cloakrooms. My DM has one that sticks out less than 4 in from the wall.
I like separate facilities for family homes.

You can get teeny tiny sinks - my mum has two in her seperate toilets. One is a 'corner' shape, so it tucks right into the corner. Just big enough to wash your hands in.

I like having a seperate toilet. Never forgot that time OH was having a shower, and I had to rush in to go to the loo (heavily pregnant, otherwise I would've waited!).

The idea of a bath over the shower horrifies me too!

I would get a washbasin in the toilet if at all possible, if not then I'd combine.

oops

If its still at the plans being drawn stage, ask for a revision to add a basin.

ILikeBirds :o I am horrified by the idea of a bath over the shower too!! They're heavy!

Oops crossposts!

what about a loo with a built in wash basin? here

I can see the appeal of separate rooms if there is only space for one loo. Otherwise you just know that bath and loo needs are going to clash

But no no no to a loo with no wash basin.

Can you knock through, but put a little cubicle around the loo, like they do in hotel rooms, sometimes? (With frosted glass walls.) Or wouldn't that count as separate?

I like to have a loo in the bathroom, but we have another separate "cloakroom" loo (with a corner basin) in case someone needs to go when the bathroom is in use.

Either put it in the same room OR put a tiny corner sink in. You'll have germs everywhere and it really makes me feel squeamish that someone has wiped their bum/changed a tampon/had a big man wee, opened the door, opened another door and only then washed their hands.

I don't understand why people prefer a separate toilet with no sink.

If there wasn't room for a washbasin of any kind, then I'd go for combined.
Having said that we have a combined bathroom and I loathe it. Unfortunately we're not allowed to make structural changes.

Wow, Hecate that's an excellent invention. It looks like the loo is flushed with the hand washing water, as well, so that would be a water saving device. That would really be a selling point in Australia, I would've thought. (Last time I was there, water was rationed.)

What mothering says, if there is more than one bedroom you need a loo that's not in the bathroom IMO.

This toilet won't be the only toilet in the house according to the OP so that tips the balance in favour of combined even more so imo.

Thanks for the replies, it would not be the only bathroom in the house as we have an ensuite.

A corner washbasin would be impossible as its very narrow, only a tiny bit wider than the door frame.

We can't really revise the plans anymore than removing the wall as its quite a narrow block.

I suggested having a kind of half wall with glass or similar separating the toilet somewhat from the rest of the bathroom then we could still put the storage across from it where the seperate door would have been.

This doesn't solve the problem of guests being unable to use toilet if someone in shower or bath according to dh. I don't know who he thinks these guests will be who can't wait ten mins or use the ensuite.

His argument is separate will also raise resale value

I also hate shower over bath

I suspect if you asked this question on an Aus based forum you'd get more in favour of the separate toilet option.

Do you intend to sell anytime in the near future?