Ensuite or second family bathroom?

[brumeye]

We're planning an extension and refurb of our 4 bed house.

The current layout only has one bathroom - which is fine with only one child, but is going to be a problem if/when the family grows. We think we want to add a family shower room with a nice big cubicle. In the proposed layout, the two bathrooms are next to each other and are both the same size (9ft x 6ft).

I realise this is a bit unusual; most other houses we've seen have one family bathroom and an ensuite. Are we crazy for wanting to do it this way? Should we be making a bigger family bedroom and a small ensuite instead? It just seems much more useful to have two bathrooms that are usable by anyone without having to go through my bedroom!

Makes perfect sense.

I'd go for the two family bathrooms . My children ( older ) both use our en suite as much if not more than the family bathroom ,our bedroom is not remotely private!

Definitely go for 2 family bathrooms over an en-suite.
We did (slightly different as our '2nd' one is on the 2nd floor). It's so useful that anyone can use it without traisping through your bedroom. I'd be hugely impressed to find a house with a second proper bathroom rather than an en-suite next time we move.

Um, seems I'm in the minority but in a four bed house I would definitely take an ensuite over a second bathroom. We have an ensuite and it's very much mine & DH's domain, whereas the family bathroom is very much primarily the DC's.
Ensuites are a little bit of luxury they are so great. Really, who is going to use this 2nd family bathroom the most? It can't be your current 1 DC and something would also be wrong if you had DC2 and one family bathroom turned out to be inadequate for 2 kids - surely?
Also, are you a hotel or B&B? Because why else is it much more useful to have two bathrooms useable by anyone without having to go through your bedroom? It's your house... no need to accommodate "anyone's" needs!! If you regularly have staying guests ie family or friends, then at a pinch your DCs can share your ensuite and the guests have the major run of the family bathroom.

HTH

Second bathroom.

Oh PS having re-read your OP, if you mean you can create a small 5th bedroom plus an ensuite (as opposed to creating two large family bathrooms) well there is definitely no competition! Extra bedroom trumps bathroom every time! Particularly if you are getting an ensuite and if your current bathroom is adequately sized.
Four bedrooms and 2 large bathrooms OR five bedrooms, one large bathroom and an ensuite? Deffo the second option!
(with apologies if I've read your post wrongly, it is a bit late!)

Thanks everyone for the advice.

RainbowBelle - I hadn't meant it that way, but as you say it's late :-) There isn't really room to add a proper 5th bedroom without encroaching too much on the others. We are adding an "office/nursery" which will be too narrow to use as a bedroom, but the bathroom decision doesn't affect it (other side of house).

I would go for two family bathrooms. I have no desire for an en suite, my mother complains that her marriage is far more intimate than she ever intended it to be with an en suite
You can always allocate one for just you and DH if you find you do want your own bathroom space.

We opted for another family bathroom though the architect was upset wt my choice (but I don't like ensuites).
The big bathroom has an amazingly big shower, and a bath , loo, a comfy chair and a large vanity unit area in an alcove.Sometimes I just hide in there.

The other is a large shower, sink, loo and is the bathroom our boys use the most unless having a bath.

It will be invaluable when they reach early teens onwards. Very handy to have 2 family bathrooms

Well I love en suites and love having a bathroom away from the kids so that would be my choice.

2 family bathrooms.
DH gets up early for work and showering in an ensuite would wake me up! A large ensuite is a lovely luxury, but small ones are horrid.

We have a family bathroom downstairs and went for a large family shower room instead of an on suite upstairs when the attic was converted. I have absolutely no regrets, was defo correct decison for us.

En suite. It's lovely to have a child-free sanctuary.

We've just done this, and went for two family bathrooms - we tend to use the shower room and the kids the bathroom, so the kids' paraphernalia is away from me, but I like the flexibility over an ensuite.