Downstairs loo in utility or with separate door?

[MummytoMog]

All things being equal, I would want our downstairs loo to be completely separate from our utility, but the builders seem to think this is going to be impossible. Basically the utility/WC space is the front half of what used to be the garage - it sticks out to the side of the house, is the other side of the currently external wall of the kitchen and is about 3m by 3m. How the plans originally had it was with the WC having its own door through what is now the external wall, and the utility sort of forming an L around it. The plans had a bit of a creep and turned into the door to the loo being in the utility. I pointed out to the architect/builder that this was not what I wanted and he said that would be fine. Now the on the site builder is saying this would be really difficult because of where the steels in the loft conversion and the rear extension are, a lot of weight is going through that wall. Which is totall understandable, but I'm a bit peed off that nobody mentioned it before.

So as I understand it, my options are either have the door in the utility room or create a little lobby, with one door into the WC and one door into the utility, but that seems like a silly use of space. But would keep a separate door... I could build a cupboard into the unused wall of the lobby, but what would anyone else do? I've done a rough mock up on my profile if you're interested of the three options, but it looks like the original and preferred isn't possible without some serious structural engineering which I can't afford (and the builder thinks the district surveyor wouldn't sign it off).

My downstairs loo is through the utility room as is my friend's house (totally different design). I've never given it a thought. Why would you see it as a problem?

From your thread title I thought you meant that the loo would be in the utility room with no wall or door. That I wouldn't like

Our utility / WC layout is similar to the bottom left plan on your profile.

Works great. Our is off the back of the kitchen. So you go through a door in the kitchen, into the utility room, then trough another door into the WC.

We also have an external side door in the utility which is great for mucky children accessing the WC when they are outside.

The original plan was to have to access the downstairs loo from outside?? Or am I misunderstanding that?

Ours is like your bottom left, accessed inside the utility room.

The third drawing you show is by far the best version. The lobby idea is no good at and the two separate side by side doors cut into the external wall frankly look a bit daft too. So the option that you've ended up with is the best one anyway - hurrah!

Unrelated: Fireside kitty is rather adorable.

OK, glad nobody thinks the door in the utility is a terrible idea, as that is the cheapest option! I've probably not been very clear, but can't upload the actual drawings. The wall in grey on the plans is a load bearing external wall now, but will be a load bearing internal wall once the side extension is built. To the right of it is our current kitchen (which will be a sort of walk through hallway with big cupboards for shoes/coats/buggies) and the new kitchen will be a rear extension to the top of the picture, going the whole way across the back of the side extension and the rear of the house. So the two doors would be internal, but might have looked a bit fussy anyway? The thinking behind the separate door was that I wanted to be able to lock stuff in the utility away from the kids, but I suppose I could just put the poisonous stuff in top cupboards...was also a bit worried about visitors going through my laundry to get to the loo, but I'm probably being precious, especially given how few visitors we have.

We can't have a side access to the utility because the planning officer didn't like it (even though our neighbour on that side has one and wouldn't have minded in the slightest). Was originally going to be opposite the internal door though, so that muddy boots etc could come off there.

Fireside kitty was under the covers last night - it was COLD.

Our utility/WC takes up space at the rear of what used to be our garage and the old garage had a door out to the side. It is that door that become the external door from the utility, iyswim.

As a door was already there it wasn't a planning issue. They can be funny about windows/doors on the side.

picture 3

Picture 3. Our downstairs loo is off our utility room too. It's fine.

Our downstairs loo is in the utlity too.

You are actually ending up IMOH with the best option.

1. Less doors on the loadbearing wall - structurally better and as you say less fussy looking. A picture, a shelf, some hooks can all now go where the loo door was.
2. The original shape of the loo is what we have - door on the short side of the rectangle opposite the loo - a total PITA to get a decent sized sink in. We have had to go for the teeniest sink in the world so you could get in/past the sink. Side on door to the loo is wayyyyyy better - sink at one end, loo at the other. You could do a corner sink. Much better use of space

Yes guest can see the laundry in the utlity if they go there but if they are upset by that it is there problem not mine . I would understand someone getting their knickers in a twist if my washing was on the sofa - but in front of the washing machine...meh

I feel a lot better about it now :). I had actually worried a bit about fitting a sink in, so this will make life easier. And it would be nice to have a display cupboard or some more fitting bookcases in that space.

Thank you all!

That cat is fecking enormous. Thought it was a staffie. Grand hot water bottle, though.

Ahem, back on topic, your plan looks a good one.

Go through our utility to reach downstairs loo and it has never been a problem.

Option 3 looks good, best use of space.

You think that cat's big, you should see the one we call 'Fatboy'. He's ENORMOUS. And so fwuffy wuffy (Maine Coon). We have very little heating at the moment, but we do have a lot of cats.

Builders will be pleased. I will save this little gem for Monday morning when I want to motivate them.

Bottom left - but sliding door to save on space

I got a very narrow, rectangular sink with a cupboard underneath it from Bathstore. Our loo layout is the same as yours.

Our loo is off the utility room too. The only downfall is if a guest wants to use the facilities they need to walk from the sitting room, through the kitchen, through the utility room to the loo.
I would much rather have a loo of the hall.

Def picture 3.

And please show us more pictures of your cats