Can we talk downstairs loos?

[Paloma12]

Oh, the glamour. Has anyone added a downstairs loo in a London Victorian terrace - standard design - double reception, extended kitchen with side return. The classic place seems to be between front rooms and kitchen, do people find this is ok, I.e. Proximity of loo to kitchen?

Ours is under the stairs - is that an option for you? Bristol Victorian semi.

Can you look up similar local properties for sale on rightmove. Many of them have floorplans now and you'd be able to see what people have done to add a wc to a house like yours.

FWIW, our wc is between kitchen and front room and its fine and a convenient place for it to be.

Don't get a saniflow.

Do get an effective extractor fan. Not the cheapest possible. If necessary, ducted.

Get a substantial door, preferably a panelled fire door or other heavy door, to muffle sound.

It will need a small wash-basin.

Yes we have but added under stairs. Actually do have a saniflow in it as was much cheaper and its always been fine. have a small narrrow sink with a cupboard underneath (bought as a single unit) which holds spare loo rolls, soap, nappies etc and have a peg rail on wall opposite loo for coats. Works very well. Have seen loads just like it.

Yes - but it was quite major work to put the drainage in as we really didn't want a saniflow, so be warned. A lot of the houses in our road have them under the stairs but ours is between sitting room and kitchen and back to back with a utility room. Loo opens from the hall, utility opens from kitchen. The worst downstairs loo I ever had was in our last house, where it opened off the kitchen - it felt a bit bizarre and was not very soundproof!

Ours is a Saniflow but had for about 15 years now and only had a couple of probs where had to get saniflow engineer out. Don't think drainage allowed other kind.

Definitely unhygienic to come off the kitchen. This used to be banned and still should be. Best place is off the hall if you have space and proper plumbing is less of a worry.

Saniflow is ok. Have had it for over 15 years. Couple of times needed a plumber. If it's your best option, know it's ok.

Not as good as a regular loo, though.

Yes, under the stairs. We'd is it while extending downstairs so drainage was easy.

what are the alternatives to saniflow?

Proper plumbing without the use of a macerator!

However, you may need to pull uplifts of your floor to connect in.

Thanks all. We are not having sani-flow! I've had a look at other floor plans, and they ALL have them as a sort of box between kitchen and sitting room. So it would appear to be a format that works - but like others say, is it not a bit weird so near to kitchen?

I think it's fine as long as it doesn't actually open off the kitchen. Difficult to see where else it could go in most terraced layouts. (Our hated kitchen loo was there because the previous owners just extended up to and across where the old outside loo was rather than changing the drainage!)

We are in the middle of works to add a utility / wc (3 x 3 extension) to the rear of the kitchen. I will look forward to not have to run upstairs to the loo. It is adjacent to sewer pipes too so no need for saniflo

I thought building regs say you need two doors between a loo and a kitchen?

I hope this is not hijacky but have you (or anyone) found a really small basin?

Most of the ones I've seen have been sandwiched between the back recep and the kitchen (so effectively cut off the kitchen). The loo doesn't open off the kitchen though - you move the door to the kitchen backwards, so walking through the hallway you have door to the back recep, then door to the loo, then door to kitchen facing you.

I have also seen layouts which take the loo off the side of the kitchen - so you have the door to the loo and the door to the kitchen side by side iyswim. depends whether you prefer to make your kitchen shallower or narrower I guess.

Galaxy - they used to but not any more, you just need a basin in there to meet regs.

We have exactly that layout OP (all open plan downstairs apart from where the loo is) - we have a very good extractor fan (which is v quiet) and a good thick door and have had no problems at all in the 3 years since we had the refurb (including side extension) done.

triangular corner basins are quite small.

If it is under the stairs you can put a basin or vanity unit under the restricted-height part.

All my friends in Victorian semis extended have it where you say. Others under the stairs, I much prefer under the stairs for some reason. For those mentioning 2 doors, you do shave this: bathroom door and a kitchen door.

Thanks dinky

We can't go under the stairs, for various reasons. Only place we can plumb it in properly is between kitchen and back reception. But for various structural reasons, it's difficult to do it so that the door is not coming into the kitchen - it will be right beside kitchen door, if that makes any sense. Do you have that, dinky?

loo door right beside kitchen door (usually at right angles to it) is what I've always seen

see this floorplan for example

here is an alternative position - but sounds like the plumbing may not work for you.