Downstairs bathroom

7 replies

oldboiler · 15/03/2015 21:45

I live in a victorian terrace - upstairs I have a shower and loo but downstairs is the only proper bathroom. Looking to sell soon and trying to improve property before i do to get maximum value so would it be worth moving bathroom upstairs or would it really make no difference value wise? To fit a proper bathroom upstairs would either have to lose the 4th bedroom or build extension on back to make the existing toilet bigger so can also fit a bath in. Any tips?

OP posts:

Cheekychip · 15/03/2015 22:06

Personally I wouldn't buy a house with a bathroom downstairs.

Bit it depends on how healthy the market is in your area. If there are plenty of buyers you probably don't need to be concerned - just sell it as it is and let the buyer decide what to do with it.

Andcake · 15/03/2015 22:11

As long as there was a loo and sink upstairs I'd be fine...

RandomMess · 15/03/2015 22:14

I loved having a bathroom next to the kitchen with little ones. So long as shower, loo etc. upstairs it's not worth moving it if it means losing a 4th bed.

BackforGood · 15/03/2015 22:22

It's personal preference, and, to some extent, depends on what other housing is like in your area. Some towns had all housing built with the downstairs bathroom so it seems less 'odd' or 'difficult' than if you are somewhere where most homes have the bathroom upstairs.
I think the fact you have a toilet and shower upstairs means fewer people would have concerns.
I certainly wouldn't spend major money moving a bathroom just to try to sell.

cookoos · 15/03/2015 22:32

if i was in the market to buy a terrace thats what i would half expect it to have to be honest. you have a shower & a loo upstairs.... bonus!!
i grew up in a terrace, then bought a terrace for my own first home 3.5yrs ago (both downstairs bathroom, with NO toilet or shower upstairs) have just moved to a semi -detached 3wks ago & its so weird for me to have bathroom upstairs.

I wouldnt do it, there is going to be people out there who it doesnt bother. or who are willing to do that themselves if it bothers them & they like the house enough.

We didnt even give our terrace a lick of paint before we put ours on the market in december, just made it really clean, tidy, warm and cosy looking and it sold in a day! not because it was great, it was a two up two down terrace, just cus we were lucky! id save your money
Good Luck

tellmemore1982 · 15/03/2015 22:41

I think you have to evaluate what the change would mean before you can make a choice:

How much would the work cost (each option) and how much of the value of your house is it?
How will it fundamentally change your house (eg 4 beds to 3, increase / reduction jn floor area etc) and are these changes for the better?
How much would it add to the value of your house (ask an EA)?
How would timing affect your decision to move? It could take anything from 1-6 months depending on what you do, availability of good tradesmen and any problems you find in the process.

Have a look online for similar houses on your street or in area who have done the same. You can see floorplans on eg rightmove but also on public council planning permission portals if people have made changes that required planning approval.

My personal feeling is that a Victorian terrace will have a cap on the price you can realistically ask no matter what you do, and the cap will be driven by the nature of the house and also by other similar properties on the road (assuming it doesn't have a unique feature such as much bigger garden). Therefore, you should also put a cap on how much you spend on improving it.

If you just want to do the work to make sure it can actually sell then I would seek advice from an EA who knows the market in your area about how best to sell it. Although many features will help to sell a property, it usually comes down to good old supply, demand and price at the end of the day. Good luck.

LondonGirl83 · 15/03/2015 23:30

It depends on what's normal in your area. Where I live it would be unusual and off putting-- less so because of the shower room though. Losing the ground floor bathroom and either turning it into a utility room or making your kitchen bigger should be a winner but ask an estate agent familiar with what people like where you live.

Flip