wc in futility room? yuk?

[paulapantsdown]

So we are having a downstairs extension built and have squeezed in, what we thought would be a separate loo and small utility room. Rather than having a tiny loo and a tiny utility - would it be ok do you think to just combine the two, or would that be yucky?

My futility room (I agree with you on the futility) is usually a tip.
My downstairs loo is reasonably presentable

I wouldn't want to combine them as guests use the downstairs loo and I'd rather that the majority didn't see the futility room tip.

You see, I'd rather contain the futility in with the loo rather than having washing baskets in the kitchen - and that's the decision! If you can afford the space to have a utility room and loo and kitchen then do it! We could have probably done that but we're having a small downstairs study instead which is a lot more useful. Oh and we have a rule that you use the main upstairs bathroom for number 2s!

I've been in a downstairs toilet with a spare fridge freezer in, totally wrong imo. I think for a family set up what you are suggesting is fine but I'd probably send visitors upstairs due to the mess.

We are currently building a ulity with a tiny toilet at the end, small projection toilet, corner sink and sliding door...it can be done small scale!

Agree you need to figure out the function of this loo first.

If it is going to be primarily for visitors because you can't be bothered to clean the upstairs bathroom then I think it's better to have separate otherwise you need to tidy up the clothes etc. before people need to wade through them.

If it is going to be used by smelly family members then likewise, so your lovely hanging washing doesn't have an additional fragrance.

If it's more of a spare, for family members mainly, in case 2 people need the loo at the same time, then go for it.

In a local expensive housing development there are houses which are advertised as being for the whole of your life. They have a combined downstairs loo/utility room which is very large and already has the plumbing put in should a family member need a downstairs shower in later life. When I saw it I thought it was an excellent idea though I'd have to keep my utility room a lot tidier if I had a loo in there and guests would see it.

My parents had this set up until recently, though it was more a downstairs loo with washer and dryer in than a utility with a loo. No thoughts of 'yuck' ever crossed my mind - in part cos the whole house is always very clean, in part cos any washing was always IN the washer or dryer, never hanging around. No space, plus they're not washing-hanging-around kind of people (unlike me!)

That said, they've now changed it so the loo is just the loo, the utility is in a little outhouse. I think they wanted more space in both loo and utility.

Thanks everyone for your good advice. The second line of bricks is up now, and after measuring it out internally, having it as 2 separate rooms will just not work, so the decision is taken out my hands anyway. I wouldn't be able to fit in it with armfuls of laundry baskets.

Anyone who is a guest here using the loo and being offended by seeing laundry can just bugger off!

My friend has a small WC behind a door in a tiny alcove of her utility room (think wardrobe-sized) and a butler sink in the utility that also serves for hand-washing. I think that's fine and am very envious both of her utility room and her downstairs WC.

Amused by the surplus of willies in FreeButton's utility room .

We are refurbishing a house ATM and will convert what is now a small kitchen into a combined bathroom (shower/WC) and laundry room. Main purpose is to get the washing out of the kitchen because I hate looking at it. I am reasonably tidy and we will have other storage for all the gubbins that litters our current (teeny, badly designed) utility space, but frankly I don't really care what visitors think.

We have our washing machine, dryer and a loo in the same tiny room (no room to fold clothes).
So far no one has died of poo crumbs getting onto clothes.
Honestly, what do people do in the toilet to make them think this is such an issue? Unless you are smearing shit all over clean clothes I can't see the problem.

In many other countries it is more normal to have your washing machine in the bathroom and they think that we are odd for bringing dirty clothes into the kitchen. I see their point, especially if you have a baby or small children where there is likely to be poo or sick on clothing.

Oh and in my last house any visitors had to go though my bedroom to use the toilet (even work men, imagine the horror!!) So I couldn't give two hoots that someone may see my washing going round in the machine.

Most of the rentals I lived in when I was still in Australia had the washing machine in the bathroom so for me it's totally normal.

Better to have a separate loo entirely but since you can't fit it in then a lootility is vastly preferable to the washing machine in the kitchen - I think it's much cleaner.

You can have appropriate shelves and storage so wayward wee (from small children or drunk men) doesn't end up near any clean washing in baskets.

at wayward wee. It is a big thing in our house. And there are no drunkards. Only small (and less small) boys.

Poo-tility room?!

I wouldn't choose to have them combined, but if it's the only option then so be it.
Our last house (rented) had the downstairs loo in the same place as the hanging space for coats and bags - I hated that (but was pleased to have a downstairs toilet, so lived with it).