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Original poster

How big (small) is your downstairs loo?

21 replies

PingPongBat · 16/09/2015 19:35

We're doing some alterations to our downstairs & want to relocate our downstairs loo. The only place it will go is in an existing coat cupboard by the front door.

Thing is, it's a bit small... 135cm long x 70cm wide. There's no natural light but we can fix a velux or suntube in the roof cavity above it.

As DH & I are 6 foot tall & the DCs are heading that way, I'm wondering whether the space is really big enough - will it be really claustrophobic?

Anyone else out there got a tiny downstairs loo?!?? full details please - measurements etc!!

OP posts:

wowfudge · 16/09/2015 19:52

I would say it's possibly not big enough but with space saver sanitary ware and a pocket door or outward opening door it might work.

Don't bother with the light tube - not worth it in such a tiny space. You're hardly going to be spending a huge amount of time in there.

Where is it going to be relocated from? Can't help thinking that losing storage space (always useful) for a tiny loo might be a wrong move.

Original poster

PingPongBat · 16/09/2015 20:05

It's currently next to the kitchen, which is being extended. There's simply nowhere else for it to go...

OP posts:

wowfudge · 16/09/2015 20:13

Are you having a utility room separate from the kitchen? How many other bathrooms do you have?

SilverHawk · 16/09/2015 20:15

78cm x 110cm. Totally doable with your space.

lalalonglegs · 16/09/2015 20:16

I don't think it is impossibly small but I think I'd prefer a coat cupboard. Have you had an architect design the extension? I'd be surprised if they couldn't find a way of relocating it. Or put a floorplan on MN and let us advise

johnImonlydancing · 16/09/2015 20:44

The house we are buying has a downstairs loo located in the under-stairs bit. It has no natural light either but tbh does it matter? you don't spend a lot of time in there, just hanging out. Ditto with the size- as long as you can sit comfortably on the loo without cramped legs, I don't think you need more space.

cashewnutty · 16/09/2015 20:51

I have had 3 houses with downstairs loos and none had any natural light. It has never been an issue.

Original poster

PingPongBat · 16/09/2015 20:56

OK, I'll try to describe what we're planning.

At the back of the house we've got an L shaped kitchen, with a downstairs loo in the other bit of the rectangle, IYSIM. The plan is to demolish this downstairs loo to make the kitchen bigger - making it a complete rectangle - and also to convert the back end of the garage into a utility room, with a door from the kitchen. The garage is asmost double length, so there'll be room left at the front for bikes, gardening stuff etc.

The coat cupboard by the front door is used to store spare coats that we hardly ever wear! Plus there's some stuff which can go in the garage or utility room - shoe polishing stuff, ironing board, iron, seat pads for outside chairs, picnic blankets, scarves & a mini step ladder. So I'm not concerned about losing the storage space. A good clear out and some relocation will do the trick.

OP posts:

PettsWoodParadise · 16/09/2015 20:58

Ours is under the stairs so headroom is ok by the sink end, and ok if you are sitting down on the toilet end . However none of us are tall. It is 158cm long with a small sink and a toilet with a plastic space saving cistern. It is 77cm wide. The door opens inwards to the toilet and we have a stopper on the back of the door to stop it bashing into the sink. It is claustrophobic and not our first choice of toilet but great in wet weather or when we have a house party as the stair carpet doesn't then get mauled by lots of soggy footprints. No window.

BeaufortBelle · 16/09/2015 20:59

I used to live in London and have visited some very small downstairs loos, especially the ones under the stairs. I think a very small loo is better than no loo, especially where children/potty training may be concerned - helps with the resale value.

RingDownRingUp · 16/09/2015 21:07

Ours is 1.6 m x 4m (with a very high ceiling). It feels huge and far bigger than a downstairs loo need to be!

reni2 · 16/09/2015 21:18

88x 160cm. With your measures we'd need a smaller sink, rest would fit no problem.

wonkylegs · 16/09/2015 21:38

Currently we have one that's 1.8m x 2.4m.... and is a bit big really.
In our old house it was under the stairs about 0.7 wide, 1m full height and another 1.2m sloping under the stairs. It was fab, didn't have natural light but had a decent light & fan and was clean lines, White & wood, small basin and compact loo.

Original poster

PingPongBat · 16/09/2015 22:43

Our current one is 90 x 250 - far too big! No idea why the previous occupants put it there really.

Thanks for your measurements everyone, I'm reassured that it'll be ok

OP posts:

bowsaw · 17/09/2015 08:55

seems big enough and do you rarely need a velux etc, plenty of loos are under stairs ets and the short time your in there using a bulb is fine, its more of a luxury the window but a good vent to outside would be a requirement for any smelly visitors

mandy214 · 17/09/2015 09:13

Ours is tiny - we have a 1930s semi and it is in the space under the stairs. I think it is about 77cm wide by about 2m long, but only just over 1m of that is head height (this is the toilet end). This is not our house, but one exactly like ours with the same set up.

Is it huge? No. Does it feel a little small (for my 6ft husband)? Probably. Would I rather have a coat cupboard, or compromise a new kitchen to squeeze it in somewhere else? No. It is adequate, it does the job.

The only alternative is to see if you can incorporate it into the garage space?

DingbatsFur · 17/09/2015 09:16

Do you have a meter box or anything in the under the stairs cupboard?

LaContessaDiPlump · 17/09/2015 09:20

Our downstairs loo is our only loo

I think a lack of natural light and cramped conditions is fine if it's not your main bathroom.

mandy214 · 17/09/2015 09:40

We have a meter (the electricity meter) under the stairs but if you imagine the shape of the stairs (in our house anyway) is a kind of rectangle at the highest part, then it slopes down in a triangle. The rectangle, and the highest part of the triangle is where there is sufficient head height for the loo, then our electricity meter is part way down the triangle. It is still accessible from the front of the stairs if you see what I mean, not from inside what was the cupboard / now the loo. Have a door on the outside of the stairs - a bit like this not half as nice as this

EllenParsnips · 17/09/2015 11:18

Ours is under the stairs and is 73 x 130 and it's great. We have a sloping roof too. We put in a corner wash hand basin.

Ours is actually reduced in width because we have pipes boxed in so we have a little "shelf" that we covered with left over quartz from kitchen worktop.

I love our under the stairs loo.

EllenParsnips · 17/09/2015 11:21

...and we have no natural light (not an issue) and DH is over 6' too. Our downstairs loo feels like a luxury, painted in Little Greene Lead Gray. Proper Duravit loo too.

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