Downstairs bathrooms

[Cashewnutts]

We have one (tiny terrace, no space/too expensive to move it upstairs without losing the second bedroom) but all I ever hear is that they are impractical and not family friendly.

What are your opinions on them? From a purchasing a house point of view, are they really that bad?

[namechangedtoday15]

polly I just think its a preference - you're quite right in that there are much worse things than having to walk down a flight of stairs in the middle of the night, but I dislike it and with children who are clumsy at the best of times, I wouldn't want my children walking down a flight of stairs in the middle of the night to use a loo when they're not 100% awake / alert.

[MrsCampbellBlack]

We have a downstairs wetroom as well as a large bathroom upstairs with bath/shower etc. It isn't off the kitchen.

To be honest it is great - if you have muddy children or a husband who does a lot of muddy mountain biking then it just means the mud doesn't get carried upstairs.

I also think for a lot of people having an additional place downstairs to shower is a good thing if they have any type of mobility issues.

[pollyblack]

Yes it totally is preference, actually i'd probably never have chosen it, but since we've moved it in has proven to not be a problem at all. My kids literally never get up in the night to go to the loo- only me and my crappy old bladder!

[BertieBotts]

I loved mine when I had one! It was annoying if you needed a wee in the middle of the night though.

[BertieBotts]

It was great for me with a toddler. Useful for potty training. I liked that I didn't have to leave DS on another floor when i wanted a wee. I liked that I could bath him and then it was upstairs for the night (well, that was the theory anyway).

My next door neighbour did say it was horrible when she was pregnant.

[SquinkiesRule]

We have the main family bathroom downstairs, which is fine, as we have a lovely En suite. The kids don't seem to mind coming down for a wee. The bathroom is in the hall, not at the back of the kitchen though.

[Heratnumber7]

MrsCampbellBlack where do you live?

I know an actual Mrs Campbell-Black.

[Lilmisskittykat]

I bought a terrace and specifically looked for one that didn't have a bathroom off the kitchen which was a task in itself... For me I hated the idea of going down in the middle of the night (irrational fear of burglars/seeing something in the night in garden etc) so it did put me off a little.

I can imagine with small children it would be difficult too... Especially the whole any excuse to get up the loo would be perfect excuse

[blue25]

I wouldn't buy a house with a downstairs bathroom. My in-laws have one at the back of the house off the kitchen. In the morning, you have to walk downstairs through the living room and kitchen to go to the loo or shower. It's horrible.

[BackforGood]

I think it depends what you are used to, which tends to depend on where you live in the country.
In some areas, that's a really common design, most people are used to them and no-one bats an eyelid, in other areas - where people aren't used to them - it sounds strange and off putting.

[LugsTheDog]

Very much depends on local housing market I would think.

It's something we would have compromised on ten years ago, and better than losing the second bedroom I would think. Is converting the loft to reinstate a second bedroom an option?

[househuntinginmanchester]

Our bathroom is directly off the kitchen

It's social housing and we've lived here coming up to four years now... There's been more than one occasion when I'm making a cup of tea or
Cooking even, and someone is in the bathroom having a poo absolutely awful arrangement and I don't know how it's acceptable. At the time however, our situation was so desperate that a bathroom off the kitchen was the last of our worries.