Downstairs toilet or utility room?

[RyanStartedTheFire]

1900s terrace, quite small, not much storage. Cellar is damp, and the attic access is incredibly small and you have to hang over the stairs to access. We have our utilities in the little space after the kitchen. Sorry the floor plan is crap, but it's been 2 years since we've been here. We don't currently use the downstairs loo as it needs redoing completely and use it as storage instead. We are debating turning it into a utility instead, but we are selling relatively soon and want to know what people would think about not having a downstairs loo.
Our stairs are also very steep as we have very high ceilings, which is a reason for a downstairs loo, but at the moment it's all a bit cluttered with a tumble drier, washing machine and fridge all there.
FIL suggested knocking through and enlarging the kitchen.

Opinions, please? I can post a picture of the floor plan is not readable.

Downstairs loo especially if you think your potential market is first time buyers (who are likely to have one child or go on to have one) and downsizers who will be looking at houses suitable for their old age.
Can't you just stack the drier and washer where they are now?

Yes you can buy the hose extenders (we got one from Amazon.)

Also I like your user name, Dwight.

Have a look in Pinterest for some ideas on utility cupboards and compact toilets - might be helpful to see visuals?

Thanks Spam!
It's better than being the Temp

How far could the washing machine move? Can you have the fridge where the washer is, and then stack the tumble drier and washer where the fridge is?
I wouldn't get rid of that downstairs loo, but I would look at sorting the current "utility"

Ah you have loads of space!

Replace the TD with a condenser. You can get condensers with hose attachment so can drain into the water outlet like the WM so you don't have to empty the water tank.

Stack WM and TD.

Replace fridge with a wide but shallow model like this so that the firdge doesn;t stick out past the WM and TD.

Buy a v cheap white loo and sink for the downstairs toilet.

Install a cealing airier in the downstairs toilet to hang washing inside if you like.

Or without spending money on appliances... just stack current WM and TD and buy a hose extender and don't worry about the fridge sticking out.

I have this stacking kit.

My tumble drier is above my washing machine, with a space of about 6 inches between that the peg tub, dustpan & brush etc just sit it. Mine ate at one end of the utility with the fridge freezer next to them and that just fills the space - with a small gap in between for my spare clothes airer when folded & not in use.
The washer/tumble stack is the same height as the fridge freezer and it just looks sensible - much better than before we had the tumble drier when it was just wasted space.

Actually, looking at yours I would probably swap them and have the fridge freezer nearer the kitchen then the washer drier stack.

Ooh Dessert good idea, yes definitely could switch those around and would be nicer for the kitchen anyway to have the fridge closer to hand.

Thanks for the recommendation Kiroro, those are all great ideas to look into.

Also if you stack them the surely you will have space for a cupboard?

So do fridge, then stack drier on top of washer and then put in a cupboard. Even just something with IKEA as a place to store folded clothes, pegs and washing powder would be super handy.

*from Ikea

Would people really expect a downstairs toilet in a small terraced house though?
Jolly useful if as OP says, Our stairs are also very steep

Best of both worlds if you can keep the toilet, swap fridge for laundry appliances stacking the tumble drier as suggested.

Best of both worlds
Yes this really isn't an either or situation :-)
OP can have both a utility area and a toilet with a little bit of reorganization.

Thanks all, you've reinvigorated my drive to get it nice and sorted. To Pinterest I go!

I would redo the loo and stack tumble on washer in there.

In the utility I'd ditch the fridge freezer for under counter separates, sneak a kitchen unit cupboard/drawers in, and slim kitchen cupboards over, to give more space, storage and light.

From your pic I reckon you have room for utility area and keeping the loo. Win win.

With reorganisation, stacking the utilities, hanging the ironing board and maybe a bit of cupboard the whole area would really earn its keep.

Really common to stack drier and washing machine. A condenser drier sorts out the whole vent issue.

In terms of spending money It's all positives.

I'd ditch the fridge freezer for under counter separates

Nooooooooooooo don;t do this! Bending down to the floor all the time ot get to the bloody fridge is a massive PITA

DP has bad knees and wouldn't be able to bend down for the units so under counter fridge/freezer is not possible.

You can't see it but there's a nice cupboard hung above the washing machine where we keep DIY bits. Ideally we'd take this down and move it along to the end after they'd been stacked and maybe a slim shelf or drawers.

What's under your stairs OP?

Just wondering if some of your utility room stuff could go under there to free up more space. Whether that's practical depends on whether there is already plumbing/soil pipe accessible under that space though.

Under my stairs are the stairs to the horrible damp cellar unfortunately. Wasted space! Next door filled theirs in.