Workable for tiny Ensuite?

[WombatChocolate]

Hi. Our house has a loft conversion which is a good size. It has a large built in cupboard and the house was sold as the cupboard being suitable for an Ensuite. But now I wonder......

So, it is 80cm wide by 240cm long in terms of floor space.
One of the 80cm wide walls is under the eaves of the roof (front) so sloping, whilst the other 80cm wall is a very good height - that end could definitely have a shower in terms of height.
The door opens into the bedroom and is around half way, possibly nearer to the tall 80cm end.
Behind the lower wall, sloping but is a biggish eaves area.
The only current bathroom is at the back of house (other end) and the soil pipe goes down the back wall there.
It is a Victorian semi - no dormer in the extension and no plumbing for a bathroom, so that will all need doing.

Do you think it can work? Is it big enough for an Ensuite? (Would want a loo, shower and basin, possibly small rad) What about the sloping part of wall? What about the plumbing?

As we only have 1 loo at the moment and no scope for a downstairs loo, we are keen to do it if possible.

Has anyone else made an Ensuite in a similar sized space or under the front eaves and away from where the soil stack is?

Any thoughts or experiences very welcomed and appreciated. Thanks.

Have a look on Pinterest for small en-suite layouts and sizes. Be warned though that the American idea of small is quite different to ours! Though there are plenty of UK ones on there.

I'd get a couple of bathroom fitters to have a look and see what they advise. It might all fit, but be too small to use in comfort.

Thanks v much.
It will definitely be small.

Have any of you ever had an en-suite that was so small you thought it really wasn’t worth it - even if otherwise you’d only have 1 loo?

Obviously bigger is better - but if it’s vv small or nothing, is vv small better? Would my sizes be too small to be usable?
I wouldn’t mind if it was easier to dress in the bedroom rather than the en-suite - not end of world when it’s a private bathroom. Wouldn’t want knees banging wall or basin when on loo though.

I thought an 800 x 800 shower would fit at the end. Most people might prefer bigger, but it seems okay as a size to me, if it’s that or nothing.

Any other thoughts v much appreciated.

I had an ensuite in a previous house that was 80cm wide and it was fine. Probably a similar length but without a sloping roof. I used to take the baby in in a baby bouncer while I had a shower so it can't have been too bad although I did dress in the bedroom.

That’s encouraging. Thank you.

We have an en suite like this and it's fine - shower one end and toilet the other, with a basin in the middle opposite the door. We got a sort of kidney shaped basin which has the capacity without sticking out too far, and we have a small towel radiator. I would say definit worth doing, especially if you only have one other bathroom..

You can buy longer but narrow sinks that are designed for lack of width in a bathroom. A bit like a trough - but they work though! I think the bigger problem is plumbing. How are you going to get water to this en-suite and what about drainage if the soil and vent pipe is distant? Big disruption I would have thought.

Following with interest as I also have a cupboard that I want to turn into an ensuite. Mine is 1.6m wide and 1.3m deep and also has a bit of sloped roof. My bedroom is st the front of the house, then hallway and bathroom at the back, so not sure if the plumbing will work.

I’ve got a plumber coming out to give some advice later this week.

I have one of these in my current house.

80 cm by 280cm

Toilet at sloped end.
Basin opposite door
80cm x 80cm shower at the tall end.
I don't get changed in there, just put bathrobe on.
Hooks on wall/door for towels etc.
Narrow shelf above basin.
No window
No radiator
Extractor.

In summer I leave the door open when I shower which makes it less claustrophobic.

It has a Saniflo as opposite side of house to soil pipe, which I'd do your own research about. We haven't had a problem but they are noisy when you use the toilet/shower and you need to be careful what you put down them (no wipes etc.)

For mine, sounds like size is probably okay but the plumbing might be the issue with the Ensuite being at front and soil pipe at back. Might this require a macerator?

I know Piglet John and others say avoid a macerator like the plague - so my question now, is if it really is a macerator or no Ensuite, would you prefer to have a family house with just 1 loo or put up with the macerator? Of course, when our plumber comes round we will ask them to look into all options to avoid it, but are there times when there is no alternative? Or when the alternative will cost something like an extra £20k (making that up)

Obviously hoping there will be a good solution, BUT if you wise people on MN were faced with a macerator Ensuite or no Ensuite (bearing in mind we don't have a downstairs loo and have nowhere to put one) would you do it?

Thanks v much.

Ooh macerator cross post!

Can I ask if you really dislike your macerator? Is it very ugly or odd looking and do you find the noise to be awful?
Glad to hear you haven't had problems - how long have you had it and any tips to make it better/avoid problems?

I assume you prefer the macerator Ensuite to not having one - or thought you would - would you do it again?

Thanks so much - your set up sounds so similar to ours.

Our en suite is about the size you’d will be. Tiny, but I love it as don’t need to go downstairs for a wee in the night.

I do not love the macerator, though. It’s broken down twice in the past 4 years. Once because the cleaner chucked a cleaning wipe down the loo and it got round the cutting up bit and once because all my hair that I’d flushed got wrapped round the same bit. I hardly ever flush hair down the toilet, because I’m worried about such happening. My poor husband had to fix it and looks like he needs therapy ever since.

I've rented a place with a macerator - had to train the kids to be really careful, and it was a bit noisy, but if the alternative is only one toilet, and this one is at the top of the house (so I guess mainly to be used by adults only?) I think I'd do it. It's not ideal, but it's better than the alternative - as long as you're careful about what goes down it.

We had a macerator in a previous ensuite and it was fine - you just need to show respect! They are quite noisy and take up a bit of space. We housed ours in a cupboard in our bedroom which adjoined the toilet wall. It saved space and insulated the sound. We boxed it in with easily removable plywood.
Would you consider a wet room? One of the issues in a small bathroom can be space to open a shower cubicle door .

What about bifold shower doors to save space? Any good?

The en-suite would be for us, so visitors who aren’t familiar with proper use of macerated loo, or kids wouldn’t be an issue.

I don’t like wet rooms - wet socks when going to the loo etc.

Well, will see what plumber says - hopefully no macerator, but I suspect it might be needed. Having researched a bit more I think the unit itself could go behind wall in the eaves rather than in the en-suite itself.

Thanks for all the tips - what we will end up with will probably be very snug and not the en-suite lots of you have or would like ideally - but it will be the best we can have. Unless it turns out to be too small or plumbing impossible, I think as a family we’d benefit more from having a pretty tight en-suite with a rather noisy loo, than only having 1 loo and shower for our growing up family. We will get plenty of advice and go for the best that’s possible given our limitations.

Bifold shower doors are not great in my view. Just do a walk in! You have the space. However, can you not get a bathroom in a bedroom near the soil and vent pipe. I wouldn’t have a macerator. Ever. Just not nice!

I think in your situation having the extra bathroom would be worth it even if it means having a macerator. You get used to the small space when you live with it and the noise.

Will be interesting what the plumber says is possible, there might be quieter/newer options.

We didn't fit ours, the previous owner did. I guess its about 10 years old.

We have bifold doors that open in on the shower and they work fine but guess there might be more modern options. There wouldn't be space for a single door to swing open.

Macerator wise, no wipes, no tissues, no sanitary items, no long hair (i have a trap in the shower), no very foamy shower products, no chlorine bleach.

Thanks. Will come back after plumber has been.

Plumber came yesterday.
Says it is doable in terms of space. They recommended a toilet against the wall with the cistern and macerator behind the wall in the eaves.

So yes, it is a macerator, because of the way the joists run apparently. They recommended one to do the shower, basin and loo and said they are much quieter now. But disappointing a normal loo can't be plumbed in, but plumber said they've done a few like ours and in the situation, it's the best option.

They said we would need a teeny tiny basin, which is fine and probably a bifold door as the width is only 80cm meaning not much space for walk in shower glass wall.

So, we are thinking we will probably go ahead. Although it won't be a palatial en-suite and the macerator loo isn't ideal, we conclude that on balance, having the Ensuite will deliver more positives for us, even if we can't have the large, luxurious, non-macerator Ensuite that we would like or lots of people have.

Just out if interest, has anyone put in a small macerator Ensuite like the one we're talking about and wish they hadn't bothered....especially if you only had 1 other loo.

Thanks so much for your thoughts and experiences.

WombatChocolate have you seen these?

www.victorianplumbing.co.uk/toilets/toilet-and-sink-combos

Might be worth considering if you're space is really tight

I don’t have an en-suite but have some experience of macerators 😬. My main bathroom is run on a macerator, and as long as you respect them they’re generally ok. I’d definitely not bother with saniflo, they’re expensive and blooming awful reliability wise imho! We switched to uniflo macerators and they’re brilliant. They’ve a pump button on the outside to pump the waste water down before you open it, you can buy the entirety of the insides and replace them or buy random spare parts rather than removing the entire macerator and replacing and they have a fantastic sales/aftercare/tech support team too. Oh, and they’re half the price of saniflo.

Thanks for the tips and recommendations about macerator brands.

Re the basin on top of loo cistern, I'm not sure it would work because the roof starts sloping from fairly low at the wall, plus there is space for a normal basin opposite the door, as long as it's shallow. We've been recommended a back to wall loo with the cistern and macerator behind the wall, so the loo doesn't stick out so much.

I do t know anything about brands of macerator, but I had heard of saniflo before. A quick search shows there's loads of different models - a bit confusing. We will want something robust even if it costs a bit more.

Thanks for the update Wombat when I come to update my room its good to know there are quieter macerators.

Enjoy your ensuite :D