additional toilet: downstair cloakroom vs master ensuite

[minny80]

Hello,
I am planning to renovate my 3 beds semi in the next 6/12 month. I live alone with my son. We have one family bathroom upstairs and I would like to have at least 1 more toilet.
Practically I would prefer an additional toilet on the ground floor for guests, convenience etc, but the only place where I can fit one is under the staircase which means having to relocate gas, electric meter, fuse board, and losing all the storage room for hoover, mop etc.
On the other hand, an ensuite will be less convenient during the day and definitely more expensive, as I will have to remove chimney breast, but more convenient at night/early morning (especially when the child is older). Thoughts?

Ground floor gets my vote.

Downstairs toilet.

I'd go for the ensuite if it's going to include a shower and/or bath. If not, downstairs would win.

I'd prefer ensuite. I prefer to have my house optimal for me rather than guests and I really love having my own bathroom.

I have two bathrooms, both upstairs. One family bathroom and an en-suite. It’s not an issue with guests but I would like a downstairs toilet. Not at the expense of my en-suite though. My house is for me not guests.

We are doing the same under stairs with all the relocation of utilities. But lockdown has shown me that I really miss the downstairs toilet. We downsized from 3 bathrooms and didn’t think it mattered too much!

Downstairs definitely. En-suites seem like a pointless waste of space to me, though, so I'm probably not the best person to decide.

Do it for you, especially if downstairs would be complicated.

Downstairs would sell it for me. I'm disabled and wouldn't buy another house without a downstairs loo.

Thank you all for the responses

@Beebumble2 if you don't mind me asking are you having the cloakroom done right now? What kind of issues have you encountered?

One thing against the ensuite is that I really don't like the idea of not having a window but to get one fitted I'll have to apply for planning because of the property location. Also ensuite is quite a self-contained work I could start at any point, while I can only do the cloakroom as part of the renovation because of the amount of disruption it will cause.

I would go for the ensuite. The cloakroom would be small if under the stairs and only include toilet and sink. You'd get much more use of an ensuite with a shower or a bath. I would also reluctant to give up my understairs storage of mop because I'd have nowhere else to put the hoover and mop.

How old is your son OP? There's definitely a stage where having a downstairs loo is super-handy, but that doesn't last long and now DS is 15 I would give my right arm for an en-suite! Finding somewhere else for the hoover etc is going to be a PITA too.

I tend to agree with the post who says get the house right for the people who live there, rather than for visitors.

@NotABeliever that's a very good point about storage, I have so much stuff in that cupboard and I really don't know where is going to go, as I am planning to rearrange space in the kitchen to fit a dining table so adding storage in the kitchen is not an option. Plus the additional costs of moving meters and the fuse box is going to turn this into a quite expensive job for a toilet and a tiny basin...

@LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett he is 6 and getting into the habit of remembering he needs to go when I need to go , I can see things getting worse when he is older, although even with an ensuite I don't think we will be able to shower at the same time because of water pressure.

Downstairs for sure.

minny80 we are just at the start, awaiting the Electricity provider to give us a date for moving the meter to the outside, we then have to engage an electrician to work alongside and move the consumer unit.
Fortunately we already have the water piped through by the previous owners and the drains are on that side.so not seeing any problems.

Definitely upstairs. It's not so much being able to shower at the same time, it's more being able to keep 'your' loo the way you want it, without having to mop up puddles of lynx and water every time you nip in for a pee.

(Though my friend's DCs use their en-suite because the kids' loo is 'disgusting' - maybe invest in a lock andkey )

Downstairs for sure. We only have one upstairs toilet and no space for another. But when my dad visits he struggles with the stairs now so a downstairs loo would be so much easier.

It’s great having a downstairs toilet, takes traffic away from bathroom.
Plus having 2 whole bathrooms for 2 people is a lot of extra cleaning, and resources. It shouldn’t be too hard for 2 people to share a bathroom.
Some of the reasons for having ensuite cited on here are about larger families.

I would definitely think about improving storage space elsewhere to compensate though

Downstairs.

My grandparents cant visit us because we dont have a downstairs toilet, and it wont be long until my fil is the same. It really inhibits things like christmas, and time spent with kids.

Downstairs is great with kids.

You're past the potty training stage, but it's great when they dash in from the garden covered in mud, or are in a hurry after coming in from school etc - not having muddy trails all up the stairs is a definite bonus.

Downstairs. If you've got space for an ensuite upstairs, you've space there for a decent storage cupboard.

Downstairs all the way - you really need one minimum on each floor. Plus anyone you don't know well using the loo can use that rather than have them go upstairs and use your family bathroom.

Thank all lot to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts. I think I will go for a downstairs cloakroom, it will be easier to fit in the works now as I am renovating the ground floor. I can always go for an ensuite in the future (assuming I have the needs AND the money )
About the missing storage, it will need to be separated and go in different cupboards but definitely doable, it will be also a chance to stop stockpiling junk (or stash most of it in the loft )
Again thanks for all the comments, it was really useful!