bathroom as part of the loft conversion - yes or no?

[Ravenspeckingearly]

Currently have 4 beds 3 are decent sized doubles and one is huge with an ensuite. DH will be WFH at least 2 days a week forever and wants a proper study i.e. a room that doesn't double as the spare room for the 2 weeks a year his parents come to stay and is at least 9sqm. We have 2 tweenagers. DH wants to do a loft conversion to provide the extra space. The loft conversion will provide at least 16sqm of head height space in addition to space for a bathroom. DH says he thinks that putting a bathroom in the loft is unnecessary and a waste of money that we can afford. I think that having a small shower room leaves the open option of making the loft space a bedroom (which I'm sure one of the DC will want at some point). I also think going up and down stairs to the toilet, even if its a study is a PITA. I almost think there isn't any point in doing the conversion is there isn't a bathroom. Thoughts please.

I agree with you OP

You have two dc so one having a floor of their own isn’t a benefit to family relations? I’m with DH, stick to wfh/play space.

You are using it as a study, but a future buyer might want a 5th bedroom. I wouldn’t buy a house with a converted loft without a bathroom up there.

I’ve lived in several rentals with loft conversions, very popular extension round here, and the ones with no bathroom upstairs were a pain in the arse.

If it is eventually used as a bedroom it’s not fun having to navigate stairs for midnight wees. Especially as they are usually more awkward than a standard flight of stairs.

If you can afford it put one in.

He's wrong. You're right.

The small additional cost to put plumbing up there when you build it will reap the rewards in value.

Get a shower, small basin and compact macerater if you can't put a full toilet in. He can walk downstairs to take a dump seeing as he didn't want it up there in the first place

Put it in.

I would put a bathroom in. As you say, it provides you with flexibility in the future. I also think if you come to sell most people would expect one.

Would definitely put a bathroom in, no doubt about it.

Put one in. It might well be used as a bedroom by future buyers, or by visitors, or even your teenagers, and having the bathroom on a different floor is a pain for middle of night wees on the usually steeper attic stairs.

I kind of wish we'd put one in our loft conversion, even though we only use it as an office and have another spare room for guests. We've had to use it a few times when doing building work, or with more guests than usual. OTOH if I didn't have to leave my office for a wee, I'd never get any exercise these days.

Had the same dilemma. In the end we had it plumbed but no bathroom. Now the extra space is more valuable. Can easily put in a bathroom at a later date.

I'm with you.

If you are going to all the massive expense and upheaval of putting in a loft conversion, you might as well do it properly.
Apart from anything else, it means he will have water up there so can have a kettle and be able to make drinks without having to carry them up two flights.
But seriously, either as your dc grow, or, when you come to sell, that will be a 5th bedroom, and, as it is on another floor, it would make sense to put the bathroom in if there is space.

You're right op. I always think it's odd when people don't put one in!

Another one saying you're right! Cost isn't massive and it's an investment.

Thank you! I’ve just given him the MN verdict and he said ‘I want to know what the dads think?’

I would just have a big room, no bathroom and see how it goes. You can always add that later.

Do you think he would benefit from seeing it from a more cost/benefit perspective? Get the figures to do the work for both options and speak to an estate agent about the difference in both asking price and ease of sale for with/without bathroom.

@Ravenspeckingearly

Thank you! I’ve just given him the MN verdict and he said ‘I want to know what the dads think?’

Ok.

I've just asked DH and he said you'd be a fool not to put in a bathroom.

It will add more value if you sell, mean you don't have to go downstairs to use the toilet if using as a study, have access to a tap if you want to put a kettle/coffee machine/mini fridge in the study so you're not walking down 2 flights of stairs to make a cuppa whilst working, offer more flexibility in the future when your children are teens and "bathroom congestion" can still be an issue even with and family bathroom and en-suite.

The only reason not to do it is if you can't afford it - and you've said you can.

I agree with all the above but apparently the fact my DH said it has more weight for that I'll say he's a being a bit of a dick as well as a fool.

I was speaking to an architect this week about loft conversions, and they said people now want a toilet on every floor of a house so virtually every loft done now has one. If you put a toilet and sink up there it's barely any more expensive to put in a small shower too.

I work in the property industry. Does he still want to ignore my opinion just because I am lacking some dangly bits ? If it helps I could identify as male for the next few minute

Anyway I think it would be far more sensible to include a bathroom. (even a small one)

Yes yes yes - just spent £50k on a loft conversion with ensuite. The ensuite was a tiny proportion of that and future proofs the room. It also adds more value to ur home.

Have done this with shower and bathroom. Minimal cost and guests can use it. Plumbing had to be done for heating created lots of extra room.
Would cost more if added on after

Lift stairs tend to be steep. I discounted any loft conversion without a bathroom. I have two bedrooms and a bathroom in my loft. The bathroom is accessed from the landing rather than en suite which makes it even
More useful.

We've been house hunting recently and DH and I both agreed that a loft conversion with bathroom/ensuite was infinitely more desirable than one without.

I wouldn't want a loft room that didn't have at least a (small) bathroom, so your suggestion is good for keeping that floor flexible. If being used as a bedroom, it would be annoying to have to go down a flight to use the bathroom and then back up again, if that situation could be avoided.

100% put a small shower room up there!

It will be a tiny proportion of the overall costs and provides the most flexibility and future proofs the room. Plus as everyone says nicer for the person working to have access to a toilet snd a tap.

Although spending on an office so he can work from home comfortably if you don’t need the space isn’t exactly an amazing financial decision anyway 😂

If the spare room really is only used 2 weeks a year it would be cheaper to get some nice furniture for that and turn it into a proper office space with either a studybed or a normal desk and (good quality and large) sofa bed.