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Original poster

If you have two bathrooms/one bathroom and an ensuite...

206 replies

QuentininQuarantino · 16/01/2022 18:56

Our lovely first home has two bathrooms (bathtubs) which are extremely outdated. Think khaki tiles and yellow bathroom suite, mold and staining... ew.

So, we're saving up to redo them and are at the planning stage. We'd like one to have a bathtub and one to have a biggish shower. The smaller could easily be made into an ensuite by moving where the door is.

For those of you who have lived for a while with two bathrooms, what works best for you? And what do you think we should do? Both to live with and hopefully not to decrease the value of our property (although no plans to leave!). We have DC under 10 if that is relevant. Thank you.

a) bathtub in family bathroom and shower in ensuite
b) shower in family bathroom and bathtub in ensuite
c) two family bathrooms and no ensuite.

OP posts:
Luckyelephant1 · 16/01/2022 21:21

Doesn't the answer also depend on whether you/your family enjoy baths or not? I personally hate baths and would rather have a big luxurious shower unit in both (ensuite and family bathroom). However I know no bathtub can be a deal breaker when selling so I would go for option A.

I really do not understand the hate on here for ensuites!

FinallyHere · 16/01/2022 21:26

@Bunnyfuller

to be a real MNer you need bathrooms at the end of each wing, preferably heated by some peasants burning their houses down.

Ah, mystery solved. Thank you 😀

Fourmagpies · 16/01/2022 21:27

We have a main bathroom on middle floor with large walk in shower (no bath) and an ensuite in attic bedroom which is DS1 (14) room (shower, no bath). I only occasionally miss a bath. We're not planning on moving for 10 years and this works for us. We'd rather have a large shower than cram in a bath and shower. None of us wanted a shower over bath.

Fleur405 · 16/01/2022 21:30

Our set up is (c) (well we have a family bathroom, a shower room and a downstairs toilet) and it works well for us especially when we have guests. I wouldn’t personally change shower room to an en suite as it’s less flexible and more likely to disturb person in the master bedroom. En suites are obviously very standard in newer houses but in older houses like ours they are much less likely to have been added so I don’t think they are a must have (I’m not against them though!)

BootsScootsAndToots · 16/01/2022 21:34

A.

I don't think both bathrooms need a bath, but do think the main one should have one.

And an ensuite is not a toilet in your bedroom Hmm

Tillymintpolo · 16/01/2022 21:36

We have 2 en-suite shower rooms and a bathroom. Very handy when you’ve got older dc.

Hosum · 16/01/2022 21:38

We have 2 en-suites upstairs + family bathroom and a shower room downstairs.
We're are just at this minute having them ripped it and starting again - the en-suites both had baths with overhead showers - the baths are going instead to have large walk-in showers with rainfall + mounted. The family bath had one of the l shaped baths which we've hated as it takes so long to fill to a decent level so we are putting in a normal bath with overhead shower. Downstairs remains a shower room but with a better shower. We've hearse that as long as one bath - doesn't make a difference value wise and liveability which I think most people are interested in is much prefer to walk into my shower in a morning than clamber in and out of the bath.

Chloemol · 16/01/2022 21:38

Two bathrooms. No en-suite.

Who wants poo smells coming into the bedroom?

Zonder · 16/01/2022 21:44

@mandoforever

I love our en suite, it has a big shower. Can't believe the dislike for them on here, if one of us do a poo, the door is shut and the window is open a bit so the smell goes very quickly.

We have our only bath in the family bathroom.

That's because you, like me, have a door and a window to your en suite. I think some people on MN don't have this luxury since they say it's a loo in their bedroom!
Tillymintpolo · 16/01/2022 21:45

Door, extractor fan, window and bottle of bleach, it’s really not an issue

Hoppinggreen · 16/01/2022 21:45

@Chloemol

Two bathrooms. No en-suite.

Who wants poo smells coming into the bedroom?

We have a no poo in the ensuite rule - unless it’s an unplanned upgrade
serialgrannie · 16/01/2022 21:46

Definitely recommend putting a bath in the main bathroom (with shower over if no room for separate shower) and make the second one an en suite with a big shower. It makes me laugh at all the people saying en suites are unpleasant. Do any of them stay in hotels at all? Don't see many hotel rooms without en suite bathrooms and no problem at all. I am now quite old (very old) and need the loo in the night. It is so easy for me to pop in for a quick wee in the middle of the night. I hate it when I stay at my son's house where I have to wander across the landing half asleep. I like looking round show houses and I have yet to see a new build with room for two bathrooms which does not have at least one an en suite.

Floralnomad · 16/01/2022 21:46

We have a downstairs loo , a large en-suite with a bath and shower over the bath and a family bathroom with a bath and shower - it suits us but we are a family who prefer baths to showers . We’ve lived with an en-suite for 25 yrs and I assume that people who don’t like them must have only experienced tiny ones off of tiny bedrooms . My en-suite is almost as far away from my bed as the family bathroom is just in opposite directions .

RedHot22 · 16/01/2022 21:47

I absolutely love my en-suite! It’s my haven.

Completely confused about the toilet in the bedroom comments. By that logic, normal bathrooms give you a toilet on the landing.

evilharpy · 16/01/2022 21:59

@Bunnyfuller

MN takes great delight in denigrating anything that the average person finds convenient. En suites are ‘modern’ and not naturally built into period homes, and saying you hate them proves you aren’t in a ‘new estate’ and are therefore better than those that are.

For us plebs that like being able to trot into a bathroom from bed, it’s convenient, keeps boundaries and clean use of those facilities and I don’t know anyone who squeezes one out when their SO is having sweet dreams! Or waking up! It’s handy for the quick wee, or quick wash after shenanigans, but to be a real MNer you need bathrooms at the end of each wing, preferably heated by some peasants burning their houses down.

Ha I wish I had a lovely period home, but our two non-ensuite bathrooms are in a 1960s ex council terrace (although downstairs was originally only a loo and then previous owners nicked a bit of the hall to turn it into a shower room).
Mellowyellow222 · 16/01/2022 22:03

I love my en-suite too! In reality yes there is a toilet separate by one door instead of two - but my bedroom is quite large and it is really convenient.

I live in my own - have a power shower in the en-suite - and then a big stand alone bath tube in the bathroom - it’s my luxury spa room!

Downstairs loo so no guests ever have to use my bathroom upstairs so it stays my sanctuary

RedHot22 · 16/01/2022 22:25

I think all houses need a bath.

Ozanj · 16/01/2022 22:28

In the real world a 3-4 bed house is expected to have an ensuite to the master but only if there is sufficient storage space already.

lastchristmasigaveyoumyheart · 16/01/2022 22:31

We're in a townhouse. We've got a downstairs loo on the bottom floor, a shower room (inc WC) on the top floor, middle floor has family bathroom (shower over bath) and then our bedroom has an en suite shower room.

I love the en suite. I only ever have showers so wasn't bothered about the bath. The kids are messy and they are never allowed to use our en suite so it is always clean. Which is amazing. No sink filled with toothpaste drips to look at. DH is also very clean. Yes, poo happens in the En suite loo, but the door is thick, the extractor fan is very good, we put the seat down before we flush and the toothbrushes are in a cupboard!

MoFro · 16/01/2022 22:35

@blibblibs

We're the opposite to most here but love having an en suite. It has a shower and the family bathroom has a bath and separate shower, but if there isn't enough room I'd opt for two showers now the DC are older.
This Love our en-suite - great for getting ready and quick showers
RedHot22 · 16/01/2022 22:38

Out of interest.
Why are posters bothered about toothbrushes in en-suites and not family bathrooms?

longtompot · 16/01/2022 22:44

Our plan is to have a good sized walk in shower in the family bathroom and a bath and a walk in shower in our en-suite. Our reasoning is our dd needs to be able to use a walk in shower most of the time but occasionally have a bath. I would like to be able to have a bath occasionally but use a shower mostly. This way she can use the bath in our en-suite should she need it, but have access to an accessible shower all the time.

jaundicedoutlook · 16/01/2022 22:46

Have one family bathroom with bath (plus shower over it, if you can’t fit separate one in) and an en suite with a shower.

Ignore all the people railing against en suites saying it effectively means having a gross man crapping next to your bed. If doesn’t and they’re wrong. A well designed en suite will almost always add value, and will be useful, whereas two standalone bathrooms generally won’t and aren’t.

RussianSpy101 · 16/01/2022 22:47

We have a family bathroom with a bath & a shower and 2 en-suites with just showers in.

Kite22 · 16/01/2022 23:06

@jaundicedoutlook

Have one family bathroom with bath (plus shower over it, if you can’t fit separate one in) and an en suite with a shower.

Ignore all the people railing against en suites saying it effectively means having a gross man crapping next to your bed. If doesn’t and they’re wrong. A well designed en suite will almost always add value, and will be useful, whereas two standalone bathrooms generally won’t and aren’t.

...and your evidence for that is.....?

Of course having two bathrooms add value.
What an odd thing to say.