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Original poster

Should I bother getting an ensuite or manage with one bathroom for four people?

98 replies

Soihaveagoat · 08/04/2022 17:39

We are in a nice three bed semi. We have two kids aged 14 and 6. The house has one bathroom with a bath, shower and toilet and a separate room with a toilet and sink only.

At the moment we have an informal bathroom rota on my work days. I go in first then husband then teen son. Six yr old doesn't shower on a morning just has a bath on a night a few times a week.

Our bedroom is large so we thought we could add an ensuite to it thinking that it will get tight for bathroom use when the youngest starts wanting a shower on a morning as well as the rest of us. Had a few quotes for a nice bathroom with obviously a stud wall built, fully tiled, black fittings for around £4500.

My husband says this is a waste of money. We already have two toilets and we will manage the shower situation. Eldest isn't planning to go to uni so we are not expecting him to move out at 18.

Does anyone have any experience of living as a family of four who all need showers on a morning? I grew up with three bathrooms between five of us so I've never had to think of this before.

OP posts:
Washermother33 · 08/04/2022 17:43

I think you’d be best to try and add an ensuite … I’ve got friends who are struggling with only one bathroom in that scenario

We extended to include an extra bedroom and en-suite … lots of people who extend do still go on to move anyway as we did ourselves

SoManyTshirts · 08/04/2022 17:47

When there were four of us we had two family bathrooms, but one bath never got used. As you have two toilets and sinks, I wouldn’t bother.

BonnesVacances · 08/04/2022 17:55

Paying £4,500 for an en-suite will add far more than that to the value of your house, so as long as it works in the layout and doesn't make your bedroom too small, I'd go for it. That said, we have 4 over the age of 17 in a house with one bathroom and a downstairs loo and manage fine.

Original poster
Soihaveagoat · 08/04/2022 17:55

Two conflicting answers Grin

It will be a selling point I suppose. I can see his point that it's a lot of money for a temporary situation when we already have an extra toilet.

OP posts:
Nothappyatwork · 08/04/2022 18:07

I plan to turn the downstairs toilet into a shower room is that an option ?

GeneLovesJezebel · 08/04/2022 18:09

I would add the en suite.

Kite22 · 08/04/2022 18:10

I think the fact you have a separate toilet and sink makes it all perfectly manageable.

But that said, it will add value to your house, and just make life a bit easier. So it sort of depends how easily you can save that sort of money and what it means you are doing without, if you spend it on the extra shower room.

RussianSpy101 · 08/04/2022 18:11

I would absolutely add the en suite! I can’t imagine how it would work with 1 bathroom when you’ve got a 20 year old, 12 year old and 2 adults.

OnceAgainWithFeeling · 08/04/2022 18:11

We have 3 bathrooms and 1 downstairs loo between 3 of us. Whilst we wouldn’t ever have 3 showers happening at the same time I would always go for as many bathrooms/toilets as possible.

Flamingmentalcats · 08/04/2022 18:13

We had one made a couple of years ago, cost us about £3.5k. Best thing we have done in this house and there are only 3 of us. £4.5I sounds ok to me. Do it

MrsWooster · 08/04/2022 18:22

Definitely do the ensuite.

RomeoOscarXrayIndigoEcho · 08/04/2022 18:43

Could you build the en-suite as just a shower room?

I hate the idea of having a toilet so close to the bedroom...

If it could be just a shower room*, especially as you have a second toilet elsewhere I'd do that.

*with a sink and mirror probably.

RitaFires · 08/04/2022 18:49

I would do the ensuite, having an additional shower will make life easier. A master en suite is becoming fairly standard for a three bed house so it would be an advantage if you ever chose to sell.

CiderWithLizzie · 08/04/2022 18:52

That seems incredibly cheap and I would definitely do it! We added an ensuite to our bedroom and extended the family bathroom at the same time and it cost more like £25k Shock

RandomMess · 08/04/2022 19:09

Get the ensuite!

Chewbecca · 08/04/2022 19:12

That’s a bargain and definitely would make your house more desirable in resale and more practical for you to live in. It’s a no-brainer Yes from me, as long as you have the cash.

Roselilly36 · 08/04/2022 19:32

Add the en-suite, you won’t ever regret it. We have had an en-suite in our last two homes, so over 20 years, wouldn’t live anywhere without an en-suite now.

MaChienEstUnDick · 08/04/2022 19:44

We have the same situation and if it was only going to cost 5k to fix it I'd do it in a heartbeat! (Our only option is to build an external porch downstairs to allow room to extend the downstairs loo and put a shower in, we don't have room for an en-suite in any of the bedrooms).

It will make your home more sellable and it will make your life easier - no brainier really.

Original poster
Soihaveagoat · 08/04/2022 19:51

We have the money saved up. Our house is very affordable for us but wasn't really suiting our needs so we saved enough for an ensuite and a porch. Costs have gone up since the tradesmen quoted us but it is still a good price.

The existing toilet and sink room doesn't have room for a shower or that would have been an easier option. The quote includes removing that toilet and sink and installing shelves to make it a storage room also replacing the radiator in the big bathroom.

I think we'll go for it. Thanks for your help.

OP posts:
CottonSock · 08/04/2022 19:54

Sounds too cheap to me. I can't see it being possible. Sorry to be a misery.

PigletJohn · 08/04/2022 20:40

@Nothappyatwork

I plan to turn the downstairs toilet into a shower room is that an option ?
two WCs are vital for a house that contains more than one person.
RidingMyBike · 08/04/2022 20:48

We grew up in this situation and it was fine - you just get used to planning around other people who is going to do what and when. It was actually really good preparation for student life in a shared house and we had one bath and shower between five of us.

The key thing is having another toilet and basin so anyone who just needs the loo or just needs to wash their face etc can do it without using the main bathroom.

itbemay1 · 08/04/2022 21:18

One bathroom here and one toilet. 2 DC 21 and 17 it's a NIGHTMARE one of the reasons we are moving. We made it to this stage but it's been fraught. Get an en-suite you won't regret it. Our new house has an en-suite and downstairs loo and I am so excited!!

Wordwatcher · 08/04/2022 21:22

Definitely go for en-suite, put sensor low light in it too so you won’t wake up fully if you need it in the night. Having separate shower is bliss!

TwoBlueFish · 08/04/2022 21:23

We are a family of 4, 2 adults, 2 teen boys and manage with 1 full bathroom and a separate toilet. DS1 tends to shower in the evening though so don’t have to all get through the bathroom. There’s definitely been times when a second shower would have been useful but we’ve managed.

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