Downstairs shower or utility cupboard?

[101dalmatians]

Opinions please! Just moved into a new home, and looking at re-doing the downstairs bathroom, as it’s very dated. It’s currently a toilet, sink and corner shower.

We think we’ll be staying in this house for 5 years or so, so whilst we want it to be useable and functional for our family, I’d also like to make sure whatever we do with this space doesn’t alienate future buyers.

So, our options are either to renovate the bathroom and keep the existing layout in there - so toilet, sink and shower - or to take out the shower and put a utility cupboard in the space, with a washer, dryer and space to keep ironing board. We have a bath and shower upstairs so we would still have a shower in the house. Which do you think potential buyers would prefer?

Another option would be to keep the shower downstairs and eventually put the washer and dryer in the upstairs bathroom, which currently has a lot of unused space. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

Would you still have a downstairs loo?

Yes - sorry if that wasn’t clear! We’d keep the loo and sink down there in any scenario

We were looking at new houses and many of them had the combo of a downstairs toilet and the utility area together with washing machine etc hidden in a large cupboard. This tends to be in houses with open kitchen/family room now and I think it is a good idea.

I'd make it into a utility room. We have a downstairs shower and it very seldom gets used.

I'd prefer the utility cupboard.

To me, it would depend how many bedrooms you have. If 4, I'd def consider keeping an extra shower. Even with 3 I'd find it useful with older kids (especially girls!).

If you have room in the main bath for laundry - I would prefer that. In my last house we had an upstairs utility and it was fabulous.

I would prefer a downstairs shower, but that’s mainly because we have a dog and in winter we have to wash the mud off her every day. Having said that an extra shower is always useful anyway especially if you have guests over.

Utility space for me. I prefer not to have the machine noise in the kitchen. Sink near a washing machine is a nice bonus.