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Original poster

Cottage with a downstairs bathroom only. Leave it?

67 replies

Wannabemamas · 13/12/2023 18:38

Found a cute cottage within our budget in an expensive area. A bit small but very cute, only downside is that it only has a downstairs bathroom and not upstairs. Would this be a massive mistake?

OP posts:
Kedece2410 · 13/12/2023 19:26

A friend of mine only has a downstairs bathroom & loves it. Says they find it much more convenient. His main thing being he gets up maybe once during the night, sometimes not at all so while it's maybe a slight inconvenience then he says not having to go upstairs several times a day is an advantage. As he says you spend more time downstairs in your house, awake, than you do needing to get up during the night

WonderingWanda · 13/12/2023 19:28

I lived in a house like this and it was fine.

MerryChristmasToYou · 13/12/2023 19:29

You can probably guess what made me think of it.

Another bonus is the no worrying about flushing the loo waking the baby

PiggieWig · 13/12/2023 19:32

If you could fit a loo and a small hand wash basin in the cupboard area it would help. Is there room?

JustWimpy · 13/12/2023 19:35

I had a downstairs bathroom once and didn't like it but some people don't mind. You could convert the second bedroom if you only need one and were staying long term.

BG2015 · 13/12/2023 19:44

Would never buy a house with a downstairs bathroom

NumberSixtyTwo · 13/12/2023 19:46

It's always been a complete deal breaker for me, so will definitely affect resale. Obviously it's fine for lots of people so you will sell.

MerryChristmasToYou · 13/12/2023 20:09

You could convert the second bedroom if you only need one and were staying long term.
Do not do this.

noname846 · 13/12/2023 20:11

WhatWouldJeevesDo · 13/12/2023 18:54

They can be very cold if built on afterwards and three outside walls.

This is worth bearing in mind. I used to live in a terraced house with the typical kitchen & bathroom extension at the back, and the bathroom was always cold. I wished I'd got underfloor heating installed!

I don't remember night time loo visits being an issue, but I was younger then - I'm not sure I'd cope with a downstairs bathroom these days (the stairs were very steep, too!). 😂

KievLoverTwo · 13/12/2023 20:14

I think it's less of a problem if you don't have kids and don't live with someone who is a light sleeper. I did it for 18 months in a house of three adults, and it was fine. However, in reality, a lot of people hate it and it does make it a bit of a re-sale liability. As such, it should be considerably cheaper than others that at least have a WC and sink upstairs.

Pamcakey · 13/12/2023 20:24

It’s fine. I only had a downstairs bathroom room for many years. Had no issues with resell either.

I do prefer having a bathroom upstairs now but I’d buy another with a downstairs bathroom if it were the right house in the future.

Nannyfannybanny · 13/12/2023 20:33

Our last house, Edwardian had hall, sitting room on the right, bathroom straight ahead, kitchen on the right. We added a conservatory to eat in. 3 bedrooms upstairs,2 double, single over bathroom. Never a problem. You're downstairs much more than up. Next road,a few years later, the bathroom was put upstairs,1double bedroom,2 singles,and the tiniest bathroom built over the stairwell. Neighbours who extended the kitchen, never bothered to move the bathroom.

WandaWonder · 13/12/2023 20:36

CorylusAgain · 13/12/2023 18:54

It's entirely livable.
Many cottage style or small terraced Victorian houses have this. I lived happily in my terraced house with downstairs bathroom for many years.
It wouldn't be a deal breaker for me if everything else was what I wanted.

Edited

This, if it was perfect otherwise I would have no issue, if I could cope with stairs normally using the bathroom would be no issue

ShazzaF · 13/12/2023 20:36

I only have a downstairs bathroom and made it through two pregnancies and all the excess weeing that involves without it bothering me - I hadn't even thought about it as an issue until this thread.

I was actually feeling thankful for having a downstairs bathroom the other day, after my mom had her bathrooms done. There was an issue with the plumbing, and the water leaked through the ceiling of her kitchen which has just been totally renovated 😬 so I'm grateful not to have to worry about that though ruining a nice new kitchen would have to mean having a nice new kitchen in the first place, so no worries anyway

HardcoreLadyType · 13/12/2023 20:43

We lived in a cottage with the same layout, except the kitchen and bathroom were in the cellar floor, so down a further flight of stairs.

It was snapped up by our buyer, because it’s in a very desirable area. And the thing about Victorian cottages is, they’re not building any more of them!

MargaritaThyme · 13/12/2023 20:45

If you’re going to buy a “character property’, there are always going to be compromises. For example, we live in a barn conversion in a naice village with a tiny, north-facing garden. Not ideal, obviously, but that’s what brought it within our budget. You have to decide whether the inevitable quirks are deal-breaker for you, or not.
I could probably live with a downstairs bathroom if everything else was great.

OldTinHat · 13/12/2023 20:46

I have a 200yr old terraced cottage with a bathroom downstairs. Took a bit of getting used to after downsizing from a house with an en suite, but absolutely not an issue. I actually prefer it now.

ShazzaF · 13/12/2023 20:46

Just thought some more about it - my gran lives in a house with only a downstairs bathroom. She's 80-odd and no issues as she's fine with the stairs.

When my great-gran was alive, when she reached her 90s she couldn't use the stairs anymore. So they turned the dining room into her bedroom, so she could still then access the kitchen and bathroom without help. If they only had an upstairs bathroom, I'm not sure what they'd have done actually!

stepintochristmas1 · 13/12/2023 20:53

You need a guzunder .

Redlarge · 13/12/2023 21:01

If it was the perfect house id 💯 go for it. You live. You adapt. Its fine really

CushionsAreForCuddling · 13/12/2023 21:16

I missed out on my dream cottage last year that had downstairs bathroom only (similar size house tho different layout). It was when the market was a bit bananas but this house was on another level beautiful. Advertised 260-270k, I put in 290k, it went for 315k.

Obviously right now the market's taking a dip/going steady but it just goes to show with other selling points, it's not a deal breaker as this house had offers left right and centre at it.

Good luck - let us know what you decide!

marmaladeandpeanutbutter · 13/12/2023 21:19

I'd be turning that main bedroom cupboard into a small upstairs loo..

LaurieStrode · 13/12/2023 21:29

Looks fine to me.

TeddyBeans · 13/12/2023 21:42

Sorry for the bad drawing but could you not tweak the upstairs to add a WC? You can get toilets with sinks on top of the cistern now so wouldn't matter too much if it was a narrow room

Cottage with a downstairs bathroom only. Leave it?
Twiglets1 · 13/12/2023 21:55

It’s fine for most people I would think. Being of a certain age (57) I need to use the loo most nights so would find it inconvenient but that wouldn’t have been an issue when I was younger.

It’s a compromise for sure but up to you whether it’s a compromise you could live with or not.