Only bathroom by the kitchen: would you consider a house with this layout?

[Wannabemamas]

Came across a few of these as sadly our budget won't go far in our area. The toilet being right against the kitchen puts me off and also the lack of bathroom upstairs. AIBU?

I wouldn't because I'm up in the night several times and wouldn't relish going up and down the stairs. Lots of people think it can be really convenient when kids come along though. Good luck!

Alternative houses within budget mainly have gardens that back near a trainline, not sure which one would be the smaller issue

Our very old property was similar. It’s no problem and - because it’s in an extended part of the house we were able to upgrade it. Is there possibility of a loft extension with shower room bath room for a second bathroom?

There were lots of sweet cottages with that layout where I used to live. Some people had built an upstairs extension over the kitchen to enable a bathroom upstairs. Probably cost a fortune these days but if it’s possible it’s an opportunity for the future maybe? Also looks like that bathroom doesn’t have a window which would put me off.

That is very similar to the layout of my house except we have a little hallway between the kitchen and bathroom. The bathroom being downstairs isn’t an issue. If anything it’s more convenient because we’re downstairs most of the time, it’s closer if you’re in the garden, and it’s closer to the washing machine for towels and clothes!

Yes, that is different to ours. We have huge windows in the more modern bit of our house. The downstairs bathroom is big enough for a bath and a shower.

A trainline wouldn't bother me at all. I think I'd quickly get used to it. I expect it you'd gain some privacy too (unless the train stops for a junction!)

Very common layout
Which I was glad to move on from
The bathroom and kitchen were single brick extension to the original house and so cold and damp
But like many people you have to go with what you can afford

No, even though I once lived in a lovely house where the only bathroom was downstairs next to the kitchen.
They had their own doors off the hall, but that is a lot better than someone opening the door of the bathroom in to the kitchen. I don’t want to be able to get a whiff of someone else’s bowel evacuation whilst poaching my eggs.

id hate it. Imagine having to walk through the kitchen in your towel after a shower or someone having a poo while you are making dinner 😱

My first house was like this, didnt find it an issue. Could you put an extra door in the bathroom so it has a lobby, to guard against potential sounds and smells if that bothers you?

Why would you have to walk through the kitchen in a towel? You just bring your clothes to the bathroom. I’ve never left the bathroom in a towel in any of the houses with various layouts I’ve lived in!

If you are yet to have dc, it's incredibly convenient in those first few years to have the bathroom on the ground floor. Once they get to 3yo, potty in the bedroom for any overnight wees, and then by 4yo they can come down the stairs in the night if needs be.

It’s a very common layout for a Victorian terrace, and I’ve lived in a couple of them over the years, in London. It never bothered me personally. But there was a small utility area (only as wide as the washing machine/tumble dryer stack) between the kitchen and the bathroom door so it felt tiny bit separated. As pp said, there’s the potential to extend above it and add an en suite to the bedroom above in future.
Also lived in a Victorian terrace that had the main trainline from Essex in to Liverpool Street any the end of the garden. And a house right next to a railway bridge, also in to Liverpool Street, and a basement flat directly above the Central Line at Bethnal Green. I honestly was never bothered by any of the train/underground noises after the initial period - you totally get used to it so it becomes background noise that you stop noticing.

It would be no good for me who has to get up to wee several times a night, often with urgency. Is there any way of installing a small en suite loo only upstairs?

My shared house at uni was like that ..when I was looking to buy I also viewed houses like that. Really really put me off. I'd only do it if it had the potential to extend or add an upstairs bathroom.

The possible poo smell every time someone opened the door would put me off - especially with no windows (hold your nose territory 🫢).

I live in a flat which has this kitchen bathroom layout.
Its not ideal, but it is quite commonplace.
I guess, as in all things, you need to decide what you will compromise on.
How frequent are the trains? Is it mainline or local light rail?

I lived in a cottage like this (the staircase was in its own cupboard). It was very sweet and the bathroom actually didn't bother me that much - we'd come from a flat.

There's the option to build into the side return and put the bathroom in the back bit of the extension (ie in the centre of the house and then it feels much more cut off from the kitchen and more like in a flat.

When I first got married I lived in a similar house. I had our first DC there. It was fine. After we'd been there 5 years because mortgage was small we'd saved enough to move up to a 3 bedroom house and that had upstairs bathroom. Later we moved to a 4 bedroom with bathroom upstairs but additional cloakroom downstairs. Now we have 6 bedrooms, ensuite, family bathroom, shower room and a downstairs cloakroom. You get what you can afford. As you get older your salary goes up and you can move up the property ladder if you want too. It's a starter home. It will likely allow you to save some money. You might be there 5 years or so then decide to move on. Nothing wrong with the house.

Honestly, it’s all fine if done properly. Loo isn’t right by the door in ours and extractor fan deals with odours. Our friends in a similar cottage have an upstairs bathroom. The beams really are a problem, as is the floor. It’s also off the kitchen via a staircase.

I’m unusual (weird!) in that I like trains running nearby but realistically when it comes to selling on that would limit buyers more than the bathroom I think.

I also lived in a shared student house with a similar layout and as 20 year old girls it didn’t bother us at all. Nowadays I’d find it trickier because I’m more self conscious! But, it will be your house and I bet you’ll love it.

In the 5 years I’ve lived in my house with this layout I have literally never had any bathroom smells coming out… I think that might be a ‘your family’ problem (and wouldn’t it be just as bad coming into the bedroom upstairs?).

The only smell transfer we’ve had is when I cook something particularly strong smelling and forget to close the door the towels (towel rail is next to the door) end up smelling like curry or whatever.

That wouldn't work for me. I only take my clothes into the bathroom with me if I'm somewhere I'm not comfortable walking around in a towel e.g. staying with a male friend.

After my shower I wear a towel and go to my room to dry my hair while my body dries naturally. Having to get dressed straight away doesn't suit everyone.

Even if it is the case I don’t see why walking through the kitchen would be a problem - no one can see anything if you are wrapped in a towel, and you can put a blind in the kitchen if you want to walk around naked.