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?

A bathroom opening directly off the kitchen with no intervening lobby is not allowed under modern building regulations, this could possibly be an issue with a lender. We lived in a house backing onto a railway for many years, you get used to it, it's much less obtrusive than living on a busy road and if the trains are electric there's no fumes either.

@Anothernick

Are you sure that's current, I thought that had been done away with?

@Wannabemamas

TRAINS TRAINS TRAINS. Anyday!

I never would have bought somewhere with a set up like that because I'd hate it.

i now have a medical issue that means I'm up a lot at night needing a wee. It's a hassle enough in the ensuite! No way would I be able to traipse up & down for a wee!!

Oh I agree and I walk into my kitchen in a towel sometimes to get a cup of tea or whatever. I was just answering the point that OP should get dressed in the bathroom straight after their shower as that doesn't work for everyone.

My bathroom is also next to the kitchen and it's never been a problem, except sometimes on cold mornings when I need the toilet but don't want to go downstairs. It doesn't open into my kitchen though.

My bathroom is downstairs but OK because the door is literally at the bottom of the stairs and I don’t have to go through the kitchen.

I have lived backing on to a railway line, it was fine. We got used to the trains.

In the end most of us have to make compromises due to budget, and manage perfectly well.

I’d rather live near a train line than not have two doors between the toilet and the kitchen 🤢. I’ve lived in a rented house with a downstairs bathroom at the bottom of the stairs off the hallway which was fine, actually really handy for the kids as they were young, my bladder was also younger. Wouldn’t choose it to buy though unless there was scope to extend upstairs to make a bathroom, and turn the bathroom into a cloakroom and utility.

I don't see how it's convenient to have a bath downstairs when you have kids? I'd hate it.

Our garden backs onto a train line and honestly, it's been much less of a problem than we expected. The plus is that your garden/back of the property isn't overlooked. You quickly get used to the noise (especially in rooms that have double glazing) and it ends up being quite soothing!

This layout is an absolute no for me.

There's no scenario whatsoever where I would buy a house like this.

I lived in a house at Uni years ago, where the bathroom was off the kitchen.

If someone had a dose of "Bombay Bum" when you were cooking up your pasta, you soon didn't fancy it.

I'd go for trains over a downstairs bathroom.
I'm discounting any houses without an upstairs toilet. I get up too much for that, it would drive me mad. Also don't mind a cold bathroom to shower in, but walking back through the house would be annoying when it's cold. Like a PP I like to dry off in a towel while drying hair etc.
We're looking at 4 bed houses and still come across a few without an upstairs toilet, which is mad for so many rooms.

I rented a house like this and it was a pain going downstairs and through the kitchen for the loo during the night (if you never need to go at night, then obviously not an issue). I didn't mind the 'idea' of the bathroom being next to the kitchen.

I also lived for many years in a flat which backed onto a railway line and that didn't bother me at all, but my bedroom and lounge were at the front. I wouldn't have wanted to sleep in a room at the back.

I’ve lived next to a train line and you absolutely stop noticing it after a while. I’d much rather than a downstairs bathroom.

A friend of mine has this and when we’re all over sitting round the kitchen table it always feels super awkward to go to the loo.

I rented a house with hat very lay out, we didn't stay there for long for the simple reason of toilet training at night time, but otherwise Ouse wasn't a bad lay out at all

Having the bathroom downstairs wouldn't bother me, but no ventilated utility room between the kitchen and bathroom would be a dealbreaker. I don't know if we are unusually foul smelling, but some stench would definitely escape back into the food area on occasion .

A friend of mine has this and when we’re all over sitting round the kitchen table it always feels super awkward to go to the loo.

Yes, I have also experienced this.

A friend of mine has this and when we’re all over sitting round the kitchen table it always feels super awkward to go to the loo.

That’s not a situation that would arise in this layout though, because the kitchen doesn’t have space for a table.

Downstairs bathroom is a definite deal breaker for me.

Oh my. Just what the OP needed to hear. If they had only been clever enough to have been born 2 decades earlier, they too may have been able to have 5 bathrooms.

It's a very common layout in Victorian terraced cottages in London.

Usually people then save the money to do a side return extension for the kitchen, move a shower room and utility to the middle of the house (where the window is now at back of living space and fit suitable mechanical ventilation for bathroom).
If it a Victorian cottage then doing a loft conversion to put an extra bedroom in the loft and then changing existing back bedroom to be a small bathroom and small office is common as well.

Obviously all costs money but certainly in London, people are happy to buy these properties and then do them up over time so there is plenty of demand for them.

It's a very common layout but I'd need an upstairs loo too.

I'd happily back onto a train line though.

I'd choose a train line over that layout.
I don't live in an area where this is comm

I wouldn't buy it because my husband likes to have friends round fairly regularly for games and I'd have to get ready for bed and walk through them (as I always go to bed before they've gone).
It's a really minor thing but would annoy me.
We back onto a train line and the noise doesn't bother me at all. What does bother me is the weeds - train lines have thick ivy, buddleia and brambles along them and it will be an endless battle to keep them out of your garden. Aside from that, the train doesn't cause us any problems.

I used to rent a room in one like this from my mate. I didn’t like it when I was home alone. I have looked to buy terraces and disregard any with the bathroom downstairs. It’s super common where I live but I notice they are a lot slower to sell

Sorry... I don't live in an area where this is common so I get in other places there is less choice.

I would hate to be going down to the loo in the night and also don't love the idea of having a poo whilst someone is cooking.

I wouldn't because it looks like the bathroom door opens into the kitchen.

With the train line, it depends if it's a slow branch line or a fast train line.
Slow trains aren't noisy, fast ones are.