Removing an en suite

[Giantdog]

I purchased a house around 3 years ago and am slowly working through it on a pathetic budget.

In one of the bedrooms there’s the world’s smallest en suite. It has no windows, an electric shower and mould. It makes it very hard to put furniture into the bedroom because of the way it’s positioned. At the moment the bed is against the bathroom door and it’s never used. As a result it smells of drain!

I thought about removing it altogether and turning it into a walk in wardrobe.

We have 2 bathrooms already, one upstairs and one down. Is this likely to devalue the house by much? How much do en suites add to house value typically?

I could renovate it but there’s literally a bathroom across from the room so it seems a waste of money! Any thoughts?

That sounds awful and more offputting to future buyers than enticing. A tiny en-suite with no windows in a room that can’t afford to lose the space is not a good idea.

I would absolutely do what you are planning. 2 bathrooms is enough unless the house is massive.

It’s a 4 bedroom house with two bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. It’s not a huge house and the main bathroom is central with two bedrooms either side. The offending bathroom is also a strange shade of green, toilet and all. It also has no sink!

The bathroom is actually in DS room, a few people have commented maybe he would want his own bathroom when he’s a teenager however all I can see is me having another one to clean! We are also running out of funds for another bathroom, getting rid seems cheaper.

I was thinking of ripping the whole thing out, blocking off the door to DS room and opening it out into the master room to create a large walk in wardrobe for the master. That room is probably the closest to the bathroom so an en suite would be pointless IMO.

DH is concerned that by loosing a bathroom we would be devaluing but surely nobody wants that as a bathroom, even renovated.

Can you post a floor plan? I'm on the fence here I think if you can cheaply renovate it increases value tbh

Are you thinking of selling soon?

I can't think of anything more disgusting than a bathroom with no windows! I'd remove it, a wardrobe will be so much better

A walk in wardrobe for the master sounds fabulous and more appropriate really as the space has no windows.

Do you have a bath or shower in both bathrooms? If so, I wouldn’t hesitate to turn this room into a walk in wardrobe.

I stayed in an air b and b once with a tiny en-suite with no window. It was grim! Another vote for the walk in wardrobe!

I'm going to buck the trend and say that it would be better to find a way to make it bigger and better rather than get rid of it.

I've just moved into a house with only one upstairs and a downstairs bathroom, and I'm busy putting more bathrooms in. With two teenagers in the house, two bathrooms is not enough!

I have a bathroom/wet room
downstairs with a shower. The upstairs bathroom has a freestanding bath with shower over, so 2 showers plus bath and 2 toilets.

We have never ever used the en suite. It’s grim, needs fully ripped out and hasn’t got a sink. Plus it has black mould on the ceiling. It needs removed, plaster replaced. Damp/ventilation sorting out. If I kept it as a bathroom it would need a window or some sort of ventilation at least, plus a sink. It’s very small. There’s a shower cubicle and a toilet directly beside it, that’s it!

I want to rip it out, put rails on one side, shelving on the other.

Here’s my artistic impression. Not to scale 😂 The master is much bigger than the bedroom so ignore that part. The red bit is the en suite.

@CatherinedeBourgh i have 3DC! All very young though!

Could you go with your preference for now - strip it out, get rid of the mould, re plaster and use as a walk in wardrobe but I wonder if there is a way of leaving the plumbing accessible under the floor so that in a few years if funds permit you could re-instate the en-suite?
I know on mumsnet there seems to be a bit of hate for en-suites but I think it would make the house more desirable for re-sale if it was there (or had the bones to re-install).
And if you are still in the that house as your DC become teens you might want it back so would be good to keep the option!
Also - re the sink - you could look at those that are ‘on top’ of the toilet so it is a combined unit not taking up more floor space

Hasn't got a sink!?? Oh that's even worse!

I love my en suite but that one sounds grim.

Given that you've already got two bathrooms I would rip it out and turn it into a WiW.

I definitely in the camp of block it off and make it into a space that’s better designed for your family. It’s all well and good thinking if the value but that’s only really important if you’re planning on moving in less than 5 years. You need to focus on your needs first and value second.

FWIW we have done similar in our house and blocked a bath off to turn into cupboard space and I’ve never regretted it.

I have no hate for en suites in fact I have one and like it. But mine has a window and space for a big shower, sink and loo plus no mould. This particular en suite sounds grim.

Though I do agree with your suggestion to leave the plumbing accessible under the floor if possible so it could be marketed as a possible en suite space in future.

If it hasn't got a sink, I don't know how it will be useful. But saying that, teenagers need a lot of bathrooms. My two used to fight over who gets upstairs first after breakfast to use the bathroom.

And they weren't even teenage then. It started when DC1 was a tween, maybe around 10/11. She would eat her breakfast quickly and go upstairs and took forever in the bathroom. This locked DC2 out from getting ready for school.

A bathroom work no windows can work fine but it needs ventilation! On of our bathrooms is an indoor room, no outside walls at all for a window so head a fan that vents through the roof space. No issues at all.

Agree that your option of stripping it back, replastering and moving the door to make a wardrobe sounds best. As others have said leave the plumbing intact so you have the option of a shower room in the future. Makes more sense to have any ensuite off the master anyway.

I agree with you, that or turning it into a toilet and sink only and getting rid of the shower.

I would go for the walk in wardrobe option. I’m guessing DC isn’t old enough to say ‘why don’t I get the wardrobe?’ 2 loos/bathrooms enough for anyone really. We live in a cottage, so many things about the layout wouldn’t suit everyone. We have a wardrobe that’s an amazing bit of Victorian woodwork but is in the older bit of the house on the landing. I long ago claimed this as chiefly mine 😂

Not sure on this one.
if it was refitted and a really good extraction fan added, it might be a selling point.
my DD is looking at flats in a city atm, it’s really usual in the newer properties to have a bathroom without a window.

We have two en-suites so I’m not anti at all, but this one sounds grim and mould forming is obviously concerning. I would take it out and go for the walk in wardrobe.

@Twoshoesnewshoes I was renting in the early 2000s and it was common to have a bathroom without windows back then even. You just need a good fan and remember to keep it on for about 15min after showers.

However, one without a sink isn't very useful.

Most new builds have a lot of bathrooms. But they are all usesable ones.

Given the size of the OP, it'll be better as extra space in the bedrooms.

yes totally agree! We have bathrooms with no window - london flat!
When we bought bathroom were full of mould. But after we changed few things - there is not sign of mould
-Good ventilation with proper big ducting pipes. We replaced ours with quite wider pipes - not standard size available in wicks etc. GOod extractor fan.

• dual fuel towel rail - we have 60X120 - heating also helped to keep condensation under control.

@CatherinedeBourgh Whst size is the bedroom? That’s really what matters. I don’t like ground floor bathrooms as they aren’t where I sleep or keep my clothes. So I like en suites. Wonderful if others want the bathroom. Plus a shower over a freestanding bath will be “fun” with teens if you stay there. Water everywhere if it’s not enclosed!

So, can you reduce the size of the bedroom to make a better en suite? Looking at the en suite that’s difficult but an en suite is an asset. How wide is it? What is the size of the shower room? Does it have a loo? Or is it just a shower? If you don’t use showers they get musty and drains can smell. You need to run water through it.

We have several en suites in two houses with no windows. We have powerful extractors and they don’t go mouldy. Lots of lights. Your en suite is basically positioned as a cupboard. Probably was one. It cannot be a walk in wardrobe as it’s not big enough but of course can be storage. Why do you have the bed in front of it? Will you have the bed in front of the wardrobe? I would look carefully at positioning of furniture and whether it’s possible to have an en suite with loo, basin and shower. If not, get rid.

Some of your ideas sound logical.
I would carefully - with help of plumber - close off the fittings but leave the plumbing there for future choice and resale.

Having existing plumbing saves in fitting an ensuite.