Would you buy a house without a downstairs toilet?

[AmusedMaker]

There is room to put one in ( house is a semi with plenty of room at the side ) but obviously this will cost.

The house is mine & I’m thinking of selling but just interested in your thoughts?
would it be a definite no regardless of whether there’s space to put one in ?

Family home? Small one bed? Steep stairs which great aunt Gertrude wouldn't manage to get up when visiting to spend a penny? It very much depends. I have a strong preference to have one, but on the face of it, it wouldn't necessarily stop me buying the house. My first house didn't have one.

I wouldn't, but if I was a FTB buying a small terraced house I wouldn't expect a house to have a downstairs loo.

Most houses don't have a downstairs toilet.

If there’s space to put one in then it wouldn’t put me off.
I don’t think you should have one put in specially to sell the house though if that’s what you’re asking? Some people might value the storage space more.

I’ve never lived anywhere with a downstairs toilet, so it would be fine for me. I hardly know anyone who has a downstairs toilet.

We have a small house and only one toilet (in bathroom upstairs). It’s not ideal but it was one of the compromises we had to make due to our budget. We chose smaller house in more convenient location to a bigger house further away from where we wanted to be. When we buy the next house we will definitely be looking for one with a downstairs loo. But this is our first house. You have to start somewhere.

Mine doesn't. We have 2 bathrooms upstairs. I have occasionally thought it would be nice to have one, but not enough to do anything about it. We were the first viewers on our house and offered straight away 10 years ago, and sold within a week last month if that's a guide to anything!

I found it really handy with potty training toddlers but no we’re beyond that I’m not bothered, so long as there’re more than one loo elsewhere e.g. an en suite.

Our first house had one and so it was non negotiable for us when looking for our second. Having said that, the house we bought actually didn’t have one, but we made sure there was space to add one in. We’ve since added one and honestly with kids I’d not be without it

With kids yes I'd want one

I wouldn't as it's a non-negotiable for me and there are plenty of houses where I'm looking that do have them already.

I might have done if I were a first time buyer looking for a bargain. It would significantly reduce what I was willing to pay though.

If there was room to put one & if the plumbing was able to be done (I'd get that checked out first, I've been caught out before)

obviously it would affect how much I could pay to buy the house depending on the cost of the extension I'd want to put in.

We did. Didn't even occur to me as a reason not to buy it!
I mean, I suppose it's handy but I don't see it as an essential part of life 😆.
Mumsnet does make me laugh sometimes.....like a PP, I hardly know anyone with a downstairs toilet and have only lived in a house with one once in my whole life, briefly back when we were renting. I'm 46.

@InTheRainOnATrain I thought that until I had an accident and couldn't do the stairs, had to be on the ground floor for months. Having everything there already was a godsend!

I'd rather have one. It's also a great way of keeping guests downstairs especially if upstairs is a bit messy like mine is at the moment.

I'd prefer one but it wouldn't be a deal breaker so long as there was more than one toilet. Our first house didn't have one downstairs and was actually an improvement on most the houses in the area which only had one downstairs ( due to the age of the houses they were sort of bolted on afterwards).

Having 2 toilets is very handy but depending on the house and location, it isn't a deal breaker.

Our house has a bonus toilet in the utility but it definitely is the less favourable one and was described as a "gardeners loo" when we bought it which appears to mean has no sink and a homemade door

I literally had to reread this a few times to check you didn't mean only downstairs bathroom. I think very few people will care unless the house is massive. Not worth doing anything to it to sell.

Depends on your family circumstances. If you are older or are likely to have elderly or less mobile people visiting, this is important. For younger, fit people, it’s not a must.

Depends how many bedrooms and toilets upstairs.

Would really depend on what was usual in the area/ type of house/ buyer demographic.
DH & I are 60+. In a house with only 1 wc, I would want it near the bedroom, so generally upstairs.

But to be honest , I would be unlikely to buy a house with only one wc, unless it was clear I could put one in with minimal disruption.

@Shudacudawuda

Well, for me it WAS essential thanks.

Accidents just happen. I hadn't planned to get hit by a car & be unable to get upstairs.

I personally wouldn’t, one of our non-negotiables was a downstairs loo. So much easier when having guests over.

I've never lived in a house with a downstairs toilet. DS has one but his is a new build.
He did ask if he could not have it in as he would have preferred the space. He thought having three toilets in the house and he lives by himself was excessive.

I wouldn’t, no. Deal breaker for me. I always want the option of guests not going upstairs, and also it’s better for those who can’t physically do stairs. I want more than one anyway regardless of the size of property.