4 beds, 2 bathrooms vs 5 beds 1 bathroom (or….?)

[OneDayIWillLearn]

We have just bought a period house which has 4 good bedrooms and a box room upstairs plus a large bathroom (no shower) with huge cupboards. Our initial thought was to make the box room a better size by losing the cupboards in the bathroom and just moving the stud wall.

However though we’d have five good bedrooms upstairs we’d then only have one bathroom/ toilet.

So another choice is to turn the box room into a shower room/ another bathroom and stick with 4 good size bedrooms. It’s me and OH plus 2 children aged 5 and 7.

So 4 bedrooms is more than enough for us, but we have a big extended family and friends and want to be able to easily have visitors to stay (we are moving away from lots of friends and family due to work but it’s a holiday type area). So one spare room seems tight.

Or have I missed some way of getting a second one in without losing a bedroom? I’m not a big en suite fan but would consider it….

we could put a shower in downstairs (though I’m never sure that’s a good move?)

I'd look at splitting bathroom and Box room more equally, and turn into two bathrooms. I'd also look to add a washing machine to one of these. Just because mine is upstairs and I love not having clothes all over the house.

I would definitely make the box room into a second bathroom (shower and toilet), its proximity to the current bathroom should make plumbing easy. One bathroom to five bedrooms isn’t enough and tbh if you have visitors having an extra bedroom but everyone sharing one bathroom is less than ideal. I have five bedrooms, three bathrooms (one just shower toilet) which is a good ratio.

Access bedroom 4 from top of stairs. Use landing as another bedroom? Box room to be toilet 2 with shower.

Would mean no light on landing though unless bedroom doors open.

I think a house with two bathrooms next door to each other is a bit odd, what would the downstairs option look like? If it's an additional shower room only used when you have guests that's probably fine. If you only had one spare room you wouldn't have as many guests so the beef flue a second bathroom is reduced

@MyOtherCarisAVauxhallZafira there is a downstairs toilet in the utility room/ cloakroom but that’s a big room (a bit more than 4mx 5m) so we could easily get one in there but you go through the kitchen to access it. Downstairs there are two reception rooms (other than the main sitting room and kitchen) so we’re thinking we could have a sofa bed in one and - if needed - airbeds in the other so we could put guests up downstairs without taking over the main living spaces. A downstairs shower would be make that a better option, probably more that than something we’d use day in and out ourselves?

If you're expecting lots of visitors a spare room would be a huge help. Could you make the box room bigger with some of the bathroom as you thought, but have it as a kids room with bunkbeds? Then a double can be main spare room and the box room a back up? Then maybe take a bit off the hallway to have a second toilet/sink upstairs? I don't really understand this need for loads of bathrooms, but we only have one and it is a pain when you need the toilet and someone's in the bathroom having a shower. So a second toilet would make a big difference to me. Showering you can work around if no one takes ages.

We are currently getting a second bathroom with shower put downstairs in an extension, whilst it's not as handy as being upstairs next to the bedrooms you'll just adapt. And also could be handy for visitors who are less mobile - we're making it so I've downstairs living room can be shut off and be a bedroom for my parents who can't do the stairs now.

I'd say 2 bathrooms next to each other is less weird than 1 through the kitchen.

I'd just have 1 'main' bathroom with a bath and separate shower if space peemits, and the 2nd as a loo plus a back up shower where the box room is. You may need to divide the space more evenly.

Don't take from your landing, it looks to me like a lovely big hall/landing in presumably a lovely period house? The big hallway will be part of the charm, I would imagine.

We have washing machine upstairs too and loved having it there for the same reason until it leaked, nay, flooded..... through the floor, soaked the insulation and through the ceiling of the kitchen below, out the light fittings and caused such big issues that we had to replace the kitchen, ceiling and redo the electrics.
Our washing machine is now back downstairs and never again will we have one upstairs 🤣

OP any scope for a loft conversion?

My friend has a shower room off her kitchen. No-one uses it.
If I stay there I use her teenagers disgusting bathroom (I'm always warned, and I know the kids clean it themselves) in preference to wandering half naked through family breakfast!

Personally I'd probably just put a second shower room where the box room is. If you could fit in laundry appliances even better.

5 beds, 1 bathroom is a non-starter.

Is there some downstairs space you could screen off e.g study with a sofa bed for when additional guests come.

I'd make Bedroom 3 the Master and add an en suite if it were me but I know they're not always that popular on here! I definitely wouldn't buy a 5 bed house with one bathroom and if you're planning to stay long term, it will become a nightmare when the kids get older.

@JumpstartMondays we have a vinyl floor in the bathroom, so far that has stopped any accidental leaks getting through the ceiling. I guess it would be the same if the bath overruns, or the shower leaks etc.
Although, if we ever have a full washing machine leak, I'll let you know how well the flooring holds up.

Yeah we did too 😬

I genuinely loved it to start with.

En suites aren’t popular? Why ever not? Genuine question!

@Psychologymam It seems to be mainly because people don't want someone poo-ing next to where they sleep. I wouldn't be without one personally!

I have never heard that!! So funny, I can’t imagine not having one - but then in my ideal house each bedroom would have one so no one had to wander around the house in pjs to use the shower and everyone can poo in the own space 🤣. Unfortunately don’t have this set up but my PIL do and it’s awesome!

It's that weird mumsnet snobbery where posters turn their noses up at what they perceive others think of as "luxury". Think also kitchen islands.

Apparently some people would rather all fight over a shower than have another one that's linked to their bedroom. Oh, the horror.

Oh I’m completely uncouth so - love an island also! I am baffled though - fighting over shower times does not seem fun!!

I think for value in the house, and future thinking when you have teens, four bedrooms and two bath/shower rooms is preferable.

That’s what I would do. One bathroom day to day with a family of four would be a nightmare for us especially now they are teens. Throw in over night guests too?

I don’t like downstairs shower rooms personally

Also, is there a compromise, access bedroom 4 off landing which is a great idea, leave the landing open but perhaps have a sofa bed there and maybe some thick curtains to make a separate space when needed?

Even out the box room and bathroom.
Turn bedroom 2 into a bathroom - also make it smaller - to be shared by bedrooms 1 and 3. So Jack and Jill style.

Uncouth and proud here too 🙋‍♀️😂

I don't have an island currently, but will definitely put one in when we extend. They're so practical in a larger kitchen. I think it probably stems from the people that squeeze them into a too small space just so they can declare "I have an island!". I'm not fussed if ensuite or just an extra bathroom, but completely baffled by the people that who apparently would rip out an ensuite and rather just have the 1 bathroom. I suspect they wouldnt 🙄

Given you have space downstairs to host guests and a toilet/sink down there that can be used to brush teeth etc I wouldn't put a shower in there.

If it's your utility as well having a shower in there would make it a bit over functional imho.

I'd do as pp's suggested and turn bed3 into a really fab master bedroom with en-suite.

Yes the landing is lovely! And while I suppose you don’t ‘do’ much on a landing it is a really nice space

If you have a downstairs toilet then I would go 5 bedrooms so you can make one into a study/playroom