Downstairs loo or utility room, which is more important to you?

[whatsnewpussycat34]

I’m having a kitchen extension and I only have room for one of the above. I already have a downstairs loo, but I want to convert this to a utility, but DH wants to keep the loo.

My argument is that we don’t have children and washing all over the house drives me nuts. A dedicated place for washing seems far more practical.

We also have an en-suite, so three toilets seems over kill!

Above poster detailed legal requirements op

so you don’t have a choice

I’d rather have a utility room. Our downstairs toilet only gets used by guests really.

I say keep the downstairs loo. Maybe you can find space for an upstairs laundry space? I'd quite like to convert my (otherwise unused) en suite to loo-tility room. Or if I get rid of the airing cupboard that would be a great spot of a stacked washing machine and drier.

I have a lot of washing. Honestly, I don’t know where it comes from!

If there's only two of you, maybe the place to start is reviewing why there is so much washing.

If you remove the downstairs toilet and only have a utility room, I think it will devalue the house. A downstairs loo is a big selling point for a lot of people.

I didn’t realise it was against regs to keep a loo! That’s good to know.

THe mixed use utility and loo sounds good. If anyone has any pics of what that could look like, that would be great!

I’ll post current floor plan. The extension will be 3x5m. I can’t work out how to draw on the bloody thing

You could lose the door from living room and extend the loo out enough for a stacked washer dryer or washer with airer pulley above.

What space have you got upstairs? You dont have to do washing downstairs.

Utility room every time

Both - I've been in a few houses recently where there's a toilet/sink in the corner of the utility - actually works really well because you want a sink for both anyway, and stacked machines are brilliant too.

I wouldn't want visitors going upstairs, it’d put me off buying if no downstairs toilet if you ever want to move.

Can you put the toilet under the stairs instead of a cupboard and then you can have pantry/utility where the loo is now. You could put machines on one side and pantry shelves on the other. To make up for losing the under stair space.

We had a tiny side extension it’s just about 2m50 end to end internally, as the washer and dryer are a very snug fit side to side and are 60cm wide so take up 1m20. Couldn’t find image with measurements on it.

Hmmmm that might work. Or I could leave the toilet, and maybe have a utility type thing coming from under the stairs. My tumble dryer is already in there, it’s just a bit cramped.

I just can not stand the maiden being out, anywhere in the house. And u only really use the dryer for bedding and towels.

I would go with the loo. I have a downstairs loo and no utility. I would love a utility but my house was just built before houses had them. I have the washing machine in the kitchen and a tumble dryer in the garage. My friend who doesn’t have a garage has her tumble dryer in a shed. I have never had washing hanging round the house. If Things don't go in the tumble dryer then they get put on a hanger and hung over a bedroom doorway. All together. Just one bedroom doorway.

My only loo/bathroom is downstairs. I had a ‘slipped disc’ about 20 years ago and had to lie down for 10 days. I stayed on the sofa. Without the downstairs loo I would have been stranded upstairs for over a week! This is the sort of thing that can happen to anyone at any age.
Please consider also elderly or disabled visitors, and the resale value of your house.

You can get a loo with the sink on the top of the cistern to save space. Might need to move the loo and soil stack to fit in a stack arrangement of washing machine and dryer.

I would prefer a downstair loo. I'm currently looking at moving house and this is non-negotiable for me.

You’ve already got to loos upstairs so if definitely say a utility. Lots of people have a toilet in the utility, is that an option. If not I’d definitely go for utility

If you have a bathroom upstairs you don't use much, could you install one of those raisable pulley airers in it so the washing could dry in there instead?

I have neither though I’d like both but in your situation I’d go for utility.

Toilet. I'm thinking about guests. If you have guests, you're not going to want them to have to go upstairs to use the toilet.

What do you think those of us without downstairs loos do???

Then you use the loo upstairs. I have lived with one toilet between 4 people before. Everyone managed. I was trying to be thoughtful, sorry.

Well unfortunately if regulations mean you can't remove it then you're stuck with it 🙁
Looking at your floor plan - what a waste of space for that downstairs loo.
Personally I'd box over the toilet somehow so I don't have to look at the damm thing and the room would become some kind of storage space.

Also....why do so many people say guests can't go upstairs?
(mobility issues not included obviously).
What secrets are up there.....👻💀