Would buyers prefer a downstairs shower room or utility WC?

[ElatedOliveCrow]

We are in the process of remodelling a house in order to sell (we won't live there). The house is a semi-detached chalet bungalow that originally consisted of 2 large bedrooms upstairs (no bathroom) and then downstairs a smaller third bedroom and the family bathroom, as well as a lounge and a separate dining room that is open to a compact kitchen.

We have added a dormer to create a third double bedroom and a much needed family bathroom upstairs. We plan to pinch a section of the current bathroom to improve the kitchen, and what is left of the bathroom will be a space approx. 1.7m x 1.5m.

We had initially planned to refit this as a downstairs shower room to serve the fourth bedroom, but after giving it some thought, we wondered how many families would actually use this as a bedroom (as opposed to a play room, home office etc), and we have been considering whether a downstairs WC with space for a washer and dryer (as well as storage and drying space) would appeal more to the type of family who would buy this home?

In the larger kitchen, there would be space for a washing machine, but a dryer would need to go elsewhere. We wondered if a dedicated utility space would therefore be more useful and desirable than a second shower? To clarify, there would be a downstairs WC and basin in both options.

Given the dimensions and layout, there isn't space to do both, however as plumbing and drainage would be in place, it would be easy to remove the utility cupboards/worktop and install a shower cubicle in the future.

For context, the house is very close to good local schools and 5 minutes from the motorway, and would probably appeal to a young family. If you would consider buying a house with this bedroom arrangement, which would you prefer?

For me the main thing is that there are two toilets, which you have either way. I would want space for a dryer, but a shower is also useful, so if you think it'll appeal more to young kids family I'd go dryer, but if a family with teens then shower. But I don't think it'll be a deal breaker either way.

Downstairs shower rooms are generally only useful if you have a reception room that could be used as a bedroom for disabled visitors, elderly parents, etc.

Utility and wc wins for me. Please design carefully though, I'm househunting and so many have the loo opening into the kitchen or next to the dining table, get it right at the back of the utility with a partition.

Personally I like my utility room upstairs so I don't have to carry dirty and clean laundry up and down. I would use it as a loo and shower/dog shower mud room for coats.

Utility and loo would be my preference. Whilst a second shower would be useful - some storage and getting a washer and/or dryer out of the kitchen is nice to do. Two loos is vital, two showers is a luxury :)

Like @Anothercake my first priority is that there are two toilets. After that, I love having a utility room!

What is the water pressure like there? In my area, it’s only powerful enough for a shower if nothing else is running at all, so I would never have 2 showers on the go. That makes a utility room/ WC superior again.

Can you not put a cupboard which would allow a stacked washer/dryer in the kitchen? For me three large bedrooms would benefit from two places to shower and i know im in a minority on MN but i dont have a dryer and nor do most people whose houses i visit. A cupboard which could he used fir one or with shelves for storage would suit everyone.

The fourth bedroom is downstairs so this was our initial thought, we just aren't sure if we are putting the house in a bit of a niche by targeting this market.

The bathroom is currently off the hallway and away from the kitchen, so no concerns there 😊

We have exactly this house layout. A few years ago we did a similar project where we stole some of the bathroom for the kitchen/diner. We divided the remaining downstairs bathroom and created a small WC/basin about 0.8m wide opening into the hallway. The other side is a utility cupboard with double doors opening into the kitchen/dining space. The utility has the boiler, a washer & dryer, worktop with radiator above and a hanging airer that drops down from the ceiling. That utility space room is roughly 0.9m deeps. We use bedroom 4 as an office

A stacked washer dryer in the kitchen would compromise counter space. We can fit a washer in, but both would be a squeeze. We are improving the kitchen so it's more in proportion to the size of the house, but it still won't be "big"

That was one of the points we considered, although in our house I do sometimes run a bath for one child then send the other to have a shower in our en suite, so I suppose if someone was already in the bath and you just wanted a quick shower it could come in handy. It's an older house so water pressure isn't amazing - you certainly couldn't run two showers at once.

Sounds like you had very similar space to work with! Do you have any regrets about losing the extra bath/shower?

Absolutely no regrets with losing the downstairs shower - but we have an ensuite shower room and family bathroom upstairs. That being said it’s an old house and you can’t shower/bath at the same time anyway.

Loo and laundry

I would also market the 4th bedroom as an office/2nd reception room as people want living space over sleeping space. You said it's small so not terribly useful as a bedroom.

Always more toilets

You don’t want the dryer in a separate room from the washing machine. So I’d put them in the cloakroom. Storage is always useful.

I’ve lived in two house with showers downstairs as well as an upstairs bathroom. We have never showered downstairs.

Loo, utility.

It's smaller, rather than small (the upstairs bedrooms are quite large). It is a double bedroom, approx. 2.8m x 3m.

Definitely utility. Although i'm confused how your bungalow has an upstairs, and was then converted to a dormer... 🤷‍♀️

It was a chalet bungalow, built with rooms in the slope of the roof (no dormers). We added a dormer to the side of the existing bedrooms to create an extra bedroom and bathroom.

Does the new upstairs bathroom have a bath and a separate shower cubicle? Or just a shower over a bath?

I think I'd not use the downstairs bedroom as a bedroom so would have ant that as an office or playroom. I'd rather have a downstairs toilet but I would want a toilet and a utility room. I'd want the toilet to just be a toilet and have it's own door.

Definitely utility / loo. Especially if you can’t use both showers at once (we have similar water pressure). I think many people would just use the three upstairs bedrooms and have extra living space / office downstairs, so storage / dryer / loo is more practical. If they really wanted to have a downstairs bathroom they could always convert it back, but utility is likely to be more widely useful.

Oh. I never heard that term before!