Feasibility/cost of adding a bathroom or toilet

[ScaredSceptic]

We viewed a property that ticks a lot of boxes and is in a great location for us. We'd ideally want a downstairs loo but thought at least there are two bathrooms upstairs.

On viewing however, the en suite is so small it's verging on unusable (used to be a cupboard) and the toilet in there is a macerator. Obviously this was done because the original bathroom and soil stack/sewer is at the opposite side of the house, but it's not something I'd want to live with.

I can't see anywhere obvious where it would be relatively straightforward to have a proper second toilet installed without a great deal of expense and disruption (see floorplan).

Am I right, or is there a possible option I'm missing?

We keep thinking about the house though...

I wish I knew a trusted builder I could ask to come and have a look and give an idea of what might be possible and likely cost.

Obviously I could try to find someone but it's hard enough to get trades people round here for a job you definitely want doing, is anyone really going to be interested in coming to have a look at potential work on a house we don't even own?

You will probably pay them a call out fee or an hourly rate .

where they drains are will be the most significant factor.

you could ask the vendors if they had any quotes and would they be happy to share them with you.

I do think you are looking at 40-50k

Ouch 😭

Isn't that a shame? A downstairs loo is so useful for older or disabled visitors, guests you would rather keep downstairs and in case anyone living there hurts their leg or back. Could you ask around for a builder recommendation and ask them to come and tell you if a toilet or even better a shower room would go in the garage? Then the en-suite could be a closet .

@ScaredSceptic it seems a no brainer to put a utility with loo on the left hand side of the kitchen. The kitchen diner is disproportionately large compared to the living room, there is easily space for a lovely utility and WC in there. If the units are good they can be removed and relocated either against the new utility wall or on the dining side of the kitchen where there is also space. Ask the estate agent to recommend a builder to take a look for you, they’ll have contacts.

This is insane money. If nothing else it should be quite possible to stick a macerator toilet in the understairs cupboard for 1/10th that cost.

That's the point. We don't want a macerator. We would want a proper toilet.

What's wrong with a macerator toilet? I've never had one but did think about it. We eventually did a total reconfiguration of the house so got an ensuite with a proper bathroom although I'm not sure it's much bigger than yours, but no scale to compare.

They are loud, block easily (which is an unpleasant job to rectify), need regular maintenance/repair, and end up being used as strictly "wee" only toilets.

Previously we had a couple of macerator toilets installed (in two different houses) and never had any of these issues. We're about to have one again as we need to move the current downstairs toilet (which is directly off the living room in our cottage) to a more appropriate location. No hesitation at all about doing so.

Thanks that's interesting as I've heard nothing but bad things about them, and as I have a bowel condition it's not something I want to chance!