Anyone have time to look at this floorplan and tell me where you would out a bathroom?

[IlanaK]

We have put an offer in on a maissonete today. It has one bathroom downstairs, but we MUST put a shower room upstairs for it to be livable for us. We can't give up any of the bedrooms as we need them all, but we could give up part of one.

The floorplan is on my profile. Keep in mind that the "front" foor upstairs is not in use as the main entrance to the flat is downstairs. And all the plumbing is at the back of the house we think. There is a flat on the first floor that may have plumbing at the front, but I am not sure about this.

We have a couple of ideas, but would like people to look at it with fresh eyes if possible.

Thanks!

I think your cheapest option is to use the redundant landing space. Build a step UP into the room to allow enough "fall" for the pipework which will run under the floor to the back of the house. This way you could get plenty space for a small sink and a shower. Maybe even a Sani Flo toilet.
This way you would avoid any altercations to walls.

No no no! Can't do a step! Our current flat had steps into both bathrooms when we moved in for exactly that reason. We finally had both bathrooms redone and all pipework rerouted this year to get rid of the steps. Couldn't go back to that!

Perfectprefect - UNDERstairs cupboard, not UPstairs cupboard!

Quint I agree. It's also the best solution in case you don't get the upstairs.

Literally a walk through wet room, could be fab!

Change the door for a opaque glass bricks or something if it will give it a little natural light.

Otherwise autmatic fan & light when you open the wetroom door.

Are you both talking about using just the redundant corridor? And entering it from the hallway? I just don't see how that can work - it is way too narrow.

2 big beds and big luxury bathroom us plus large family kitchen with folding doors to garden would be worth as much as the 3rd bed is a study really.A maisonette appeals to a different market to houses too We did just that to a similar maisonette and it didn't devalue.things squeezed in is much more detrimental if it is higgledy piggeldy.Putting walls between room and altering the proportions of the fireplace alcoves really looks terrible.maybe get an architect to give you some ideas before you spend anything on it

We weren't here when ours were turned but instead of the bottom of the stairs there is a door to the understairs cupboard and then the foot of the stairs is under where the top would have been. So our bathroom is half on the old landing and half on a supported bit of 'new' ceiling/floor.
So anything that was under the stairs is still under it, just with the roof of that 'storage' at the oppostie angle.

All of our front room is open plan so the side of the stairs in here and the kitchen is blocked off by a partition wall (for fire saftey I think)

Extra bonus is that children have to go past our bedroom door to get to the stairs and can't sneak out the front door if we are downstairs

I think it would be tight but okay.

open bathroom door, walk over draingage hole and under shower head, past small hand basin on right and straight ahead would be a space saving loo.

It would be very ensuite style but it would be there IYSWIM

Would you get planning permission to do a proper conservatory/room on the back of the kitchen thus creating an extra reception room?

I really like the idea of turning the stairs. And having a cupboard under the stairs with a door facing where you come into the flat makes sense for storing pushchairs etc. I think having the shower room on the new landing would be easiest from a plumbing point of view as it would be almost above where the current bathroom is. Small would not be a problem - both our bathrooms now are very small ,but very lovely, modern and user friendly.

Would I need planning permission to turn the stairs?

I am sure a builder/ plumber can advice you regards the pipework, you might not need a step.

However, a narrow, walk through wetroom would be fab.

Tiles all over. It means that you need no enclosure. just a shower thingy on the wall. Just a curtain if you want one, to keep the water from splattering everywhere.

I would leave it where it is or buy somewhere different

Not what you want to hear though!

I always thought a downstairs would be a pita and annoy me intensely - actually having got used to it, its fine

Oh, the top of the stairs does end in teh corridor, but our house is weird angles end terrace anyway, you could maybe change the door upstairs for a window so it isn't 'blank' wall?

This thread has some info but google reversing staircase (we looked into it out of interest as people always comment on it, they get very confused trying to get upstairs

I used to have a downstairs bathroom and really liked it with young dc.

I you have that much money to spend on building works, would you not be better off buying a different home?

I agree QS it is a lot of work and would be cheaper to buy somewhere more suitable.Also the hassle with 3 little ones!I have done it many times but with 1 child not 3!Floors up and dust with little ones is hard

I appreciate everyone's comments.

We are convinced this is the right place for us. We are not put off by building work. As for the comments about if we have enough to do work then we should just buy a better place - this same flat with the work done and bathroom put in would cost us way way more than doing the work ourselves. It is priced well because of having only the downstairs bathroom.

I am unclear on what people are saying about the stairs. Is it not possible to change them around now?

I think we will pay an architect to come and view with us before exchange with our plumber. Then we can be sure before parting with out money.

That sounds a good plan.

yes, bring architect and plumber, sensible.

what about upside down? ie bedrooms on lower ground and living space upstairs, you can easily build a large deck and stairs down to the garden? that might give you some other options.

oh another thought. how high is the ceiling space? you could have a mezsanine bed/bedroom bedroom with bathroom underneath? ifyswim.

I had a thought about turning the stairs around, not sure you can because presumably you have the other staircase above it which would still run the original way. It may depend on how high the ceilings are, as it's an older property there still may be enough head height to do it.

How about a spiral staircase?

erm mezzanine sorry

The ceilings are over 3 metres high - very high. I thought last night about the issue of the stairs coming up over the existing ones, but I think if we reverse the staris, they will have to turn a corner to as they reach the top anyway, so this might solve that issue.

then a mezzanine may be an option. You could build a bathroom into front bedroom with mezzanine bed on top accessed from either back or front bedroom, like a bunkbed. kids would love you forever for it.

I would steal the space from the back of the master bedroom.

Your front rooms are the exact same dimensions as my victorian semi.

Re hang door into bedroom so it opens against what will be the shower room wall. Infact re hang all the doors so they open against the walls as it gives much more space and light and makes placing furniture a lot easier.

Put bed into the bay window.

Incorporate unused corridor into bedroom by turning it into walk in wardrobe.