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Original poster

Please settle and argument - do we need a second toilet or not?

56 replies

babypowder · 25/10/2009 10:18

We live in a Victorian house that has the bathroom off the kitchen at the back of the house. We are about to move the bathroom upstairs, where we currently have a cloakroom (lots of knocking down walls & things to extend the cloak). We'l then use the space where the bathroom was to extend the kitchen into a conservatory.

I am quite attached to having 2 toilets in the house, and would like to keep a little cloak room where the old bathroom is. Dh feels that this would detract buyers when the time came.

We have 2 DDs under 7 as well as DH & I. What do you think?

OP posts:
ArghhhhmazingBouncingSpider · 25/10/2009 10:21

Second toilets are the way to go. I grew up in house with 3 toilets and going from that to just the 1 is actually quite painful! If you have the room then I dont see why not, and I dont think it would put buyers off at all, infact quite the opposite im sure!

LowLevelWhingeing · 25/10/2009 10:23

Does that mean the toilet would be next to the kitchen? IMVHO 2 toilets is nice, but that lay out would put me off.

LowLevelWhingeing · 25/10/2009 10:24

How's that for a balanced view?!

IsItMeOr · 25/10/2009 10:27

Downstairs loo is the way to go in a family house, but I agree with LLW, if you can avoid it being essentially a cupboard in the kitchen, that would be preferable. But this wouldn't be a deal-breaker for me if that were the only way you could achieve a downstairs loo.

Has your DH never watched Property Ladder?

Oh, and my favourite story on downstairs loos from a friend of mine who lives in Weybridge (stockbroker-ville, if you're not familiar with it) - apparently the preschoolers who come to visit are Horrified that they have no downstairs loo and go looking for it, as they simply cannot believe it. I think that tells you what is the aspirational option, no?

somewhathorrified · 25/10/2009 11:37

I couldn't believe (when selling my last house) how many people wanted to know if there was a downstairs loo despite there being 2 upstairs! Personally I never thought about it, had I known downstairs loos popularity I would have put one in in that house, could have put the price up...d'oh.

mumofsatan · 25/10/2009 13:24

In my opinion you really need a downstairs toilet. I would certainly be put off a house that didn't have one.

PavlovtheForgetfulCat · 25/10/2009 13:26

NO. Your DH is right, you don;t need a second toilet.

I say that ONLY because I want a second toilet and we have not the space, so I am jealous

.

If you have the space, a second toilet in a family home is a must imo.

CymbidiumHybrid · 25/10/2009 13:28

First thing I am so so of you living in a Victorian house, more so if it has some of the original fixtures etc.

Secondly, I really do wish we had the space to have a second toilet. I would have one in a heartbeat.

hatesponge · 25/10/2009 13:30

2 toilets definitely.

When I bought my first house it only had 1 toilet; I moved when my DC were still babies but if I'd stayed I would almost certainly have put one in...couldnt have lived indefinitely with 2 children and only one toilet!

memorylapse · 25/10/2009 13:30

we were selling our large 4 bedroomed house with enough space to swing a whole cattery full of cats, yet the deal breaker for many was no downstairs loo..we finally sold in May and now we have our downstairs loo in a showeroom and I dont think I could ever go back to not having a second loo

luciemule · 25/10/2009 14:32

If there's enough room, I opt for a downstairs loo rather than not or if not, one upstairs is still preferable to me than a downstairs bathroom.

MadameDuBain · 25/10/2009 14:37

I think I'm in a clear minority but I really don't need more than one toilet, have never had more than one, and the thought of a toilet just off the kitchen is a bit offputting to me. We're about to move and have viewed dozens of houses and honestly the 2nd toilet issue has never been of interest to me - in fact when I see one I usually think "that could have been a useful cupboard". The house we're buying is victorian and very nice, has just the one upstairs bathroom/toilet and that didn't put me off at all.

mylovelymonster · 25/10/2009 14:38

I would want to keep a downstairs loo too - but depends on whether possible due to space. I think building regs mean you have to have two doors between a kitchen and a loo?
You don't have a handy space under the stairs for a cloakroom at all, so as not to compromise your lovely new kitchen?

Elibean · 25/10/2009 14:54

I would never want to be without my downstairs toilet again

It does depend a bit on age of kids (young ones potty training etc, far easier). And tbh, I've rarely seen a house in our area of SW London whose downstairs toilet is NOT next to the kitchen.

vvvodka · 25/10/2009 14:57

everyone needs more than one toilet. preferably more than two.

brimfull · 25/10/2009 15:00

yes have 2nd loo
could you out teeny utility room in between kitchen and loo?

jazzandh · 25/10/2009 15:50

Keep the loo - if you don't have one downstairs - everyone who needs one has to traipse upstairs - children in from the garden, guests at a party etc......

Original poster
babypowder · 25/10/2009 15:57

I have now read out all of the posts to DH, and he still thinks it's a bad idea!

The new building regs mean that there doesn't have to be 2 doors between kitchen & toilet, so it would be essentially a cupboard in the kitchen. We bought this house when the entire bathroom was a door off the kitchen, why wouldn't someone else?

(BP goes off to grumble at DH)

OP posts:
ampere · 25/10/2009 16:02

One aspect to consider is privacy and security- without sounding too dramatic! As DCs get older and there are more 'casual' mates in and out, not the hand selected playdate invitees you currently have, you sort of don't WANT any old person trogging upstairs to use the loo! It's far easier to supervise downstairs loo use!

eggshapedbanana · 25/10/2009 16:20

Have 3 loos. Love the one downstairs as it means that visitors don't have to go upstairs so I don't have to worry too much about it being tidy up there. Ours isn't next to the kitchen but I do try to enforce a no pooing downstairs rule as it is just inside the front door and I don't want people passing out as they come in the house. Would definitely be something I would look for in future houses.

Elibean · 25/10/2009 16:39

bp. How did I miss the OP being yours?

Anyway: I wouldn't buy a house without either a downstairs loo or the possibility of putting one in. Neither would any of the women I know who've had one and got used to it. You can try telling dp that...

...or, you could just feign tears, tell him you've developed a small problem and need a downstairs loo...

bebesequin · 25/10/2009 16:49

No a necessity with children- and visitors too saves them and their muddy footed kids running upstairs and probaly sneaking a peak at the rest of your house.Tell DH he will miss very little of the tv/movie/sport etc if he has only to nip through to the downstairs loo.

Doyouthinktheysaurus · 25/10/2009 17:14

I love our 2nd loo, really wouldn't be without it now.

We had it put in when we had an extension 2 years ago and it makes such a difference.

However, I wouldn't want a loo directly off the kitchen. The smells and the noises and the fact that my ds's never close the door after them would put me off

Saying that though, if alot of the houses where you live still have bathrooms off the kitchen people may be more amenable to that layout.

Itsjustafleshwound · 25/10/2009 17:21

I would definitely vouch for a second loo - it just minimises traffic going up and down the stairs

HouseHunting · 25/10/2009 17:23

We don't have a downstairs loo in this house but in our new house that we are moving into next month it does Am fed up of guests traipsing upstairs & having a nosey at the bedrooms...at least in the new house I don't have to worry about the bedrooms being untidy.

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