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Property/DIY

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Original poster

What's it like having a downstairs bathroom?

18 replies

BornToFolk · 26/04/2010 15:17

We're looking for a new house at the moment. Lots of the houses round here (in our price bracket anyway) have downstairs bathrooms out the back of the kitchen.

We've previously discounted downstairs bathrooms as lots of them seemed to be quite small, cold, poky places.

However, there's a house we are considering that has a downstairs bathroom which is big, cosy and nicely decorated.

I'm just not sure from a practical point of view what it would be like to have a downstairs bathroom. The idea of a downstairs loo really appeals (especially as potty training DS is not too far away...) but am worred about middle of the night trips to the loo, especially for DS as he gets older.

Any experiences?

OP posts:

BackOffMargery · 26/04/2010 15:53

We have a downstairs bathroom next to the kitchen, and our house is spread over four storeys, so three flights of stairs. Our bedroom is in the attic so OH put a mini sink and toilet in there.

It was awful being pregnant and having to go to the toilet three times a night without the "teeny tiny toilet" upstairs.

However we do have three decent sized bedrooms because of it.

I have got used to where it is, and it is fine. However if I was potty training DS in this house, which I won't be, he would either have to go two flights down or one flight up from his bedroom which isn't that practical.

That was a bit of ramble...

YesYouMust · 26/04/2010 15:55

We have one, causes us no problems at all.

Nymphadora · 26/04/2010 15:58

My old house had one & was fine. V good when potty training and tbh kids don't go in the night as much as adults

toccatanfudge · 26/04/2010 16:00

I had a downstairs bathroom for 5yrs.........I now only have an upstairs one and I really miss my downstairs bathroom.

preggersplayspop · 26/04/2010 16:01

I have one, but another bathroom upstairs. Tbh I use the downstairs one more often, and its been brilliant for potty training this week. Sometimes I think it would be nice to have the kitchen open out directly onto the garden but the bathroom is so useful I wouldn't do anything about it.

ShinyAndNew · 26/04/2010 16:01

Loads easier during the day. A bit of a hassle if you wake up in the night and need the loo. But I hardly ever need the loo in the night, so I'd rather have mine downstairs.

WE have a potty upstairs for dd2. Although I disagree with this it's DH's idea.

toccatanfudge · 26/04/2010 16:04

I particularly miss the downstairs bathroom in the evening when I have to tip=toe upstairs and hope that switching the bathroom light on, having a shower, or flushing the loo doesn't wake the DS's........especially DS1 whose bedroom is right next to the bathroom and is a very bad sleeper at the best of times.

PuppyMonkey · 26/04/2010 16:06

Tbh I'd be a bit wary simply because if and when you decide to move, some folk find them offputting and you might struggle selling the house or something. My friend had one the same as you described and she found it a pain going to the loo in the night. Her stairs were really narrow and steep!!

toccatanfudge · 26/04/2010 16:07

old house we did have a tiny little upstairs toilet and sink that they'd squashed in next ot the 3rd bedroom...........I think I used it about 3 times in those 5 years

fruitshootsandheaves · 26/04/2010 16:08

I have never lived in a house without a downstairs bathroom so I was quite surprised when it seemed a big thing to the estate agent when we tried to sell. My parents house also had a downstairs bathroom.

When we had our extension we had an upstairs toilet put in so we don't have to traipse downstairs at night.

downstairs bathroom very handy for muddy dogs and muddy children and you don't have to worry about overflowing baths dripping through the ceiling like they do in films when they have a dead body in! (Although thats actually a pretty rubbish reason for a downstairs bathroom!)

Original poster

BornToFolk · 26/04/2010 19:35

Thanks for all your feedback.

We saw the house again today and have probably ruled it out for various reasons but as loads of the houses round here have downstairs bathrooms, we'll need to consider it.

It's interesting that no one has said "I have one and I hate it".....

OP posts:

IHeartKingThistle · 26/04/2010 20:31

I love mine! We do have a toilet upstairs but for kids baths it's brilliant being able to do it downstairs - no worries about the stairs and the washing gets shoved straight in the machine.

tulip27 · 26/04/2010 20:41

We just put a potty upstairs on a towel for ds age 5 ad dd age 4, rarely used but stops them having to go down the stairs when sleepy. We thought our downstairs bathroom would be a problem but so far ok.

fragola · 27/04/2010 23:16

I had a downstairs bathroom for 5 years and me and the bathroom got along just fine. It also meant that the upstairs bedrooms were all a good size. The only downside was having to go down two flights of stairs when we were sleeping in the attic.

I did used to worry about it putting people off when we came to sell the house, but when it came down to it, only a couple of people said it put them off. Despite (to my knowledge) being the only house on the street with the bathroom downstairs, our house sold really quickly and got the highest price the street had seen.

If I had one again, I'd probably put at least a sink upstairs so that I could brush my teeth. I don't know why, but it felt odd brushing my teeth downstairs before bedtime.

GeekyGirl · 30/04/2010 00:57

DH has an enlarged prostate and I have a sensitive bladder. Some nights we are up and down like yoyos and for this reason I would never buy a house with a downstairs bathroom. Reading this thread, though, there are plenty of people who obviously don't mind at all.

ScreaminEagle · 30/04/2010 01:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

choosyfloosy · 30/04/2010 01:13

I really like my downstairs bathroom. I love it when someone's in the bath and still able to chat to them while doing other stuff.

Smell schmell... we did install an extractor fan for that.

frazzled74 · 30/04/2010 11:32

we have downstairs bathroom and are used to it now. nobody has ever commented on it and is great for bathing kids whilst doing cooking etc.

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