Would a downstairs loo/bathroom put you off buying a house?

lessonlearned

I'm another one with no problem with a downstairs bathroom, in fact in my particular circumstances it would be a plus.

Is there a middle way. How big are the three bedrooms. Depending on the layout upstairs you might be able to compromise - say use half of a bedroom for a bathroom, the other half as a small bedroom/study. A bathroom doesn't have to have a window. This would leave you with two double bedrooms and a single bedroom for resale purposes so it would still be a 3 bedroomed house and it would not lose value.

If you are canny you could end up with the best of both worlds. You could use the existing plumbing to creat a downstairs cloakroom and maybe also squeeze in a small utility area.

How high is the roof void, is there room for a loft conversion.

Have a look at the floor plans and see what you can do.

Cisco001

I don't like house with downstair bathroom. However, if you have to lose one bedroom to turn it to bathroom, I think it would be better not changing it. IMO, 3 bed > 2 bed

geoffky

I would never look at a house that only had a downstairs bathroom...

mrsmchapman

My previous house was a two up two down, bathroom attached to kitchen downstairs. It never once proved a problem, and I brought my son up there for 10 years, however given the choice I would prefer upstairs bathroom and cloakroom downstairs.

You just have to remember if guests come around uninvited to get your other half to make sure they bring you something decent to put on, my give guests a shock! haha

societys_child

Well . . I go to the loo a lot more during the day than during night so I prefer a downstairs bathroom (it's the warmest room in the house) great when we have visitors as well, they don't have to traipse all over my stairs and landing carpets

Installed a wc upstairs (off the landing) and an en suite shower in the main bedroom, so we're good to go . . .:rotfl:

phoebe1989seb

Our last house only had a downstairs bathroom (not off the kitchen though, plus it had a small downstairs shower room in the former annex) when we bought it in 2007. It didn't put us off - and we were downsizing from a house with four loos

However, although the house itself was really amazing, the lack of an upstairs bathroom - or even just a loo - would I think have put us off if it hadn't been that we could instantly see the potential to add an upstairs bathroom in the eaves, ensuite to the master bedroom, which we did without losing too much bedroom space. The plumbing was easy to adapt as it was directly above the downstairs shower room with soil pipe etc.

It was rather an odd layout altogether though, as only two bedrooms were on the upper floor, whilst there were five (plus a conservatory), receptions, some of which could easily be used as downstairs bedrooms - serviced by the two existing downstairs bath/shower rooms. Our buyers opted to use three of the downstairs rooms as bedrooms........

There will always be people for whom an upstairs bathroom is a must and equally those for whom it's not a deal-breaker. Sacrificing a bedroom to gain an upstairs bathroom is an option - in fact we've just done that in our current house in order to gain a huge ensuite, even though there was already a bathroom upstairs - but one that has to be considered in the light of its effect on resale value

I once had a friend (single mum) who bought a Victorian terrace with only one bedroom as the other had been converted to a bathroom. When she came to sell - after her DD grew too old to share with mum - she struggled to achieve a sale as the market for a 800 sq ft house with only one bedroom was quite small

CupOfChai

A downstairs loo I wouldn't mind at all, but the main bathroom downstairs no way. I've lived in a house with a downstairs bathroom and have friends who have done too, and I can't stand them. I'd never even view a house that had only a downstairs bathroom.

Bit of an odd viewpoint really, I mean it isn't that much different to living in a flat where everything is on the same level, is it? And I'm perfectly happy with my little flat. But then a bungalow isn't any different to a flat in that respect and I don't want one of those either unless I was old enough that it made the most practical sense!

bryanb

The only type I'd consider without upstairs facilities would be a bungalow.

ca55ie

It would definitely put me off - in fact I'd dismiss the property immediately. Mind you I do the same when looking for holiday properties too

outdoorcjc

It would and has put me off properties. It's not so much having the bathroom downstairs it's the bathroom straight off the kitchen that puts me off. Just personal preference really.