Houses with downstairs bathrooms

ReadingTim

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Most people spend 7/9 hours every day upstairs - unless you're retired or unemployed you don't spend anything like that downstairs.

Not in my own house, because I have to go to work. In the office, the loo is on the same floor as my desk, both of which are on the ground floor of the building.

I don't feel the need to go up to the first floor to have a pee.

theartfullodger

I have three terraced houses on a scheme (what the English call an old council estate) in the Highlands of Scotland. They are all built upside-down - so bedrooms & bathroom downstairs, kitchen/diner & sitting-room upstairs. You get a better view (mountains, 2 sea lochs.. ) that way.

Works for me...

Jhoney_2

ReadingTim wrote: »

A wet room might be the best compromise - you'd need a loo, basin and shower as a minimum, and it would have to be an ensuite, rather than the main bathroom, unless you want people tramping through a bedroom to use us.

Problem is that there are thousands of '2 up 2 down' terraces like these with downstairs bathrooms. People buying them generally know what they're buying and either like them, or can't afford the upstairs bathroom alternative. Therefore any additions would probably cost more to add than they'd recoup in the selling price, so you'd really only be doing it for your own benefit, rather than future saleability - regardless of a preference for an upstairs bathroom, I doubt many people would pay more for it, if the house was otherwise the same.

I also note how many places have downstairs toilets in addition to their upstairs bathrooms - seems numerous trips up the stairs during the day are more onerous than the occasional one down the stairs at night....

Also LLs who will obviously rent it out with that layout and students who don't mind if they get save a bit of cash, understandably.

Regarding your last point,I think it is something I would be pleased to add - for guests, but mostly it's very handy for kids!

missbiggles1

LisaLou1982 wrote: »

I think SDW was referring to the time awake as opposed to asleep Miss Biggles!

I expect she was but that doesn't invalidate my point.:)

Jhoney_2

katejo wrote: »

I also notice the lack of floorplan. My terraced house previously had a downstairs bathroom but it was moved upstairs well before I bought. The 3rd bedroom was reduced in size to allow for the bathroom and the kitchen was extended to use up the space on the ground floor. I wouldn't go for one which didn't allow this.

Mine was exactly the same but luckily had an additional downstairs bathroom, so it was easy to just get rid of it and extend the kitchen as you did.

I would have converted it to a utility with w/c if it were not located at the end of the kitchen - thus denying me the lovely view,light and access to the garden.

Jhoney_2

theartfullodger wrote: »

I have three terraced houses on a scheme (what the English call an old council estate) in the Highlands of Scotland. They are all built upside-down - so bedrooms & bathroom downstairs, kitchen/diner & sitting-room upstairs. You get a better view (mountains, 2 sea lochs.. ) that way.

Works for me...

That's a well thought out plan, but the key here is that the beds/bathroom are on the same floor.

There will not be any running through the kitchen half naked whilst the in-laws are eating their porridge - and the postman at the door, I imagine!

Upsidedown_Bear

Floorplan here from previous sale.

SailorSam

GoodnessGraciousMe wrote: »

The joys of a single buyer wanting to buy within commutable distance to central London.

How far is that, what do you call a comfortable commute, how long will it take.
Up here anything over 10mls or 30mins i think of as a long way.
And my big 3bed semi is probably not worth £240k.

MoneyEM

I have just put an offer in on a property with a downstairs bathroom, It doesn't bother me, but there is potential to move it upstairs in future (although it would be off bedroom 2) I think £240k is quite expensive but then you are slightly closer to london than my search area.

Jhoney_2

By the time you reroute the plumbing by utilising space from bedroom 2 - the bedroom at the front of the property, you may as well have done the extension above the kitchen imo.

The smaller bedroom would potentially reduce future saleability in a different way. There just isn't the space upstairs. If OP can manage as it is, i'd be inclined to build equity and leave in a year or two.

Or better yet, move a few stops further out and leave it behind.

Bugbear 2 - no compass. I bet the nice large garden is north/east facing???