Importance of downstairs toilet?

Bettycheese

We’re about to start renovating a 60’s 3 bed semi, it’s pretty standard – downstairs entrance porch, living room diner with stairs off, and small kitchen which we’re going to change in to living room, with kitchen diner, French doors on to garden, and upstairs it has 3 bedrooms and a bathroom.

We’re toying with the idea of a small downstairs extension accessed from the entrance porch to accommodate a toilet, the washing machine (to free up room in kitchen) and possibly a shower.

How much difference (if any) do you think a downstairs toilet/shower/washing machine room would make to the attractiveness of the house when we come to resell, and would people be willing to pay more for this over a similar house that only has the one bathroom upstairs? Our likely market will be couples or young families. In the area of the SE where we live, resale price will probably be in region of £330k. Thanks.

bouicca21

I don't have a young family and I'm not part of a couple but a downstairs toilet and utility room gets my vote. Not so sure about the shower, though in the days when I had dogs a downstairs shower accessible from the garden would have been a godsend.

AnotherJoe

Ditto to Bouicca, + for toilet, + for utility, "meh" for shower.

oystercatcher

I wouldn't buy a house without a downstairs toilet now. We did live in a house without one once when I had 3 small children and managed but it was a distinct preference when we were looking to move.

The shower and utility sound very useful too, these are on my wishlist for current house , one plan we have , if we can't afford the bungalow we would like is to make current house into a 'house for life' so when we don't want to manage the stairs we can make a downstairs bedroom and have a shower room downstairs. I would then make existing downstairs toilet into a tiny utility room to free up kitchen space.

I have no idea how much value if any would be added by these type of improvements as they are obviously there to suit certain individuals and other people may prefer to use the space for other things.

aneary

Utility room is a yes from me you get to hide your washing!!

Downstairs toilet is handy if you only have one bathroom then I would make it shower room.

LEJC

Toilet and place for washing machine...yep I like that....shower no.

ReadingTim

Are you doing this to benefit your life now, or your bank balance later when you come to sell it?

Primarily it needs to benefit you now, not solely done to add value because you probably won't make as much as you think, or even necessarily recoup your costs. Has anyone else done what you're proposing? Does it make a difference to the asking and sold prices? Every house on every street has a ceiling price, especially so with places aimed at first time buyers.

Therefore, a good number of FTBs might be unable to pay more for the extra loo. Those who could afford it might look elsewhere - perhaps a more "established road", or generally "better area" with larger houses than those areas typically bought by FTBs.

Waterlily24

Toilet and washing machine space for me too.

Hedgehog99

Downstairs loo is a real plus.

Washing machine? I would be put off if it were in with the loo (hygiene reasons, plus the thought of being on the loo when the machine starts a spin cycle, and the noise in a small space), but if there is room to have a cloakroom and a utility then great. What would you do with the space freed up in the kitchen? Dishwasher? Beware of flagging up that the kitchen is too small.

Shower? If there is room to do it really well, then yes, but not if it'll be a squeezed-in / budget job.

I really appreciate not having to go upstairs to the bathroom when I am downstairs.

ReadingTim

Hedgehog99 wrote: »

I really appreciate not having to go upstairs to the bathroom when I am downstairs.

Question is, do you appreciate it enough to spend an additional five to ten grand on the house?

My suspicion is that people prefer to save thousands of pounds when it comes to where they'd spend a penny...

fromtheshires

Currently living in a 3bed with only an upstairs bathroom I would put in a downsatirs toilet as houses without one arent getting looked at by me.

If we get a downstairs toilet I wont have to have discussions with the OH to see if I can go for a long bath (the one where you drain and re-fill) without being interrupted for a toilet break by them, I dont have to worry about my guests snooping around my house and judging me on the fact I most likely havent made my bed and the duvet is jsut thrown over the bed hastily in the morning and most importantly I dont need to worry about a queue that happens when we have loads of people round.