Downstairs Bathroom - Convert to Lootility?

realrodders

I read in a few places recently that a downstairs bathroom can actually detract from the value of your home.
We have a downstairs bathroom in a room off our downstairs hallway - it has a (short) bath, sink, toilet and a boxed-in boiler. Upstairs we have a small shower room with sink and toilet - not enough room to swing a cat but does the job. 
Someone suggested converting that downstairs bathroom to a "lootility" room - moving the washing machine and tumble dryer out of the small kitchen into the downstairs bathroom in place of the bath but keeping a sink and toilet - all nicely finished of course. The kitchen would certainly benefit from having two more kitchen units for storage.

A utility room sounds desirable, but does having only a small shower upstairs as the only bathroom detract from the house's appeal? Looking for a gauge as I don't want to do a bunch of work if it won't affect either the sale price or how quickly the house sells... thanks in advance!

gwynlas

Families like  baths for smaller children until such time as they can shower themselves. If your upstairs shower room was large enough to install a bath it would be a good idea but otherwise keep as is.

Neil49

See if you can rearrange the upstairs shower room to take a small bath and compact washbasin and toilet. It's worth visiting a few diy shops and general merchants to look at their displays and get an idea of what is available nowadays. Things like corner toilets and compact washbasins can free up quite a bit of space and could allow you to slot in a short or narrow bath. Some baths have one long edge that tapers in slightly. Also consider having the door open outwards or sliding. 

realrodders

Bath upstairs might be a good shout. Will take a look

ka7e

Best of both options - replace shower upstairs with small bath. We had a 1500mm for years (with kids), but you can get them as small as 1250mm.https://www.drench.co.uk/c/baths/small-baths?page=1&sort=rank&BathSize=1250%20x%20725mm Replace the bath downstairs with a shower cubicle and stack your washing machine and dryer.

Rosa_Damascena

I would hate to have a loo sharing a space with a utility room where I wash and dry clothes.

ka7e

Rosa_Damascena said:

I would hate to have a loo sharing a space with a utility room where I wash and dry clothes.

But most people are OK to have one where we wash our hair and clean our teeth.

Homer_home

Rosa_Damascena said:

I would hate to have a loo sharing a space with a utility room where I wash and dry clothes.

why?

Rosa_Damascena

Homer_home said:

Rosa_Damascena said:

I would hate to have a loo sharing a space with a utility room where I wash and dry clothes.

why?

Because clean drying clothes where people have an option to go to the toilet (bearing in mind that visitors are usually confined to using that facility) is wholly incompatible. I can see it working where there is an understanding amongst family members but it's not the most welcoming piece of information to impart that to guests!

Teapot55

I do wonder whether one day we’ll go back to the old house design of having toilets separate. (Personally I don’t keep my toothbrush in the same room as the ‘lavvie’ and am ‘grossed out’ at the thought of clean linen/ towels stored there).