Can a potential cloakroom (no water pipe) turn into a toilet/loo?

newbiebie

I would like to have a loo/toilet downstairs but not essential. I view a house which is just refurnished.

The estate agent (EA) said that there is "Potential Cloakroom" downstairs, just right below the stair, the place is not small and I went there, there is a main electric switch being newly installed there.

EA said this can be a toilet/loo. But there is no water pipe there.

Any idea what EA said is trusted?

Po

Slithery

Can we have an upstairs floor plan as well, it's important to see where the existing toilets are.

lincroft1710

Yes, it is possible. But depending on where the nearest water and sewer pipes are, it could be expensive and disruptive

newbiebie

Slithery said:

Can we have an upstairs floor plan as well, it's important to see where the existing toilets are.

This is the upstairs floor map

TBagpuss

So the potential cloakroom is immediately underneath the bathroom? 

Soot2006

If the bathroom is above the cloakroom, then it will be very easy to have a downstairs loo as you can use the existing waste pipe and water pipes are easy to take anywhere.

tacpot12

TBagpuss said:

So the potential cloakroom is immediately underneath the bathroom? 

It would appear so. The outward opening kitchen door on the ground floor suggests that the land to the left of the potential cloakroom is part of the same property.

The ease of adding a toilet will depend on the position of the soil stack. If the stack is on the left-hand side of the kitchen door (as you look at this door from the outside), it will be difficult as you will need to pass the soil from the toilet to the stack somehow. If the soil stack is on the right-hand side kitchen door (seen from the outside), then it will be reatively easy to add a toilet. Hot and Cold water pipes can be dropped from the bathroom above, and a good plumber would be able to do this from the underside rather than having to disturb the floor of the bathroom. Expect to pay the plumber more if you want them to work from underneath as it will be very tiring for them. 

If the soil stack is on the left of the kitchen door, it will still be possible to add a toilet, but the area outside will have to be excavated to find the soil pipe underground and make the connection underground. 

FreeBear

By "main electrical switch", do you mean consumer unit (fuse board) and electricity meter ?

If so, the location of the wiring, in particular, the main incoming mains cable may restrict where pipework can be located. In general, it is unwise to have electrical equipment located close to things like sinks due to the risk of being splashed by water.

Section62

TBagpuss said:

So the potential cloakroom is immediately underneath the bathroom? 

I'm not so sure this is entirely correct - it looks to me like the EA plans are inaccurate.

If the cupboard earmarked for a toilet is under the stairs, then it can't also be fully under the bathroom.

The first floor plan shows an abnormally narrow space on the landing at the top of the stairs - if the plan is correct then it is more like a wide step than a landing which would comply with building regs.

I suspect the EA has mismeasured, or else misdrawn the plan.


There could be some overlap between to two, but the probability then is that the cloakroom would be underneath the bath - so whether the plumber works from below or above, either are going to be unpleasant jobs and priced accordingly.


As for the soil pipe connection, there's a good probability the new toilet will need an underground connection to the foul drainage system as connecting ground floor toilets to existing stacks is usually difficult to achieve in compliance with building regs.  Also, if the existing stack/pipe is cast iron then connecting into it means in practice replacing the whole thing.


In response to the original question, I would trust what EA's say as much as I trust their plans.

aoleks

Even without the bathroom directly above, it’s easy to get the required plumbing in place. People overestimate the complexity of adding a new pipe somewhere.

a friend of mine installed one recently and it costed peanuts. Not £2-300, but definitely not expensive.

Section62

aoleks said:

Even without the bathroom directly above, it’s easy to get the required plumbing in place. People overestimate the complexity of adding a new pipe somewhere.

Not always. It varies from property to property, and what kind of job you are happy with.  If pipes being run across the kitchen ceiling or walls are Ok then it is a lot easier than doing what most people want and finding a way to conceal them.

And for the OP there will be two pipes, one of which ideally needs insulating to stop heat-loss, and having exposed insulated pipes just looks daft.

Also, the water supply is the easy bit, because water under pressure will flow 'uphill'.  Getting the drainage side of the plumbing sorted is usually the bigger challenge.

If anything, people usually underestimate the complexity.  Especially when you add fitted carpets and tiled/laminate floors into the equation.