How could this bathroom problem be fixed? Or, should it be?

RHemmings

This is just a general knowledge query - I don't own this house nor can I buy it. I'm just trying to gain knowledge that would help me evaluate houses I see for sale so that I can know what can be done. 

In the following house, the shower room is a bit small and I don't think it could fit a bath. 





While it isn't a deal-breaker, I would prefer a bath. Just out of curiosity and using this as an example, is there a way to fix this with minor changes. I'm guessing that the simplest way to fix it would be to have a minimal sink on the wall next to the toilet, and two small storage cupboards above the sink and the toilet. 

The next step might be to move the wall and door of the bathroom out a bit without blocking bedroom 2. To give more space in the bathroom in general. How likely is it that a wall could be moved, and wildly approximately how much would it cost. 

The utility room might be convertable into a bathroom, but it would be odd to have a back door leading from a bathroom. 

Finally, a single story extension to the back of the lounge and beside the utility room.  That's a pretty big change. 

What I would like to ask is: if people are kind enough to put themselves in my shoes, then what would you do if you were looking at this house and wanted a bath somewhere in it? 

The answer 'accept only having a shower or find another house' is an entirely valid one.

I ask because when looking into another house that is small in general, I found out the approximate prices, timescales, and limitations on 'permitted development' for adding a lean-to garage to the side. Which 'fixed' the house for me, until my son outright rejected the area. I'm wondering how much I should be envisaging 'fixing' issues with houses, versus finding the one that is already everything I want.

silvercar

The space occupied by the sink and shower would have room for a bath with shower over. You can now get sinks that sit on top of the toilet cistern. Or angle the toilet at 45 degrees from the corner into the room, leaving more space for the sink as you walk in. An outward opening door would also help.

RHemmings

silvercar said:

The space occupied by the sink and shower would have room for a bath with shower over. You can now get sinks that sit on top of the toilet cistern. Or angle the toilet at 45 degrees from the corner into the room, leaving more space for the sink as you walk in. An outward opening door would also help.

Thanks very much for these ideas. It makes me think the current bathroom would be more fixable than I originally imagined. 

babyblade41

yep, sink integrated with toilet and shower over bath 

Martico

Outward-opening door for sure.
Integrate sink with toilet (bonus points if the sink can drain into the toilet cistern)
And look into a shower unit with a curved door, rather than straight edges to see if you can still have separate shower and bath units. 

RHemmings

I wasn't aware of the combined toilets/sinks though I support I must have seen and used them some time in my life.



More minimal than I envisaged. Certainly a space saver. I'm not sure about moving teeth brushing even closer to a toilet, but I suppose if they are already in the same small room, it's not going to make a difference. I'll look to see what other models exist. 

Martico

Hmm, that one does look a bit too minimal

eddddy

That type of sink/toilet combo might be acceptable in, say, a small downstairs cloakroom where there is no other option - or in the outside toilet shown in your floorplan.

But I doubt anyone would be happy with that as the only sink in a family bathroom.

TBH, I think many people would prefer "a proper sized sink plus a shower" to "a tiny sink plus a bath" in a family bathroom.

RHemmings

Thanks for all the posts everyone. Looking at the floorplan and thinking of the outwards opening door, I wonder if the sink can move to the end of the wall away from the shower, become smaller, and make space for a bath. All the places I lived in in Japan that had baths at all had tiny ones, though I don't want that now. But, I think that having a smaller but still reasonable sized sink down the wall might leave enough space for a combined shower/bath. Maybe. 

How long is a bath? 2m? EDIT: About 1.7m. 

ProDave

I would just reduce the size of the adjacent bedroom a little to make the bathroom bigger and fit what you want in it.

RHemmings

ProDave said:

I would just reduce the size of the adjacent bedroom a little to make the bathroom bigger and fit what you want in it.

Wow, that's a big change. Moving not just a small wall and door but a big one. Thanks.