Cost - Removing downstairs bathroom to make kitchen bigger

Arsenal2019

user1977 said:

How old is the house? If it's relatively new then the loo is probably there to comply with building regulations (i.e. that there's a WC accessible without having to go upstairs) - so removing it would make the property non-compliant (assuming you're not moving it somewhere else).

Ahhhh well it was made in 2004, I’ve had a look on Rightmove and the houses in the nearby vicinity all look to have downstairs loos

Arsenal2019

ijustlovesavingmoney said:

Just a idea, can you move the WC to under the stairs, I would find it difficult to go upstairs as I have mobility problems, do you think taking the wall down will make much of a difference to the kitchen? best of luck with you project

Hi

there Is no chance I’d be able to move it under the stairs unfortunately! If I did I’d have to crawl in 

Arsenal2019

So I’m guessing if it’s a stud / hallow sounding wall, it won’t be weight bearing& therefore I would be able to remove it & do so without building regs??

user1977

jonnydeppiwish! said:

However, have you thought about just opening the doorway to the hallway up?

I presume building regs require a door between the kitchen and the stairs (even if the residents were happy with the fire risk and noise/smells rising upstairs).

Jemma01

I wouldn't buy a house without wc downstairs. Would hate for guests to go upstairs, too intrusive for me. When I got a valuation for a house that I wanted a while back, the valuator increased the value of the house i wanted stating that it had wc downstairs whereas other similar houses didn't. So it did affect his valuation

sheramber

It would be better to buy a house with a bigger kitchen rather than remove a downstairs toilet and refit a bigger kitchen. 

pjs493

I think a downstairs WC is quite high on the list of requirements for many house buyers. A good friend on mine bought a house in which the WC had been taken out in order to extend the utility room, and while it made for a great utility room, she always talks about how annoying it is not to have a downstairs WC. It's particularly useful for people with small children and those who are less able to manage stairs. My grandmother, for example, rarely visits a cousin of mine who lives in a first floor flat because she struggles with the stairs. 

The lack of a downstairs WC could rule out many potential buyers in the future who may not be too concerned with the size of the kitchen if it is in proportion with the rest of the house.

FreeBear

Arsenal2019 said:

So I’m guessing if it’s a stud / hallow sounding wall, it won’t be weight bearing& therefore I would be able to remove it & do so without building regs??

Do not ever assume that a hollow wall is not load bearing and/or structural. Quite a few houses are built using what is called Structural Insulated Panels - The clue is in the name that they could be supporting something. Even a simple stud wall with a plasterboard skin could be supporting joists above (as a couple of walls in my house do), or bracing an adjoining wall.

You need to get a structural engineer in, lift floorboards, and get a qualified opinion. And don't trust what a builder says - It is highly unlikely that one would have the qualifications to back it up.

RHemmings

user1977 said:

jonnydeppiwish! said:

However, have you thought about just opening the doorway to the hallway up?

I presume building regs require a door between the kitchen and the stairs (even if the residents were happy with the fire risk and noise/smells rising upstairs).

My house doesn't have a door between the kitchen and the front hallway (including stairs). I'm looking into putting one in, but have to consider how it opens. 

Doozergirl

jonnydeppiwish! said:

In theory, free for you to take the walk out, assuming it’s non load bearing.
However, have you thought about just opening the doorway to the hallway up?

I had the same thought.  It is okay under building regs to have the kitchen without door/fire doors in a two storey house.  

The reality of losing the WC is that you'll only gain one extra cupboard - it's a big spend with little gain. 

There is also a little black box on the floorplan in the top left of the kitchen that looks suspiciously like the boxing for a soil pipe, which would make it a particularly complicated project.  

However, even if you lose the wall to the hallway, you're only really gaining a sense of space.  I think a redesign of the kitchen by a decent designer would allow the kitchen to be fitted wall-to-wall instead of leaving that little gap.    I'd be looking to put floor-to-ceiling cabinets along the short wall to increase storage.