Downstairs cloakroom

7 years ago

I am turning to trusty Houzz advice for dilemma on downstairs cloakroom.

Live in 3 bed house with no downstairs loo. Probably look to only stay another couple of years - is it a deal breaker when selling that I don't have downstairs loo? Does it devalue house?

Had a couple of builders round to try and fit one internally but it's not easy (see floor layout) Looked at under the stairs but extremely tight fitting, looked at building out porch but don't think drainage will work. My last thought is off the dining room as an external small extension? I am knocking through kitchen / dining anyway to make one room and French doors not window.

Don't know it it's really worth the expense? Any advice gratefully received!

thank you,

Featured Answer

PRO

Ace Your Space

7 years ago

Man about the house has made a really good suggestion.
One idea to build on that:

Create a new doorway on the wall next to the stairs to go into that corridor area.
Open up the doorway at the far end to enter the utility/ bathroom.
Keep the corridor section open to the the lounge - maybe add some sliding doors for if you want to close it off.
As this can now be the entrance to the lounge you can close off the other door. That gives you a more useful corner in the lounge and is taking the circulation route past the main seating area.
Although it makes the kitchen smaller you could move a lot of kitchen paraphernalia into the utility. You could also save space by putting either just a shower room or toilet in that space making the utility area much bigger.
I'd also suggest changing the doors between the kitchen & lounge to sliding. They would take less space.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (17)

embzop
7 years ago
Your house will be worth less than one that has a downstairs loo but it will probably cost more to fit it than you will increase the house's value. Also, if the loo is in an awkward place, such as directly off a dining or living room, many people would not want to pay more than for a house that doesn't have one.

I have a house with a similar layout to yours except the kitchen is smaller and living room a bit bigger (total ground floor is 400 ft). I was therefore able to fit a new downstairs loo under the stairs with a small lobby created from the sitting room. It works well but it was expensive even though I only had to have one new wall built.
housemouse10 thanked embzop
A B
7 years ago
can you not section off a bit of the right hand side of what will become your kitchen diner (behind the stairs) to make a utility and wc. that way the wc could be roughly below your bathroom for plumbing. speak to some estate agents, but if you're doing building work/refitting kitchen anyway it would be worth doing imo
Related Discussions
Small downstairs cloakroom
Q
Comments (0)
What colour walls for this small room. White toilet and sink with a black marble sink surround and wooden radiator cover with brass insert. High ceilings
...See More
Downstairs cloakroom - which wall or walls should I paper?
Q
Comments (5)
Hi, This is a lovely little room, the mirror works really well and the shape gives the space interest. I think this is the paper your looking at: Everyone will advise you differently but this is how I would do it. I would use the paper on the mirror wall only. The mirror would look fabulous against this paper ! Make sure you add a little glass back panel directly behind the sink to protect the paper from splashes. There are two shades of grey in wall paper design, use these as your other wall colours (Use Farrow & Ball) Put the darker grey on the window wall to pull your eye as you enter and the lighter grey on the rear wall opposite the sink to keep the room light. Skirting, door, architraves in eggshell white and ceiling in matt white. As with the grey, use F&B paint for the white, it has a chalky tonal value which will soften the effect. Sincere apologies if you have just put the curtain up, its lovely but a full length curtain picking up the yellows with a perspex pole would transform the room.. Another trick I like to use is to put a white plantation shutter into the window which would be framed by the new curtain. This punches the white onto this wall tying it in with the sanitary ware colours. A small detail but if you kept the silver framed picture and replaced the mount with a yellow to match the paper this would look beautiful off a grey wall. Those are my thoughts, hope this helps. Regardless of what you do please post a picture of the finished room, be really interesting to see what you do. Kind Regards, Martin www.angel-martin.com
...See More
Do we need a cloakroom off the hall?
Q
Comments (6)
Yes I'm sure it would effect the resale value/saleability. But if you get 20 years of enjoyment (for example) out of a bigger hallway, does it matter? Just consider where you're guests will go to the loo when they pop in for a coffee
...See More
Small downstairs cloakroom with washing/dryer machines too plus cloak
Q
Comments (1)
Right, so to begin with I would completely get ride of the curtains covering your selves and have sliding doors installed. The reason I say sliding doors is to help maximise your space. I would also have the walls repainted or even covered in a bold printed wallpaper - this'll help add life and character to the small space. Check out Cole & Son for some fab paper or Farrow and Ball for amazing paint. In terms of the cloakroom area, I wouldn't change much as the space is already quite tight. I would simply advise you to continue the colour/paper from the restroom throughout. Depending on your budget, I would advise you to have a smaller sink and a back to wall wc installed which will also help maximise space. Hope you find this info useful and good luck!
...See More
mmaycar
7 years ago
You bought the house with no downstairs loo so I am sure someone else will do the same.
housemouse10
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks all - Embzop would you have any photos you would be willing to share along with approx budget?

Thanks Jen P - yes there is an option to put wc under the stairs it's just quite tight and takes some off the kitchen so it's debating that.

Thanks!
PRO
User
7 years ago
I see that at some point an owner has decided to extend the lounge by incorporating the Hallway. It would presumably, originally had a hallway that went straight to the kitchen, as now you currently walk through the lounge and then the dining room to get to it, which is a little odd.

If you're thinking of re-configuring, and don't want to lose the space in the lounge, i would suggest the following:- Remove the old kitchen and put up a wall. This will then give you access to a Utility Room and downstairs bathroom. Bring the kitchen forward and knock down the dividing room between dining room and old kitchen. You will now have a Kitchen Diner. At least that way, you only walk through the lounge to get to the kichen.
The original layout with the Hallway leading to the Kitchen would have been much more user friendly, although it made the lounge a little smaller. I can't see any dimensions, so it's harder to see what's best. However, this would have been the best overall plan, which would mean re-instating the wall in the lounge back to it's original position and allowing you to go from front door to kitchen straight through. Then do similar to above:-
I'm sure there are a few more configurations in there depending on taste, and all would be dependant on Plumbing, drains etc. The plans are not to scale and are for visual aid only.
housemouse10
Original Author
7 years ago
Wow Man about the house - this is a fantastic idea! Really love it - just concerned I do not have huge house... measurements in the attached,
housemouse10
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you all so much for your comments - huge food for thought thank you!
TwoHearts
7 years ago
Only on Houzz would such informed and professional advice be readily available. Houzz really is a fabulous forum, and for so many reasons.
angelboyman
7 years ago
Situate the WC on the dogleg section in the lounge with a door directly off the hallway. 950mm would be plenty and you have over 2000m depth. A toilet would be about 750mm so there's plenty of room. Drainage can be taken out under the stairs and straight into the drains from the bathroom, no doubt leading to the front of the house. Don't have the door go directly into the kitchen - who wants those odours wafting into your cooking area. You'll loose a portion of the lounge but it will still work. I think that's the most cost effect and straightforward idea really.
PRO
Nicola Holden Designs
7 years ago
If it were me I'd look at putting up a wall in your lounge where you've drawn the dotted line. This would make your lounge rectangular, and give you space beside the stairs to fit a toilet. The door into the toilet could be in the hallway beside the stairs. The loo doesn't need to be 2.03m long, especially if the door opens into the hallway, so you could still keep an alcove in the living room which you could use for storage.
PRO
Ace Your Space
7 years ago
It might be worth trying out how the lounge would feel if you add back in a wall - put a bookcase or some large pieces of hardboard up. My gut feeling is that if the previous owner opened it up it's because it felt too small. Otherwise I think you need to consider opening up more between the lounge and dining room. It could feel out of proportion if the lounge is small compared with the kitchen, whereas open plan might work.
housemouse10
Original Author
7 years ago
Thanks all - I have done some digging around and the house was built like this! Found another photo from similar house up the road and alcove there too - must be a 1980's design ;(
Jayk
7 years ago
Great ideas, particularly from the two Pros. You get much more than a downstairs WC! Perhaps they could give you at least an idea of the cost. Could you stay in the house a bit longer?
PRO
Ace Your Space
7 years ago
It does seem odd, and I definately think it would look good as a corridor with a wide opening into the lounge. It's difficult finding anything other than huge properties with this on Houzz but here is one example.

Park Slope Brownstone · More Info
housemouse10
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you Ace Your Space - I do love this idea just need to get builder back for recost

Thanks
embzop
7 years ago
Hi, I posted some photos and floor plan on another thread awhile ago. Here is the link -

https://www.houzz.co.uk/discussions/do-you-have-a-cloakroom-dsvw-vd~3409933?n=12

From recollection, the cost was about £8K which included having a new window put in and moving the electrics consumer unit. I had to pay an additional £2K to have the elec and gas meters moved outside.

Remember to include heating in the new room otherwise it will only be used 8 months a year!

I have found it very useful as my elderly parents now have difficulty with the stairs when they visit and the only other loo is in the bathroom. No problems until someone wants to spend a long time in the bath or to take ages doing their makeup.

Downstairs cloakroom

Ace Your Space

Comments (17)

embzop

A B

Related Discussions

mmaycar

housemouse10
Original Author

User

housemouse10
Original Author

housemouse10
Original Author

TwoHearts

angelboyman

Nicola Holden Designs

Ace Your Space

housemouse10
Original Author

Jayk

Ace Your Space

housemouse10
Original Author

embzop

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Downstairs cloakroom

Comments (17)

Related Discussions

housemouse10Original Author

housemouse10Original Author

housemouse10Original Author

housemouse10Original Author

housemouse10Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

housemouse10
Original Author

housemouse10
Original Author

housemouse10
Original Author

housemouse10
Original Author

housemouse10
Original Author