Really torn....
Just do what you can afford now.
Steve
Browse Forums Bathrooms and Laundry Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 23Mar 07, 2008 9:31 am For us a separate toilet upstairs was a must, but our upstairs toilet doesn't have a basin. I'm not overly happy about the lack of basin but at any cost I had to have the toilet in a separate room. We have piddlers in our house, a big one and a little one and there's nothing worse than running a lovely bath and getting in and looking across at wee on a toilet!
For us it wasn't even about traffic, I just can't relax (eg bath) in a room with a toilet, especially a piddled on one!! I might be able to tolerate it if the toilet was out of sight of the bath, eg in an alcove or something. Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 24Mar 07, 2008 10:54 am Not sure about Australia, but in the UK it's 'illegal' (ie won't get building approval) to have a toilet without a nearby basin. Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 25Mar 07, 2008 11:11 am And so it should be, ew!!
The toilet is right next to the bathroom with basin in there, but now I'm thinking about one of those toilets with a basin in the top!! Anyone have opinions on those? Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 26Mar 07, 2008 11:24 am Quote: The toilet is right next to the bathroom with basin in there, but now I'm thinking about one of those toilets with a basin in the top!! Anyone have opinions on those? there is a photo of one eairler in the thread. think of the mess when those little piddlers shake there hands all over the toilet - it wont be just wee thats all over it Paula Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 28Mar 07, 2008 12:06 pm We are turning our WC upstairs into a "powder room" with the addition of a small vanity sink - I think an extra $600. I was imagining the kids turning on the light to go to the loo, then turning on another light in the bathroom to wash hands. And then I'm sure they'd forget to turn the light off! After 4 years - we're in! Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 29Mar 28, 2008 3:43 pm I've lived in Australia for only 2 years now and I noticed a strong trend in many houses having a separate WC from the bathroom with separate doors and everything.
In the US where I'm from originally, except for very old 50's places, the general trend is to have the toilet in the bathroom and not separate. In places with ensuites and more room, it's sometimes walled off in the same room, sometimes with, sometimes without a door. My Sister in-law here in Oz has a house built in around 1985, and it has a separate toilet room right next to the bathroom with doors of course on both. They like to keep the doors to these rooms closed, they have 2 small children. I have to say that I really hate the arrangement. Everytime I walk in to the toilet, after opening, closing, using, opening, closing, then having to open the bathroom door to wash my hands. I think of all the other people who had to do the same and it grosses me out. Not quite to the Howard Hughs stage yet, but I can see where he had problems:) We decided in our new house that toilets will be in the same room as the bathroom, but partitioned in all but one. So I guess I really like the American way, integrated into the bathroom. That seems to be what most of the project home people are doing from what I've seen in Sydney. Greg Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 30Mar 28, 2008 3:49 pm gpierce In the US where I'm from originally, except for very old 50's places, the general trend is to have the toilet in the bathroom and not separate. I guess that's why American's ask to go to the "bathroom", not the "toilet"? Ray. Second Time 'Round Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 31Mar 28, 2008 4:08 pm Yes it is:)
If I am speaking I always say toilet now. But my writing I tend to write bathroom and I wasn't even thinking of it. By strict American definition a bathroom is a room that has a bathtub in it, but most Americans use bathroom to describe any room that has a toilet in it. We even made up a term called half bathroom to describe a room that has a toilet, and a basin (sink to me) but no bathtub or shower! How's that for logic eh?:) In UK Watercloset is usually used to describe a room that only has a toilet in it and nothing else which seems to filter into into Australian building descriptions occasionally. I thought most aussies would ask "where is the toilet" but describe a room that has a bathrooom, toilet, and basin as a bathroom and not a toilet room. I also thought that that most would describe a room that has a toilet and nothing else as a WC on a floor plan, would say toilet if speaking, and might use either when writing. Is that not correct? My wife says toilet, but we never write about such things so I don't know what she would write. PS, we say wife, I think most of you say partner:) And what the heck is a DH? Greg Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 32Mar 28, 2008 4:10 pm gpierce Everytime I walk in to the toilet, after opening, closing, using, opening, closing, then having to open the bathroom door to wash my hands. I think of all the other people who had to do the same and it grosses me out. Not quite to the Howard Hughs stage yet, but I can see where he had problems:) That's a good point. It's a bit like public toilets or airport toilets where I always end up trying to open the door with my pinky, otherwise all my good efforts at washing seem utterly futile. Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 33Mar 28, 2008 4:25 pm Yeah, I found pinky excercises really help with those doors no one designed to be opened with anything less than the "jaws of life":)
At our current house we never close the door and our toilet is in the same room as the bath/shower/basin. But, we don't have kids so we can leave it open safely most of the time. Greg Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 34Mar 28, 2008 4:32 pm gpierce PS, we say wife, I think most of you say partner:) And what the heck is a DH? I think we say partner to avoid discriminating against those "living in sin" although I gave up when living in Poland and just referred to my partner/boyfriend/lover as my husband as they just assumed we were married and we couldn't be bothered explaining. We are now married and so he is now my......DH....which refers to Dear/Darling/Dearest...Husband. 'chelle We have a hand-over date...15/10...but I won't hold my breath! http://people-in-glass-houses.blogspot.com/ wc 35May 12, 2008 7:52 pm IN our last house we knocked out the wall that divided the main bathroom from the wc. Reason being that when we built we hadn't realised just how narrow the main bathroom was and I also hated the fact that when ever guests needed to use the WC they had to go via the laundry.
We only had our ensuite bathroom completed when we took possession of the house. There was no tiling in the main bathroom at all. We left it to do later. Several years later when we were getting ready to start out family we decided to get the main bathroom completed. Luckily we had a plumber friend who had just branched out into working on his own plumbing business and he did the job for us. Knocking down a wall, removing the outside window, repositioning the vanity, removing the wc tiles and tiling the "new" bathroom. Having the wc in the bathroom worked well while the kids were small but we noticed as they got older they wanted their privacy and they resented having to wait to use the WC if the other one was in the shower etc. This time we are building them separate again and intend that they will stay that way. Strangely enough the design we picked actually and the wc in the bathroom. It was the only plan we looked at that did. But we've changed it to the traditional separate wc. Youngest remarked on seeing the design, " What will I do if I run out of toilet paper?" (we've always kept spare paper in the vanity cupboard) Neither kid has considered the 'washing hands" issue yet. I did try and talk DH into a basin in the wc but the tiny half basins look like they would make lots of mess and I didn't want to try and squash a bigger basin in the space. Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 36May 13, 2008 7:33 pm Quote: Neither kid has considered the 'washing hands" issue yet. I did try and talk DH into a basin in the wc but the tiny half basins look like they would make lots of mess and I didn't want to try and squash a bigger basin in the space. Have just re-read this entire thread and am surprised no-one has mentioned 3 way bathrooms, which solve the problem of going into the bathroom, in/out another door, to wash your hands and also the problem of washing your hands if some-one is in the shower/bath. Therefore also no need for a small basin in the toilet itself. May not be an option for renovaters, of course, and I understand 2 story houses often have a small 'powder room' with basin and toilet in it, while bathrooms are upstairs but for main bathrooms I think they are very good idea and very common in floor plans in SA, by far the most common arrangement. Re: Separate WC versus big bathroom ? 37Sep 22, 2008 11:29 pm I am not a fan of separate toilets for the howard hughs reasons above. Even a 3 way toilet still requires you to open the door before washing your hands. And the small rooms remind me of an outback dunny! They always seem to be dingy and smell. Still we got a 3 way bathroom. " You can use the en suite" I was told.
regards sean Thank you so much for your response. I have drawn a pedestrian gate in - for curb appeal, let's see how much costs come in at. I think you're right - if we decide to… 2 6535 Render your bathroom walls, two opinions versus the one, makes you wonder. 3 6062 |