Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

When we were first in our home here with me, my wife and the two kids we were really glad of the half bathroom having left the in-laws apartment where six of us survived with just one - why can't they just call it a spare toilet? :nod: Even more glad of it when my mother in law joined us.

We're back to 4 again and I wouldn't want to be in a house with only one bathroom again.

And yet, I was one of four boys growing up in a house with both parents and just one toilet for 6 of us wasn't an issue. Although, thinking back to my single digit years we had one room with a bath and sink and another that was just the toilet, so at least someone taking a bath didn't block toilet use.

But we used to visit other relatives also with only one bathroom - my grandparents had an outside one:blink: - and it still wasn't an issue.

I suppose it's one of those things you get used to and don't need the "work around" to avoid the problem.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

well that's your issue :lol: we have 2 girls who have sleepovers often and don't have a problem with bathrooms.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Yes, but that's just your experience from your relatives - houses with more than one bathroom aren't unusual in the UK? We have 3 bathrooms, plus another toilet. Even our last house, which was a tiny 1970's house on an estate, had 3 bathrooms.

We also have a house in Cornwall, that has 5 bathrooms.

I don't know anybody with less than 2 bathrooms, and that's including people that live in little terraced houses or even flats - I'd say your family are very unusual if they don't have at least one en-suite tbh, it does seem to be the norm in the UK now.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

That's very true! We've only got 1.5 acres, but it's still a hassle - luckily my daughter is now big enough to get on the sit on mower and do it for pocket money. :lol:

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Either that first line indicates you move in different circles or there's been a big change since I left.
My mum lives in a 3 bed semi with only one bathroom. I've known 7 homes for my three brothers (one a 4 bed house, the others 3) and all with just one bathroom. I only knew one person with more than one bathroom and that was a property they were renovating that was a former B&B. No en-suite bathroom either. :lol:

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I think there's just been a big change. Even tiny new build houses all now have an en-suite bathroom to the main bedroom, it's the norm. Anybody I know that only had one bathroom (i.e. my parents), have added at least another.

Our last house (the tiny 1970's on an estate) only had one bathroom when we bought it, we added an en-suite and a downstairs shower room at the back of the garage. Very few people would buy a house without an en-suite these days, so along with eat in kitchens, they're what most people are doing to their houses in terms of home improvements, particularly if they plan to sell.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Yes...I was googling to get a better idea and the vast majority of search results were about buyers wanting extra or en-suite bathrooms as well as tips on adding value.

And the results not about that were about safety or design issues. :blink:

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

You don't know anyone in the UK with 1 bathroom? Wow! I'm talking about full bathrooms that have a toilet, sink & shower (and/or bath). Of course there are exceptions, but I would say that 1 full bathroom is the norm in the UK (certainly among the people I know) and definitely not so in Canada/US.

Of my closest relatives in the UK, 9 out of 9 dwellings have 1 full bathroom. 2 of them also have a WC. None have 2 or more full bathrooms. None have an en suite bathroom.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I'd say that's very unusual. As I said above, most people have put en-suites in if they didn't already have one, and even tiny terraced houses now have 2 baths as standard. Any new build that only had one bathroom just wouldn't sell.

The UK housing market has changed a lot, and en-suites are pretty much required by buyers now, so a proper house with 1 bathroom would be very rare IMO.

I personally don't know anybody with just one bathroom unless you count students, but the majority of my friends/family are families and even in a 2 bed house they have 2 bathrooms.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Even by Canadian standards 6000'² is more than large, it's huge. Don't know anyone who has or has had that size house, perhaps we mix in the wrong circles. 2500-3000'² seems more typical. Friends had 4500'² and that seemed massive for a family of 4.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Five bathroomed second home in Cornwall, acre and a half of land ( in Kensington?) Suggestions for Christmasoopa's true identity welcome. Mylene Klass, Christine Bleakley or Bruce Forsyth are my three guesses:lol:

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I found this English housing stock report from 2009.

https://www.gov.uk/government/upload...25/1937212.pdf

Granted it's a few years old but this part is interesting (note that WC means toilet):

"Looking first at amenities, the percentage of dwellings with a second WC increased from 31% to 41% between 1996 and 2009 and most of this increase was in the private sector. However, in 2009 there were still over a third (35%) of households with five or more people who had just one WC which was located in the bathroom."

So it took 13 years to have the percentage of dwellings with at least 2 toilets (note, that's toilets - not bathrooms) rise from 31% to 41%. It continues elsewhere...

"The number, type and arrangement of WC facilities in dwellings are important to ensure adequate personal hygiene, especially for larger households or those who share these amenities with other households. Across the stock as a whole, 52% of dwellings had a single WC that was located in the bathroom, 7% had a single WC that was located in a separate room and 41% had more than one WC. These proportions varied considerably by tenure, with some 68% of social sector dwellings and 66% of private rented dwellings having a single WC in the bathroom compared with around 45% of those that were owner occupied. Half (50%) of owner occupied dwellings had a second WC compared with just 15% in the local authority sector, Annex Table 3.1"

So in 2009, 59% of dwellings only had 1 toilet (52% with it in the bathroom and 7% with it in a separate room). The other 41% had more than 1 toilet but that doesn't mean more than 1 full bathroom - it's highly likely that some of those are 1 full bathroom plus a separate WC.

Unless something drastic has happened in the last 6 years, I wouldn't say that 1 full bathroom or even just 1 toilet is that unusual. It might even still be true in the majority of cases.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Kensington?!? Berkshire I'm afraid.

Definitely not Bruce Forstyth, although his dancing is a lot better than mine :lol:

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I would say it has changed massively in 6 years. When we bought our last house it wasn't unusual to only have one bathroom, but when we came to sell it 6 years later, we knew that an en-suite would be essential if we wanted to sell.

As I said, no builder would even contemplate building houses without at least one en-suite now, as they now people just aren't interested in houses without them. Ditto to eat in kitchens.

The things that used to be essential (a garage, for example) are no longer needed, and times have changed.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I understand that but there's a massive amount of housing stock in the UK that was not built in the last 6 years - public and private sector, owned and rented, different types of dwellings. Given that 59% of dwellings in England had just 1 toilet just 6 years ago, you'll have to forgive me for finding it very difficult to believe your assertion that having 1 bathroom is now "very unusual".

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Berkshire still isn't exactly Gateshead (no offence Gatesheaders!)
Ok Ferne Cotton (good luck on the new baby btw) or Peter André ?... Am I getting close?

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I only have one friend in the UK that I know has an ensuite, and people see her as "rich". Everyone else, at most, has one bathroom and if they are lucky, a downstairs toilet. So they haven't moved out of unusual yet.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

My Mother, in the UK, only has one bathroom and, gasp, we, in Canada, only have one! Most of the houses I've had in Canada had one bathroom, even the one my ex sold for close on a million bucks had one bathroom. This has never seemed an issue even when there were five of us and we ate lots of curry and drank lots of beer. I suppose if everyone wears a lot of make up more bathrooms would be useful but I never have.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

While we're generalising, which of these houses would you prefer to live in? Both the same price, similar distance to a city centre, etc. One's British, the other is Canadian. :)

http://cdn.realtor.ca/listing/TS6353...v1064872_1.jpg

http://www.dezrez.com/estate-agent-s...2120&Width=757

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Another one. Both similar price, both minutes away from a large city centre. Ones Canadian, the other British. I can't imagine enjoying a picnic on the grass outside the Canadian one. Somebody would nick your cucumber sarnies before you have time to have a sip of your Cider.

http://cdn.realtor.ca/listing/TS6356...v1116851_1.jpg

http://search.savills.com/content/as...281_30_gal.JPG

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Yes, it was too bloody huge! We bought it in NS for $250,000 in 2007. The huse was cheap but then we struggled financially and couldn't afford the up keep or to do anything nice to it. We were so relieved to sell and get it off our hands.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I'll have the top one please Bob :sneaky::ohmy:

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Neither of those homes in any picture float my boat el Richo.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I would assume that they are both expensive, the bottom one is pretty but would be totally out of my budget. We had a Victorian in England, other people saw it as beautiful. We saw it as a too grand money pit. Just not us.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Most people in our area have an ensuite for every bedroom and a 4 bed is standard. It's ridiculous and a total waste of money + most of the time it's just basic. We only have one ensuite and it's more than enough, but at least it's a nice one.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Where are you?

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

How would you know this?

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Ireland and to answer dbd33, a lot of the newer houses in our village were built during the boom time and have the same kind of design. Of course there are also many older builds, but in general they would be similar to the below, however this is a bit pricey.
Brockagh, Corofin, Co. Galway - House For Sale

This house here is a bit older and I find it hard to believe that it would only cost 550K

Castle Hacket House, Belclare, Co. Galway - House For Sale

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I like the horse. I wonder if they'd throw it in.

Around here the houses are all different from one another, built at different times by different people. It's hard to guess what lurks behind the facade.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Just looking on a house for sale site called Nestoria.

Search terms "House with 1 bathroom" then upped number.

Results
8,780 houses for sale in London with 1 bath
2,604 houses for sale in London with 2 baths
974 houses for sale in London with 3 baths
625 houses for sale in London with 4 or more baths

859 houses for sale in Bristol with 1 bath
105 houses for sale in Bristol with 2 baths
25 houses for sale in Bristol with 3 baths
9 houses for sale in Bristol with 4 or more baths

4,991 houses for sale in Birmingham with 1 bath
477 houses for sale in Birmingham with 2 baths
128 houses for sale in Birmingham with 3 baths
58 houses for sale in Birmingham with 4 or more baths

Make of that what you will. :unsure:

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Yeah the horse would be good:lol:. Of course in our area not everyone has the 4 en suites, but there just seems to be a lot of these houses around and in general it has to be 3-4 bedrooms. A lot of the time the people here just want a big house and aren't bothered about interior, or presentation. It is slowly changing, but still a long way to go. Even when it comes to the garden, many have half a acre as standard and hate gardening:sarcasm:.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

What I make of it is that houses with only 1 bathroom are still very common in the UK - not "very unusual".

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

I got 190 properties for sale with 1 bathroom in Horley, Surrey where we used to live and 18 for sale with 2 bathrooms.

That's clearly an area still in the dark ages.

I like that Nestoria site, very useful. Rightmove doesn't give you number of bathroom options

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Oh and all those houses are jolly expensive. Only two are under £500k

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Of course, it might turn out that there are more 1 bathroom places for sale because they're not selling while those with more have sold and the numbers have reduced. Who knows?

What it does indicate is that despite all the advice for sellers to add a spare or en-suite a lot of people, for whatever reason, are not doing so.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Indeed there are many reasons and it is hard to compare. It's obvious that people living in city apartments with 1 bedroom won't have 3 en suites.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Hence my search on houses exclusively. :)

I went back a little later and did the same thing for 3 bedroom houses. Similar results.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

True but, regardless, your numbers indicate there are many thousands of 1 bathroom dwellings in the UK. Definitely not within the realm of "very unusual" - which I suspected anyway as most people I know in the UK still only have 1 bathroom. The study I found from 2009 indicated that 59% of dwellings in England only had 1 toilet. A higher percentage than that would have had 1 bathroom (e.g. some with 2 toilets would have consisted of 1 full bathroom and an additional WC). I can't believe that 59%+ has dwindled to the realms of "very unusual" within 6 years.

Also, London is different in that it's an economy of its own in terms of property. My brother has a 3 bed semi with 1 bathroom in NW London which he completely renovated but didn't add a bathroom. He was thinking of listing it for 450k (GBP) and someone he knows immediately offered him 450k cash. He has decided to wait as he thinks he'll get 500k or even 550k when he's ready to list later this year or early next year.

I suspect in many cases it's not practical as many older builds don't have the space or have plumbing issues that would make it too expensive. From what I've been reading, it certainly does seem like there's a trend for en suite and multiple bathrooms in new builds and also in renovations. But there's clearly still a huge amount of dwellings in the UK with 1 bathroom. And in a desirable area of London, it's a seller's market anyway and there is not as much incentive to add a bathroom. My brother ploughed his money into renovating the existing bathroom and kitchen. It would have been very difficult to add another bathroom anyway. He doesn't care - he knows it's going to sell fast. He's in construction and knows a bunch of people who want to buy it from him.

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

You ignore my point of generalizing. Touche :thumbup:

Re: Back to UK then returned to Canada... how was it for you?
 

Yes I have! Did you not read my post...