Do You Consider a First-floor Bathroom a Necessity?

Having to crawl up and down stairs for a month after breaking my leg, just to go to the bathroom, yes, I now consider it a necessity. The house we moved to last year has one and I am very grateful.

Yes. It would be a necessity for us. I can't tell you how many times I pull into the driveway and one of the 5 of us is calling the first floor bathroom after a long trip.

I wouldn't buy a house without a main floor washroom. It would be very impractical. She won't be able to sell it very easily.

I do think that having an "entertaining floor" powder room is a necessity. We host get togethers in our home all the time and I wouldn't think of sending them upstairs.

not at all.
we've become very spoiled in this country. while this wouldn't be ideal for the reasons you mention, both aging parents and potty-training toddlers, in the end you work with what you've got, and when you've got limited space, some ideals just have to go.
i can't imagine throwing a tantrum because one of my kids designed a house that didn't have features convenient for me.
khairete
S.

Just so I understand this correctly, the ground floor will be rented, the first floor above that will have no bath, and the 2nd story, 3 flights up from street level will be the first bathroom that your sister's family and guests can use.

This was pretty much the norm when growing up in NYC. Many though retrofitted their homes to add a ground floor bathroom. We jokingly called these suicide bathrooms in our early teens, because they were so tiny and awkwardly situated, i.e. an old utility closet at the top of the basement stairs, or what would have been a entry closet would be repurposed, you could barely fit in there, much less close the door, and the sinks were often these tiny wall mounted corner units, about the size of a large dinner plate, and you couldn't help but to wet yourself, the walls, and the floor when using them.

In NYC, square footage is at a premium, permiting and zoning make putting on an extension very challenging, and people make choices about their homes, even when they are interior designers, that you wouldn't concieve of making elsewhere.

Best,
F. B.

I say she can design whatever she wants...but it is optimal to have a bathroom/powder room downstairs for daytime use and guest use.

Just a thought...maybe she doesn't want your mother/father to visit much???? I know my parents would not get this involved in my designing of a home..let alone be up in arms or freaking out about it. So maybe your mom is a little too involved and vocal in your lives and this is a way to keep mom at arms length???

Good luck with the toilet drama! :) And..you are a smart woman to stay out of this argument.

I guess it depends. Is this my FOREVER home?
If it is then I would design a house with a bathroom AND a bedroom downstairs.
My parents live in a large home with stairs to the second floor. My mom has a metal rod in her back and just had one knee replaced. She will have the other knee replaced this summer. It is VERY hard for her to get up and down the stairs. She just stayed on the couch pull out bed during her recouperation. They have a bathroom downstairs, but it's just a 1/2 bath.
As folks get older and bodies start to slow down it is very hard to continue going up and down stairs. They are seriously talking about buying a smaller home, one level.
L.

Your sister should think about the resale value of her house. For every renovation you do it is important to keep this in mind. Even if she does not care if there is a first floor powder room, the majority of people out there really do want that in a house. So, it will be easier for her to sell it one day. Where I have lived it has been the norm to have a first floor bathroom. It's easy for guests and no one is in your private space when you have guests over for dinner or whatever. Our kids and their friends all use it all the time, and it sure was handy when potty training to have a bathroom super close by!

Climbing stairs would'nt bother me but I would find it odd not to have a 1/2 bath on the "main floor". I think it will hurt resale. If I had several options of what house to buy, no bath on the ground floor would be a deal breaker for me. I don't want guests going upstairs into more personal space... And I'd feel lame having to send them up. I don't think I've ever encountered it as a guest.

Definitely should have a bathroom on 1st floor.
Great/essential for re-sale.
Also, in the event of an accident. If someone were to heaven forbid, break
an ankle etc.
Also, for her elderly parents when they visit.
What if you have diarrhea or need to throw up & can't make it the bathroom on the 2nd floor?

It would have been a nightmare not to have a 1st floor bathroom!!! EEEK!

I wouldn't buy a house without a half bath on the ground floor. I'm only 30, but being hugely pregnant I can't imagine having to traipse upstairs every time nature calls. It might not be a cause of concern for her now, but what if someone gets injured (or hugely pregnant) and it definitely will hurt resale. I've never seen a townhouse without a powder room on the ground level anywhere.

It is not so much an issue of walking the steps as you are sending people into your living area, bedrooms, ya know? Kind of odd, I have a ranch, no one thinks it odd to walk down the hall to the bathroom but have a two story or story and a half and people are actually uncomfortable going upstairs to use the bathroom.

What I mean is if our hall bath is in use I will say use the master and people do. Same group at a friend's house that is a two story, downstairs is used, oh, you can use the one upstairs, no, I will wait.

I have no idea why the psychology of this but it seems to hold true.

Add to that older parents, she really shouldn't be surprised if they don't visit often.

Just out of college I rented a townhouse that did not have a downstairs bathroom or powder room. It was a pain in the butt and it was just me! I wouldn't want a design like that but it's her choice. Your parents will probably get to a point that they will not be able to visit her because of the stairs issue. I'm sure she's well aware of that, but I would be hesitant to make that decision.

I would need to have a first floor toilet/sink to be able to visit her unless she is in a development that has a lobby and a first floor bathroom. Besides having elderly parents who may have problems with the stairs, she may limit her access to guests that might be on crutches, be in a wheelchair or be recuperating from surgery. Perhaps that is her intention --to limit the number of guests. I would think that this would limit her ability to resell this townhouse at a later time.

In a multi-level house it makes sense to have a powder room on the 1st floor. I've never seen a design that didn't. That's just weird!

It's nuts not to have a powder room on the first floor. It will be hard to sell for all of the reasons listed below. I would use a small closet and make one. I have been in many many homes in the city where they have done just that. they are small but they have a toilet and sink and thats really all you need.

I could never deal with a house without a bathroom on the first floor. A bathroom per level minimum, that would include wanting one in the basement were we to have one.
We have had times when you can't use the downstairs bathroom and everyone was forced to go upstairs. What a pain in the behind!
I do not want to send guests upstairs to use the bathroom ever.
I couldn't imagine having to drag little kids up the stairs every time they need to use the toilet.
I find her idea to be strange and sounds very impractical.

I guess it is a personal choice but I would not build without at least a small powder room downstairs.

I prefer my Master downstairs as well. We will more than likely move my office which is a MIL suite type area with the downstairs guest full bath so that when we do have guests, they will have more privacy and it will be easier when my parents or anyone who has any type of joint issue, etc can easily be comfortable without going up stairs.

Bottom line, personal preference but I do believe your sister's idea is a bit odd.

I would absolutely put one in. The cost of adding one would be worth it in the end as any additional bathroom will add to the resale price of the home.

I couldn't live without my powder room. It was a must for me.

Of course I would live in a house without a first-floor bathroom! But it would be easier to have at least a half-bath on the first floor. Where are the bedrooms? Are they on the same floor as the bathroom?

When I was little we had just one bathroom in our house, and it was on the second floor near the bedrooms. Yes, we all had to go up and down the steps! But we knew a very few folks who still traipsed outside to the privy when nature called, so we didn't think twice about it. That was a long time ago.

Yes, indeed, your sister may design as she chooses. She might think, however, about the resale value of having that extra bit of bathroom. If I were visiting her and had a mobility problem, I might opt to stay at a hotel instead, and there's nothing wrong with that, either. I wouldn't freak out; I'd just re-plan.

At this point in my life I consider a ranch house (one story) to be a necessity.
In my 20's I lived in a 3rd floor apartment.
I got good at running up and down the stairs but moving a couch up them gave me a groin pull (ouch!).
Then we had a 2 story home (it had bathrooms on both levels).
Now we have a ranch with 3 bathrooms and I LOVE not having to deal with full flights of stairs anymore!
I'd not be happy without a bathroom on the ground level.
When kids are playing outside or you are doing yardwork or other things in the yard, it's nice to be able to dash in and use the bathroom quickly or wash up without dragging mud all over the house.

I don't want guests in our upstairs bathroom….PERIOD. If it's family (and if they need to poop LOL) then please USE THE UPSTAIRS BATHROOM!!!!

If there's a choice, why not add the powder room?? Not just for your parents but because it will make it easier on guests and the upstairs bathroom, in my opinion, is just so personal.

I'd try to bring it into a conversation.

"Hey, how's the house planning going"..........(listening forever) then mention "Where are you going to keep the toilet chair/portable potty chair for your guests? I saw one at a garage sale/thrift store that was only $25 and thought about getting it for you. Where are you going to dump it? Will you have a place besides the kitchen sink? I mean, do you have a closet or somewhere for your guests to go to the bathroom?"

I'm not familiar with NYC homes and square footage, but I would not redesign a townhouse without having a 1st floor 1/2 bathroom or powder room. So to me it is a necessity. I host holiday gatherings and have elderly relatives who couldn't be here without a first floor powder room. My mom was disabled before she died and would not have been able to navigate stairs to get to the bathroom. It's even nice just to have a place for people to wash their hands other than the kitchen sink. It puzzles me that your sister in an interior designer. Makes me wonder if there's more going on. Well, anyhow, here in the Midwest a first floor powder room in a 2-story or multi-level home is the norm.

Seems like a real weird plan. Some people cannot do stairs. Sometimes you need a bathroom really fast. If she never plans to sell it, then maybe it's ok. But I can't imagine buying a house without at least a powder room on the main floor. Just seems like poor planning on her part.

I like Gamma G's suggestion. I'd use that if I were you.

I honestly couldn't imagine that with small children, but it's her house,,her space. I don't know her space, so I don't know what her sacrifices are. Maybe a bathroom just needs to be it.

I do think it will make resale harder, unless this is the norm. But I can't imagine not even having a closet sized powder room.

I wonder if there are building codes, on that?
She should check.

I am not positive, but I believe very strongly here in Austin, there has to be a bathroom (toilet) on the first floor of every structure that is for living or commercial property that is built. If you remodel, it can be determined, but it is my understanding, they will make you go in and speak with them about it and usually they will not approve it without a working toilet on the ground floor somewhere.

New structures must meet ADA compliance's. Otherwise they will not approve the plans.

I definitely think that is an odd choice especially if there is space available to put a powder room on the main level. We actually have 2 half baths on our main level, one in the mudroom and one closer to the living area. It would also make a difference to me if the bathroom she will have guests go upstairs to use is only for guests. I personally would not want guests to use our upstairs bathrooms especially because they are all suite type bathrooms connected to our bedrooms.
Hopefully she will be happy with her decision because adding a bathroom after the fact is hard to do!

I wouldn't want to live there. To be completely honest, I wouldn't want to live in ANY home where there wasn't a toilet on every level (except maybe an attic space/room, and only then if I didn't live in that room). Being forced to climb a flight of stairs when you have to use the toilet is NOT my first choice. Ever.

Your sister may not mind it, and your parents will not be living in her home, but I wonder what prospective future buyers might think. I wouldn't want to buy it.

My parents have a wonderful home with a large walk out basement. They have 2 full baths on the main floor (where their bedroom is) and the downstairs basement has 2 bedrooms and a full bath, plus lots of other living space. When we visit them, our family stays in the downstairs (4 of us). When someone else is in the bathroom, I'd rather wait for them to come out than trudge up the stairs to use the upstairs toilet. The upstairs toilet is much nicer, because it is the one that drop-in visiting guests use (non-overnight guests). But I'd rather hang out downstairs until the bathroom is free, than climb the stairs when I have to pee.

Sorry. Doesn't seem practical to me at all. And I can only imagine if she ever injures herself. I've known plenty of people to have an injury that requires them to sleep on the downstairs sofa for a week or two during recovery, so they can avoid the stairs. How would that work without a toilet on that floor?

--
All that said... your mom shouldn't be FREAKING OUT over this. It isn't her house. Her daughter is an adult. It's her house and her choice. FREAKING OUT isn't generally the best way to influence adult children.

Personally, yes, it would be a necessity for me. We have lived in a few places where the bathroom was up a flight of stairs and it was such a pain in the butt. Our last home, especially, because it wasn't just a straight shot up the stairs; the landing was curved so you had to walk all the way around and up. I know, first world problems, right? But I use the bathroom very frequently and it got old. After the first week living there, my legs actually hurt from going up and down the stairs so often.

Sorry your mom is so upset about this, though. Maybe they will just need to get a hotel room for that one trip a year.

I agree with Fanged Bunny.

We live in a one-story house in Florida. We did a major kitchen remodel 4 years ago and I desperately wanted a powder bath (we have 3 full bathrooms, but my sons' bathroom is supposed to be the "guest" bathroom - yeah right). Anyway there was no way I could get my pretty powder bath without dramatically raising the cost of our remodel.

She probably simply couldn't get it in there without significant expense and aggravation.

It is a pain though. I'm spoiled by a one-story home.

For your aging parents maybe your sis can rent a hotel room nearby? I know that's not as convenient or fun.

A necessity... No. But if at all feasible it is a great thing to have.

I guess maybe I'm selfish, but when house hunting I don't really account for guests because we only have out of town guests once a year or so (my parents) and they aren't picky about arrangements.

When we purchase our 'old age' home we want single story living.

My 90-year-old grandmother has lived for the past 60 years in a house in Philadelphia with no bathroom/powder room on the first floor, and she manages just fine. Sometimes that's part of city living. It's your sister's house and her choice. If your parents only visit once a year, I'm sure they can deal with it for a short time or else stay in a hotel.

We have a powder room on the first floor, and I never use it! I prefer to climb the stairs to get a little exercise in.

At least a powder room....

Would I design one that way? Probably not. But if that's what SHE wants in HER house, then it's her prerogative.

I once lived in an annex attached to my parents' house. To get to the bathroom, I had to go outside under the carport, then into the main part of the house - and I was pregnant at the time. I managed.

I lived in an upstairs apartment with a potty-training toddler and managed.

When I bought my house, I never even considered resale value. I plan to live there until I die. I have no intention of selling it.

Ugh - I can't seem to keep more than my first floor clean for any long period of time, so I SURE don't want visitors traipsing upstairs to use the bathroom.

I would probably say something once to my sister voicing concern about no first floor powder room, but them drop it after that. Though I'm sure I'd keep talking about it with other family members, probably accompanied with an eye roll :)

For resale, it's definitely a bad idea. I would not by a house/townhouse without a bathroom on the first floor. It would be an automatic deal breaker.

Does her design include an elevator? Okay, so I am not in favor of a bottom level with no restroom. I don't care for people to come upstairs. That is our family area.

I would not have a house without a first floor bathroom, but it is up to your sister.

I wouldn't do it and I would HATE it. I saw some designs for some local town homes and on the first floor there is a option for a powder room OR a larger closet. I thought you'd have to be crazy not to put in the powder room. I mean downstairs I can keep pretty tidy. We have an upstairs to keep hidden for a reason ;0) I mean these designs had guests using either the master bathroom (awkward) or the "kids" bathroom (scary).

I prefer a first floor powder room whenever feesible but sometimes it is just not possible. Perhaps your sister's choice is making a statement to your parents that should would prefer them to visit less or it just may be coincidental. I know how hard it is to find what you want in realestate for the price you can afford in the Brooklyn area.

Parents may need to adjust their expectations and visitations accordingly without making such a big stink about it.

I guess I'm just used to living in the dark ages. We have one bathroom, on the second floor, for 6 people and we make it work just fine. A first floor bathroom was not a deal breaker for us. It would have been nice, and someday I might put one on the first floor, but I do not see it as a necessity.

I can't imagine our families even offering their advice on something like this unless we asked.

Our last place that we rented did not have a bathroom on the main living area. We either had to go up to the bedroom floor or down to the basement. It was a pain in the butt! My husbands grandparents are in their 90's and my MIL is in her 60's. They are all alive and doing very well, but it is hard for all of them to go up and down stairs. His grandma is in a wheel chair now. We are now renting (and hoping to buy this home soon) a single family home with a bathroom on the main living area and it has a wheel chair ramp in the backyard that goes up to the sliding back door which is great for when his family visits.
It's up to your sister how she wants to design her home. If your mom only visits once a year or so then I can see how she won't think too much of your mom in her design.

Besides your parents' 1/year visit, do they host other elderly people? If so, I'd strongly consider having a main floor powder room.

Actually, my in-laws will move in with us some day, so our house hunting criteria include a basement apartment for them for now, and a main floor bedroom and full bath for them in the future. Other houses aren't even an option, but that's because they'll be living with us, not just visiting.

Does your sister intend to age in this home too? If so, she'd be well served to put one in for her now. If she's planning on being long gone by the time she needs a more accessible house, not a necessity.

So, in sum, I consider a first floor bathroom important, but depending on hosting circumstances, maybe not a necessity.

It's not your mother's place to be "freaking out". It's not her home, not her call. There are very good reasons to have a "half bath" on the first floor and at least a "quarter bath" in the renter's apartment. It just makes sense to do it that way.

If I was in her position, I would design it with a half and a quarter. Then again I'm living with a single bathroom and three butts, sometimes it can cause issues. Then again if I could have my dream house I'd have like 18 rooms and enough bathrooms for everyone to be going at once if need be, plus one to spare.

If I were her, I would do everything possible to add a bathroom to the first floor. I know space is an issue, but you should look at the stuff they can cram into tiny spaces in Japan, where space is at a premium. They even have toilets that have the sink on top of the toilet tank. She probably only needs three square feet to put something like that in, and it would make a world of difference.

You are smart to stay out of the argument though. Your mom can say "I told you so" to your sister later :-)

Sounds like the biggest problem is that she is a designer. She has a "vision" that is about designing, instead of thinking about function. She will be sorry when she starts using the place, though it might be hard for her to admit it.

She's going to have a hard time selling the place when it comes time to...

I would want a 1/2 bath on the main level.

I've lived in my 3 bedroom house for over 20 years. When we bought it, there was not bathroom on the ground floor - just entrance, living room, dining room and kitchen. About 9 years ago, we renovated the kitchen and squeezed in a half bath by reconfiguring some doorways/windows. At that point, our daughter had already been potty trained for a couple of years.

Having lived with and without that extra bathroom has taught us that we'd never live without it again. My parents are older now and an extra set of stairs is just out of the question. I also have a bad back and there are times when extra steps just aren't practical. Given the choice, I'd always choose the powder room on the main level. Plus I don't have to worry about messy bedrooms being seen by my guests.

I grew up in a house with one small bathroom on the second floor, six people. It was just what we had, I never gave it a thought. The last house I lived in was a 3-level, with a bath on the bottom and top floor, none on the middle floor where the kitchen, dining, and livingroom are. Many of my friends live in houses with one bathroom, on the second floor.

I wouldn't design or buy a house to accommodate once a year guests. Given the health situation of your parents, I would expect the children to visit them, instead of them traveling, very soon.

It's her home, her call.

It would be a deal-breaker for me. Not even an option. (I also opted not to have to walk up steps to get to my front door.) When I have to go, I don't want to deal with stairs. At the end of my day, I want my stair dealings to be optional and minimal. I also think in terms of visitors. I have elderly relatives, and I've always considered them in my vehicle and home purchases.

If my parents had these particular health issues, I would surely factor that into my home purchase, especially if they were expected to visit with my family. When I was single, I lived on the third floor of an apartment building. I loved it. My family visited sometimes. If I could help it, I wouldn't live there with children, and that's just getting to my front door. It would annoy me greatly to have to run upstairs every time I need to pee. I wouldn't expect others to be comfortable with it, either.

I live in an older, two-story house with only one bathroom -- on the second floor. It has NEVER been an issue for me -- not when I was nine months pregnant, not with a baby/toddler, never.

However, I CAN see this being an issue in terms of accessibility. And your sister should really respect your mom's needs around those issues. But for the general population, who don't have mobility issues, I don't believe this is a "need" at all.

Your "So What Happened" pretty much sums up my opinion. I would never live in a place without a bathroom on each floor (not including an attic or basement, though we don't have either of those in my house anyway). I think it is too inconvenient both for the family living there and for guests. I wouldn't want my guests going upstairs near the bedrooms, nor would I want to inconvenience them.

My sister recently bought a house that has a first floor powder room and a second floor bathroom. However, the upstairs bathroom isTINY - one sink, no counter space, small tub/shower. It works for her family of three, but when we go to visit, my family has to stay in a hotel because it would be too hard to add four more people to the mix. For me, having convenience is very important.

We have a bathroom on each floor. We have a two level home. Two full bathrooms upstairs and one full bathroom downstairs.

Personally? If there wasn't a bathroom on the main level? I wouldn't buy the house - so she's screwing herself over when she goes to sell it.

When our guests are upstairs (we have a split level entry) and the kitchen in on the top floor - they use our bathrooms and walk by - not IN - our bedrooms...unless they are using the master bath - then they go into the master...

If her living room is there on the main level - and she's renovating? I would make sure there is some bathroom - whether it be a toilet and sink or a full bath (if she's going to have a hide-a-bed couch for guests with no official guest bedroom) so they can use that.

I can't think of a place where I've been - I've lived in Europe - and our homes there had a powder room on the main level...in Belgium, it was off the kitchen where the laundry room is...and it was a toilet only - but that's where our living space was...

Hope that helps!

To me it is definitely a necessity. Guess she does not have any little ones yet. I guess to each his own it I hope as the years go on she does not get upset when parents do not come to visit.