Updating the existing bathroom/toilet/laundry

[SammyE]

Hi, I'm hoping to get some ideas on how to update a bathroom/toilet and laundry.

Currently our only bathroom and the only toilet are independent. We are thinking of updating this so that we have an ensuite (bathroom - includes toilet) and the main bathroom ( with toilet) separately by converting the laundry. 

Please see the flow plan below. I have also included the measures of the existing areas. 

State at present:

• Bathroom (2.9  x 1.7 ) has two sliding doors on either sides (one opening to the master bed room and the other to the passage way). There's a small bath, vanity and a shower cubicle. Next to the bath is a pretty big window (1.5 w x 1.3 h) with plantation shutters. Sonds a little complicated. please refer to pics.

  

• Toilet (1.6 x 1.1) is just outside the bathroom, again with plantation shutters (0.8 w x 1.3h) and no wash basin.

• Laundry (2.5 x 1.8) is next to the toilet with a door to the outside and the normal entry via the shared passage way.

Since we just purchased the property we need to find the most optimum and affordable solution to make this project a reality. FYI the house is a single story house with a concerete floor. 

Really appreciate your support in achieving this, may be in stages as our budget is pretty tight.

Our current thoughts are as follows: (please feel free to provide your feedback)

En-suite bathroom

• Remove the shower cubicle and move the shower to the bath
• Add the toilet to where the shower was
• Close the sliding door (passage side)

Extra bathroom/toilet

• Close the passage entrance from the living area and move it further down. This way the new passage entrance is in-front of the laundry entrance.  This will be the entry point to the 2nd bedroom, the laundry and the extra toilet/bathroom.

[Jason]

Hi @SammyE,

Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. It seems your photos didn't upload to the site correctly, which might have been why other members haven't yet responded in my absence. 

Could you please have another go at adding some photos to your post or to a reply below? Some images and the floorplan will really help other community members see what you are working with and provide more specific advice.

Please let me know if you have any trouble adding the photos. Please use the Upload Images button as cutting and pasting from elsewhere isn't currently supported (we are working on adding support for cutting and pasting at the moment...)

I am also happy to tag some other members with experience in renovations to provide assistance. 

Thanks for your patience,

Jason

[Jason]

Hi again @SammyE,

Thanks for uploading the photos again. 

Let me tag a few of our experienced renovators such as @ProjectPete, @Adam_W, @2Belindas and @redracer01. I'm sure there will be community members who are happy to help you as much as possible.    

Do you want to provide a rough budget? It might help members to provide more specific advice. 

Jason

[ProjectPete]

@SammyE 

At a quick glance, your plans for the Ensuite make sense and will give it more functionality. What are your plans for storage? Will you install a big bath to give you enough room to shower in it? Have you considered a double vanity - it looks like you could fit one and will give you greater functionality as well as resale value.

What's the reason for moving the Passage entry? Leaving it where it is allows a guest to go straight to the Toilet without having to pass Bed 2 and Laundry. I'd add in a small sink and mirror (like a Powder Room) so it's a one stop shop for guests.

You could even add a door to that Passage entry to give some privacy to Bed 2 - particularly handy to block out noise if it's used as a kid's bedroom. If you do add a door to it, before you move it to be opposite the Laundry door, consider the door chaos this will create with 3 doors in the same area. You'll find this location inconvenient as the only way to avoid chaos in the Passage itself (with the door opposite Laundry) will be to have it open into the Living area which is likely undesirable. Opening in the the left interferes with Bed 2 and opening in to the right requires you to walk in, then past the door (toward the Toilet) before being able to close it. IMO leaving it where it is would be best if you add a door/

[redracer01 · Accepted solution]

Sammy let me play devils advocate for a moment...

There's a reason the shower is located in that area.

1. It is away from the window thereby not causing any damage to any painted surfaces and is away from window joins where water may enter and travel in to the wall and create further harm.
2. That corner is fully waterproofed. Removing the shower from that area and moving it to the bath will require you to remove any existing tiles near the bath and in fact remove the bath altogether and waterproof that corner in total.
3. You will need a shower rated bath. The existing bath is rated for sitting and temporary standing not to be used for static standing in the same area day in day out. It will either buckle or a leak will occur.
4. Every time you shower that window frame and sill will get wet. The constant soaking and drying and exposure to soap and shampoo will discolor and eventually degrade that frame and will provide entry of water in to the wall. Not to mention that if that glass on the window is not cleaned after every shower it will get foggy and develop a lime deposit on it.
5. That extended vanity will have to be replaced, removed, remodeled. If it gets soaked it will blow up like well baked bread.

There's a reason that toilet is there.

When your house was being built, the plumber ran a 100mm sewer pipe from the main line in the street to the closest point of contact to the house nearest the toilet. Now you want to move that toilet to where the shower use to be... Let me set up the picture for you. Imagine...a 100mm pipe running from the toilets current location to the new location where the shower use to be. Should be a straight forward affair you say?

Here is a short job sheet of what the builder will have lined up.

1. Hire air hammer to remove tiles from toilet floor.
2. Remove carpet in hallway.
3. Meet with other builder to determine if bathroom wall is load bearing. If it is load bearing we cannot dig under it. A saniflo pump may be required to assist in pushing the waste to main line.
4. Remove bathroom tiles.
5. Ask plumber to determine if there are any DWV pipes crossing proposed cutting area.
6. Any pipes that are in the way need to be capped and sealed along with any grey water pipes.
7. Area must be sealed off from dust as the cement cutter will produce a tremendous amount of cement dust and cement mud. Any area the concrete cutter walks on needs to be covered so as not to ruin carpet or timber floors.
8. Concrete cutting and digging commences. New location reached.
9. Plumber to sign off on new location and fix fittings permanently. ( This is just the 100mm pipe and nothing else. )
10. Seal off old position of toilet.
11. Re-concrete channel made in toilet and bathroom. ( Drying time dependent on weather )

I'll stop here for a moment to let you catch your breath...It will require a fair bit of coin to move that toilet. Not impossible, but very expensive.

Still want to renovate? If you said yes despite the challenges then no renovation task will be too daunting. If you said no then suffer the consequences of pale ivory beige tap fittings!

The good news? I am currently re-drawing your bathroom. When its done I will post it. Until then keep strong and don't let the nay sayers dampen your renovation ambitions!

[SammyE]

Hi @ProjectPete,  

Thanks a lot for replying. You're the first to respond and it means a lot. So here are the answers.

1. What are your plans for storage? Haven’t thought much about it. Currently there's a linen cupboard in the passage parallel to the toilet. I believe that might have to be moved to a suitable place. Or we may have to add some cupboards to the laundry at a latter stage.
2. Will you install a big bath to give you enough room to shower in it? I suppose so. Or another idea is to remove the bath and add the toilet there. Shower remains in the same place and we can think of a bath for the main bathroom.
3. Have you considered a double vanity - Haven’t decided on that yet, but if it’s affordable, why not? 😃
4. What's the reason for moving the Passage entry? May be not necessary. We'll go by the best option. In case we have the second bathroom incorporating the current toilet so the two bathrooms would be back to back, it's necessary to close the current passage entry I suppose. The passage way's actually very dark  during the day unless the toilet door's open. However, l do understand your point on door chaos. Yes it is definitely something we should think of.

Thanks again,

Sammy

[SammyE]

Many thanks Jason! Sorry for the delay in getting back. A rough budget would be about 20k? Do you think it’s reasonable?

[SammyE]

Hello @redracer01 ,

Really appreciate your advice mate. In fact, I've had the same concerns about the window and the position of the bath. Here’s our newest plan.

1. Remove the bath and place a toilet there. No other major changes, only replacing the vanity and may be a frameless shower screen apart from tiling & painting. I believe this would make things a little easier to get that sewer pipe as it’s the closest possible to the current toilet. Do you think that's a better idea?

2. Keep the current toilet as it is and build the second bathroom around it.  So, a bath would go in there. If the space allows it, we’d like to have a separate shower, too. If not so, we'll manage with a shower rate bath.

3. As per this plan, we can leave the laundry as it is and renovate it at a latter stage.

We're looking forward to seeing your plans. We do appreciate your expert advice to plan it the most affordable way. Also, we are going to continue to live here while renovation's happening. So I guess they could add the toilet to the existing bathroom first, close its entry from passage and then start work on the second bathroom. Would that be feasible? 

Thanks loads,

Sammy

[SammyE]

Hi @redracer01 ,

Hope you’re well but busy I suppose. We are looking forward to seeing your drawings, whenever you’re done mate. No pressure. Could you also give us a rough calculation of expenses please? 

One more question, a couple of plumbers I spoke to discouraged using Bunnings tiles saying they can crack after some time. What’s your opinion? 

Thanks,

Sammy

[redracer01]

Close the main door to toilet, remove bath tear down wall.Remove laundry and add small vanity toilet shower. 2nd bathroom complete.Turn empty nook into new laundry area.There is at least 1800mm in space if the current linnen closet is removed.Full layout.