Family Bathroom Has No Toilet

primal89 on 05/12/2022 - 10:05
Last edited 08/12/2022 - 10:00

Looking for some wisdom from someone with kids.

I'm looking a bigger home but the main bathroom which is connected to two bedrooms doesn't have a toilet in it. The closest toilet is about 8-12m away up the hallway in the main living room.

Is this a big nono as I assume you would want the toilet close to the kids bedrooms to avoid accidents all up the hallway?

Update 8/12 - I have let the house go, couldn't get past no toilet being near the main bathroom of the house. Thanks for all the comments!! Can't wait for my kids to poop in a shower :P

Home & Garden

Comments

  • jv on 05/12/2022 - 10:14
    +13

    Family Bathroom Has No Toilet

    https://media.tenor.com/WoLwoHsEeEIAAAAC/first-world-problem…

    • primal89 on 05/12/2022 - 10:48
      -3

      Unborn yet, figment of my imagination. Maybe 2 years off

    • Ghost47 on 05/12/2022 - 11:19
      +11

      We should not settle for houses built with toilets so far from the bathroom and placed in the main living room.

    • bargaino on 05/12/2022 - 11:53
      +1

      JV is right. Spare a thought for people renting in Sydney:

      https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/oct/15/potty…

      • jv on 05/12/2022 - 11:56
        -3

        How can you stir the pasta while on the dunny with all that glass in the way?

      • this is us on 06/12/2022 - 19:03

        " In this apartment, your business becomes everybody’s business."

        There is no way this "apartment" can accommodate more than one desperate individual. Therefore, there is no "everybody"… there is no one else… Who would invite someone to come over?

    • Odin on 07/12/2022 - 13:34

      Don't we all live in the 1st world?

  • Ghost47 on 05/12/2022 - 10:18
    +22

    How old are your kids? Is there a basin in the toilet?

    Personally I think toilets that aren’t in bathrooms are the way to go, but 8-12 m up the hallway is a bit far. Separate toilets should be next to the bathroom. Whoever designed that place is an idiot.

    • freefall101 on 05/12/2022 - 10:32
      +2

      Someone who thinks it's ok to pee in the shower (or waffle stomp) designed it, by the sounds of it.

      Granted, I've been house hunting lately, there have been a couple of places where the toilet is in/adjacent to the laundry rather than the bathroom. And it totally put me off buying those houses.

      • Ghost47 on 05/12/2022 - 10:34

        In the laundry is a bit weird. Why did it put you off?

        • freefall101 on 05/12/2022 - 10:58
          +9

          Taking a dump is a pretty important part of my day, having the spin cycle going off next to me is very disruptive to me finding my zen (this is only somewhat joking, current house has two toilets, one hanging off the laundry. Sometimes I avoid that one while the laundry is running)

          Just seems like a bad design and weird which isn't something I want where I live, I want my house to feel "normal". It's also particularly hard to fix down the line at some point, anything involving plumbing (like reworking a bathroom) tends to be particularly expensive.

          • Ghost47 on 05/12/2022 - 11:06
            +1

            @freefall101: Ah haha fair enough. Yeah good point about repairs or renovating. It’s sad how stupidly designed some places can be.

            I guess when developers are interviewing designers/architects they should ask them about their toilet habits. I’m sure some people born here and even people who migrate here probably think sh*tting in the shower is fine.

          • smartazz104 on 05/12/2022 - 21:26
            +5

            @freefall101:

            having the spin cycle going off next to me is very disruptive to me finding my zen

            Isn't that better, the washing machine can drown out any other noises.

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 05/12/2022 - 11:07
        +5

        (or waffle stomp)

        I gag everytime i read this phrase lol

        Peeing in the shower is fine tho

      • stumo on 05/12/2022 - 15:42
        +1

        and it totally put me off buying those houses.

        You do realise theres these people called Plumbers?

        Our house was exactly as you describe. Had a main bathroom with no toilet, and the toilet was attached to the laundry on the other side of the house. 1950 calling.

        But on a closer look, there was room for a toilet in the bathroom, and there was suitable pipes already nearby. So it cost us about $500 to have a toilet installed by a Plumber. Pretty minor compared to how much houses cost.

        • freefall101 on 05/12/2022 - 18:52
          +3

          Why would you assume I’ve not heard of plumbers instead of assuming it wasn’t feasible in the houses I looked at?

          • stumo on 06/12/2022 - 08:58
            -2

            @freefall101:

            it wasn’t feasible in the houses I looked at.

            Are you a Plumber

            • freefall101 on 06/12/2022 - 09:12
              +5

              @stumo: I am a person with eyes who can see if there is space in the bathroom for a toilet.

              • stumo on 06/12/2022 - 12:00
                -3

                @freefall101: There are actually rules about how much clearance from this and that is required. So just having eyes isnt enough.

                • freefall101 on 06/12/2022 - 14:26
                  +1

                  @stumo: If a toilet won't physically fit how on early does the clearance matter?

                  Do you work for some kind of plumber lobby group?

                  • stumo on 06/12/2022 - 14:47
                    -1

                    @freefall101: A bathroom would have to be microscopic to not be able to fit a toilet even with no clearance.

      • unhuman on 07/12/2022 - 09:52

        There’s two types of people in this world, one who pee in shower and Lier. Which one is you?

    • Stewardo on 05/12/2022 - 12:46
      +1

      Maybe the house wasn’t connected to the sewer system originally. Many houses built before 1960 had a toilet in the backyard. These houses today (after sewer systems were installed in that suburb) normally have a toilet added somewhere towards the back of the house, quite a distance from the front bedroom.

      • macrocephalic on 05/12/2022 - 15:27

        Yep. I used to live in a student house were the toilet was at the back of the house at the back door right next to a big concrete block (which we eventually realised was the old septic tank). You can do walk through the kitchen to get to the toilet. It was fine for us, but in hindsight it was unconventional.

        • Euphemistic on 05/12/2022 - 15:31

          Same here as a student.

          Unconventional now, but completely normal for the time the house was built. There would have been thousands exactly the same. Terrace style. Bedrooms at the front, long hallway down one side then living, dining and kitchen and loo out the back.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 05/12/2022 - 10:24
    +3

    Problem Solved.
    Put one in each room.

  • GordonD on 05/12/2022 - 10:27
    +11

    You don't put the toilet in a "family" bathroom! That stops anyone else using the toilet, which they might want to do now, when someone else is using the bathroom, which they might want to take a while in.

    Yes, its OK in an ensuite, but not a a family bathroom.

    But you're right that you don't want it too far away either, because you want the kids to wash their hands after they use the toilet.

    • Ghost47 on 05/12/2022 - 10:30
      +1

      You don't put the toilet in a "family" bathroom!

      Laughs in property developer

      Maybe in 10-20 years we’ll start seeing bathrooms with two toilets in them.

    • Euphemistic on 05/12/2022 - 10:58
      +8

      Should always have a basin in the room as the toilet.

  • iDroid on 05/12/2022 - 10:27
    +7

    I'd be more concerned about the number of toilets available than where they are. Sometimes you just can't have enough toilets - especially with kids.

  • Seraphin7 on 05/12/2022 - 10:29
    +1

    It's a bit odd for them to be that far disconnected, but I wouldn't call it a showstopper solely for the reasons you're getting at. In my kids' experience, it's not the distance to the toilet that is the cause of accidents. I've had this happen whether we've been out in public, sitting in some part of the house, or when they're sleeping in a room with an ensuite.

    The brain signal to get the toilet either processes or it doesn't is how I would describe it. The couple of seconds to get from here to there is rarely the difference.

    • macrocephalic on 05/12/2022 - 15:28
      +1

      My kids wait until the last possible second to go to the toilet, so something as simple as the seat being down can be an issue. I'm not sure why they don't get up 20 seconds earlier.

      • Euphemistic on 05/12/2022 - 15:32
        +1

        Thought process isn’t part of it. You either need to go or you don’t. When you do need to go it’s NOW!

  • bobbified on 05/12/2022 - 10:33
    +4

    .I'm looking a bigger home but the main bathroom which is connected to two bedrooms doesn't have a toilet in it.

    Isn't the obvious answer to just find another place that's more suitable for your family?

    Is this a big nono as I assume you would want the toilet close to the kids bedrooms to avoid accidents all up the hallway?

    I'm not sure why it matters whether it's a yes or no from everyone else here - you're the one that's going to be living in there with your family.

  • jorf on 05/12/2022 - 10:36
    +11

    The closest toilet is about 8-12m away up the hallway in the main living room

    This seems like a bigger design problem to me.

    Really though, who builds a bathroom without a toilet either in it or next to it? That's just weird. Unless you can reconfigure it (and you want to spend money doing that), I would just look elsewhere.

    • Ghost47 on 05/12/2022 - 10:39

      Really though, who builds a bathroom without a toilet either in it or next to it?

      Idiots who don’t think before they do things like design a house for other people to live in.

    • apsilon on 05/12/2022 - 11:07

      in the main living room

      It's obviously been designed by someone who doesn't want to miss a second of the big game or a movie nut etc. Would be interesting to see the reaction of guests.

    • Benoffie on 05/12/2022 - 16:42

      Chances are it's a property built pre-1980's and OP just hasn't elaborated.

      Very common for toilet to be located near laundry while bathroom was near bedrooms or kitchen.

    • Miss B on 06/12/2022 - 00:08

      This seems like a bigger design problem to me.

      Problem? More like big brain thinking! Here I am occasionally thinking it might be nice to mount a TV in the toilet. This is genius, just move the toilet into the living room! I'm on the phone to an emergency plumber right now.

  • melbourne guy on 05/12/2022 - 10:43
    +1

    They can pee in the shower or bathtub if it's an emergency. Otherwise it should take care of itself once they are fully toilet trained. In the meantime you might have to keep putting pull ups on them or buying a wetness alarm for their bed. If that's the only major issue with the home and you love everything else about it then go for it.

    • Ghost47 on 05/12/2022 - 10:46
      +1

      They can pee in the shower or bathtub if it's an emergency.

      Or the basin too.

  • primal89 on 05/12/2022 - 10:49
    +1

    I hadn't thought of putting them in the basin! Great idea. No bathtub in house either.

    • Ghost47 on 05/12/2022 - 10:56
      +3

      Anything with a drain is fair game! Don’t forget the kitchen sink too!

      • elgrande on 05/12/2022 - 12:00
        +1

        Why stop at the drain..

        Any surface, at any time..

      • onetwothreefour on 05/12/2022 - 12:37
        +1

        Don't forget it's fine to go in the garden too!

        • Donaldhump on 05/12/2022 - 14:24

          not if you live within 100m of a creek, its illegal to pee let alone snap one off

          so ive been told, could not verify it and could not be bothered trying to.

      • macrocephalic on 05/12/2022 - 15:29
        +1

        Bathrooms have a drain in the middle of the floor. Just teach the kids to aim.

    • Quantumcat on 06/12/2022 - 08:07

      No bathtub should be the bigger issue if you're planning to have kids

  • Duckie2hh on 05/12/2022 - 10:52
    +1

    Are your kids disabled? A distance of 8-12m could be traversed in less than 5 minutes depending on the stride length of the little ones.

    • freefall101 on 05/12/2022 - 11:24
      +3

      Unless they're missing limbs, pretty sure even crawling baby can travel 8-12m in less than 5 minutes. 5 minutes is a really long time though when you're a kid who's busting for a wee.

      The problem isn't the time, it's the distance. The assumption is fluids are already coming out and being 8-12 metres away means 8-12 metres of cleaning to be done.

  • MS Paint on 05/12/2022 - 11:12
    +1

    FFS. Just make a decision.

  • pharkurnell on 05/12/2022 - 11:20
    +7

    The closest toilet is about 8-12m

    Oh no… better bulldoze the place and build a new one

  • trapper on 05/12/2022 - 11:30
    +6

    The toilet is in the living room??

    • elgrande on 05/12/2022 - 12:00
      +1

      Yep, that was my key highlight from the post too..

    • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 05/12/2022 - 12:10

      lmao I read it the same way

    • OzzyOzbourne on 05/12/2022 - 17:11

      Perfect if the beer fridge is there too, barely need to move

  • Mokr on 05/12/2022 - 11:43

    Pee in shower

    Probably a kit you can buy on ebay

  • bargaino on 05/12/2022 - 11:56

    The closest toilet is about 8-12m away

    Oh no! Call child services. Better than in the bathroom, and your sister locks the door for half an hour.

    When the kids are little, you can keep a potty in the bathroom.

    • primal89 on 06/12/2022 - 08:05

      Thanks!

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 05/12/2022 - 12:11
    +2

    Imagine raising children back in the days without an indoor toilet. How did they cope?

    • Benoffie on 05/12/2022 - 16:40

      Done that. Lived in subzero area in NSW with only an outside dunny. You learn to pee quick and dump during the day.

  • jjjaar on 05/12/2022 - 12:46

    I'm looking a bigger home but the main bathroom which is connected to two bedrooms doesn't have a toilet in it.

    Brady Bunch house?

  • godofpizza on 05/12/2022 - 13:11
    +2

    does the bathroom have a drain on the floor, problem solved.

  • ar7ist on 05/12/2022 - 14:10

    I also just leased a new house. The toilet doesn't have a basin. The nearest sink has a bit of walk. I was wondering if there's a way to get a basin installed in the toilet room. Something like the Japanese toilets where they have a small basin on top of the toilet tank. I couldn't find a DIY option or anyone in Aus that does that.

    • macrocephalic on 05/12/2022 - 15:31

      sink where the waste flow straight into the top of the cistern. The excess water will just flow into the toilet anyway.

      • bargaino on 05/12/2022 - 21:58

        That sounds like a good idea to save water. So I bet it is against code in Australia :-)

        You may need to DIY, or get a handyman. Would need to be a low cistern though, as the bottom of basin needs to be above max level of cistern.

      • ar7ist on 05/12/2022 - 20:21

        Cheers for sharing this. Kind of on the expensive range for me

  • Euphemistic on 05/12/2022 - 14:26
    1. Get them to go before shower/bath. Kids peeing in the shower isn’t the end of the world, there more water tumbling down to wash it off.
    2. What’s the difference if it’s 8-12m from the bathroom for the rest of the time? It’s likely closer to other rooms.
    3. If YOU don’t like the layout of a house either rent/buy something else or get the layout renovated to the way you like.
  • greatlamp on 05/12/2022 - 15:11
    +3

    Having the toilet separate from the bathroom is more hygienic. Putting them in the same room is done to save space.

    I don't see this as a negative at all.

  • mr_vino89 on 05/12/2022 - 15:26
    +1

    They could ride an electric scooter to the toilet

  • cashless on 05/12/2022 - 15:53

    Is OP Ineed2pee in disguise?

  • MrKnowItAll on 05/12/2022 - 16:26
    +1

    9 people in our hosehold (7 children, 2 adults).. 3 of which are toddlers that are currently toilet-training, one is a 1yo who doesn't use the toilet and the rest are older kids / 2 adults who obviously would use it. We have only one bathroom and 1 toilet between us and make it work just fine.
    Our experience isn't so much the kids not making the journey in time but rather them conciously deciding that the floor is a suitable place to do their business and then complain about it to mum and dad, this has been 'typical toddler behaviour' for all of our kids so assume it to be a normal part of development. Start investing in paper towels and a decent spray mop (with many replacement pads) to manage this!

    I think if we can make it work with 1 bathroom, surely just about anyone could with 1-3 children. So if the price is right and you like everything else, don't let this one thing slow you down, it's not as big a problem as most think.

  • OzzyOzbourne on 05/12/2022 - 16:31

    What are you asking…whether your kids of unspecified age can make it 8-12m to the toilet?

    I have no idea, they are your kids.

    Are kids always normally less than 8-12m from a toilet at all times?

  • Benoffie on 05/12/2022 - 16:36

    My house has a bathroom with no toilet. It's so 'old', the toilet is off the laundry.

    Trust me, people (including kids) learn to live with it and walk the distance, even in the middle of the night.

  • Hardlyworkin on 05/12/2022 - 18:51

    Wow an inside dunny! Score :)

  • Ciderfizz44 on 05/12/2022 - 18:53

    Separate WC ftw

  • spaceflight on 05/12/2022 - 19:37

    Have you thought of adding a toilet near the bathroom, or in the hallway?
    https://i.redd.it/a69s5r3dmdg81.png

    • 2025 on 05/12/2022 - 19:43

      That’s disgusting - leaving the roll like that when there is a holder. What is with some people

      • spaceflight on 05/12/2022 - 21:23

        My cleaner keeps leaving it like that. They do a really good job apart from that so I have learnt to accept it.

  • TheBean on 05/12/2022 - 23:24
    +1

    It's not a problem. Have three toilets in our house all well away (more than 10m) from their rooms. They happily make a mess in the toilet and not down the hallway.

  • fourofjacks on 06/12/2022 - 00:43
    +1

    My 2c

    1) kids or not, better to have separate toilet and bathroom.

    2) don't think it's big deal either way where toilet is.
    2a) consider where the kids will spend most their time during day. Visits to toilet after bed time will be minimal. Where do you plan to have them play during the day? Accidents happen when they are too busy playing / focused on what they are doing and run to the toilet at the last moment.

  • MangoMadness on 06/12/2022 - 01:11

    When we renovated our bathroom we removed the bath and put in a 2nd toilet. Yes occasionally we miss the bath but having 2 toilets in a house with 4 people is so much easier.

  • redfox1200 on 06/12/2022 - 05:04
    +1

    every drain is a toilet if you try hard enough

    • yokel on 06/12/2022 - 18:48
      +1

      It’s all pipes

  • UltimateAI on 06/12/2022 - 09:08

    You said bigger home so 8-10m is nothing, even for small kids.
    What is concerning "in the main living room", please clarify do you mean, "off the main living room"? If the latter and it's private \ out of the way no issue with the distance between them. Would certainly install a tap\sink in the toilet if not already.
    Great idea to keep them separate.

  • 2esc on 06/12/2022 - 09:19

    Yes better if main bathroom has a toilet you will just have to factor in how much you like the house, the price of the house, if you renovated can you put a toilet in etc.

    You know your situation its your choice.

  • grr1701 on 06/12/2022 - 12:31

    I’d keep looking if I was you. There’ll be homes out there with the correct layout. That was a poorly thought-through design.

  • mightyfes on 06/12/2022 - 13:42

    Put a porta potty outside their window

  • AUSTRALIAMATE on 06/12/2022 - 13:50

    Buy a WRX

  • nswnotill on 06/12/2022 - 15:12
    +1

    What size is the existing bathroom? Does it have an outside wall? If it is big enough the toilet could be positioned where the flush can exit through the wall - however there would have to be an outside sewer main nearby and the toilet connected to that,
    Another alternative is to somehow convert the shower recess into a toilet. Reposition the shower head over the bath. Those showering would have to stand in the bath.
    Perhaps take the bath out completely and have a shower only. A toilet is installed where the bath was previously.

  • Vool on 06/12/2022 - 15:46

    Having toilet separate from the bathroom is the preferred location, I don't understand why it's a deal breaker. How old are these kids that they can't make it down the hall?

  • tempco on 06/12/2022 - 15:53

    We have a similar layout and we just renovated the aging family bathroom and included a toilet. Now we have two toilets, which is very handy for a family with two kids below 5. And if the kids need to go to the toilet at the same time there's no drama. It cost around 18k all up earlier this year.

  • fourofjacks on 06/12/2022 - 18:56

    All these replies suggesting the main bathroom should include toilet for young kids. I hope either:
    - kids will always flush with toilet seat down
    - you don't mind small bits of poop floating to the toothbrushes

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