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Would you rather have a second bathroom or in unit laundry?

Hi,

Bathroom for sure. I lived in a building for 6yrs that had a basement laundry. He is one person, who will be able to do all his laundry in one basket(weekly) and carry it up in the elevator. You learn the time it takes for the washer and you run down and switch or you can read a book or newpaper and wait for the whole cycle to be over. Its really easy. No-one had laundry stolen.

It is much more inconvenient when a toilet gets clogged and you only have one bathroom or as he says guests are staying. He can see if the bathroom will take an apartment size washer and dryer. Or a closet near the kitchen plumbing.

I think re=sale of a two bedroom would be much better.

You said it was a good neighborhood. and building. I doubt anyone would steal his laundry.

Annette
 
asscherisme said:
Hi All,

My brother is single and his kids are grown. He is buying a condo. He is trying to decide between two buildings. Both are really nice, safe areas, high rise living in a city. Condos approximately the same square feet, 2 bedrooms. However, one building the condos two bathrooms have a laundry room in the basement, so that would mean elevator to laundry room and having to wait with laundry or risk it being stolen, plus a pain to do. The other building, the condo he likes has in unit laundry but only one bathroom.

So, would you:

1. Pick 2 bedroom 1 bathroom with in unit laundry.

2. 2 bedroom 2 bathroom, laundry in basement?

I would pick number 1. I think taking laundry to a laundry room in the basement would be a pain in the neck. He is worried about when he has guests or his adult kids visit only having one bathroom. But I think on a day to day basis, having laundry in his condo would be so much better than dragging to the basement. And save time too.

What do you all think?
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IN UNIT LAUNDRY 100% The second bathroom is nice for guests, but laundry is a constant need. Public laundry is a deal breaker for me.
 
How much laundry does he do? Even as a single person, it can add up!

As an example:
Bedding 1 load per week
Towels 1 load per week
Whites 1 load per week
Darks 1 load per week (possibly more depending on hobbies/work)
Plus 1 load Misc (rotation of kitchen towels, couch covers, throw blankets, outer wear, etc)
 
Honestly if he isn't pleased with either scenario could he just keep looking? Patience pays off and I think most of us would prefer a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom with laundry if we could afford it. And if that is what he wants he should (if he can) keep looking.
 
In Unit for me.
 
TooPatient said:
How much laundry does he do? Even as a single person, it can add up!

As an example:
Bedding 1 load per week
Towels 1 load per week
Whites 1 load per week
Darks 1 load per week (possibly more depending on hobbies/work)
Plus 1 load Misc (rotation of kitchen towels, couch covers, throw blankets, outer wear, etc)
Click to expand...

Haha don't I miss that schedule. Our new schedule for the past 3 plus months has been:

Bedding 1 load every day on super hot sanitary cycle
Towels 3-4 loads every day on super hot sanitary cycle
Clothing every day on super hot sanitary cycle
Cat bedding etc every day on super hot sanitary cycle
Cycling clothing (when we cycle) on delicate cycle for double the time

The fun never stops around here.:P2
 
missy said:
Haha don't I miss that schedule. Our new schedule for the past 3 plus months has been:

Bedding 1 load every day on super hot sanitary cycle
Towels 3-4 loads every day on super hot sanitary cycle
Clothing every day on super hot sanitary cycle
Cat bedding etc every day on super hot sanitary cycle
Cycling clothing (when we cycle) on delicate cycle for double the time

The fun never stops around here.:P2
Click to expand...

I miss that schedule too! We aren't dealing with nearly what you are, but pets definitely add to the work!

Our current weekly schedule (for 2 people, 4 cats, 3 dogs) is more like this:
2 loads people towels
1 load kitchen towels
1 load bathroom mats
2-10 loads (depending on weather) dog drying towels
2-8 loads bedding (depending on kitty messes)
3 loads couch covers (living room)
2 loads dog room blankets
1 load white
2-4 loads colors (depending on gardening/building/airplane work)
1 load delicates
 
I've thought this sort of thing over a zillion times, since we've moved a *lot*. As I've gotten older, so I've chosen my houses more for my own comfort than someone else's, or for resale value. If I want that random room for my Christmas collection (@monarch64 - your mother is forever my role model!), or the super sound-proofed room so people can't hear my beginner cello attempts, I'm having it.

So - a second bathroom would be used occasionally, and is for someone (or someones) else. The laundry is for his own comfort. Ergo - definitely the laundry.

And if a single bathroom doesn't suit guests, or limits his own comfort in his home, do what we do: "I'll email you a list of reasonably priced local hotels."

Guests never appreciate a house like you do as the owner. They don't take the care with it or treat it with the same level of respect. So I wouldn't be investing for their comfort. I'd get the laundry and point them to the nearest Marriott.

Frankly, after the set of guests we had from Australia who left our front door open and let both our dogs out, the ones who fed the dogs grapes (SUPER toxic for dogs), or the one who slammed the bedroom door on my beautiful Poppy's paw (ALL family, I might add!), we don't have family stay anymore. We give them our apologies, but - no. Not at our house.
 
TooPatient said:
I miss that schedule too! We aren't dealing with nearly what you are, but pets definitely add to the work!

Our current weekly schedule (for 2 people, 4 cats, 3 dogs) is more like this:
2 loads people towels
1 load kitchen towels
1 load bathroom mats
2-10 loads (depending on weather) dog drying towels
2-8 loads bedding (depending on kitty messes)
3 loads couch covers (living room)
2 loads dog room blankets
1 load white
2-4 loads colors (depending on gardening/building/airplane work)
1 load delicates
Click to expand...

Constantly doing laundry is exactly why I just let it pile up and do it once every 5 or 6 weeks at a laundromat.
Having one machine means you can only do one load at a time.
At the laundromat I do around 25 loads (7 to 8 three-loader machines) in only 2 to 3 hours.
Buying more clothes and linens to last that long isn't more expensive.
I use things till they wear out, so in the long run it's a wash. :doh:
 
Laundry. All day long.
 
Unless your brother plan on having house guest a lot, then definitely the laundry!
 
missy said:
Yes Costco rocks! And we did get them from Costco. DH confirmed. And when we went back to get more they no longer carried it so we ordered it directly from the company. Darn now I forgot the name of the company. Life something. I think it's Lifetime.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure they are selling them again online.
 
I would definitely be doing laundry more frequently than having guests that may need to use the bathroom. So I’d pick the one bath with in-unit laundry.

I try to do the 90/10 rule when considering stuff. So if 90% of the time I’m not having guests, I don’t need to consider their excremental needs. But, that said, they could use my one bathroom while I put the towels in the dryer.
 
kenny said:
Constantly doing laundry is exactly why I just let it pile up and do it once every 5 or 6 weeks at a laundromat.
Having one machine means you can only do one load at a time.
At the laundromat I do around 25 loads (7 to 8 three-loader machines) in only 2 to 3 hours.
Buying more clothes and linens to last that long isn't more expensive.
I use things till they wear out, so in the long run it's a wash. :doh:
Click to expand...

If you've got the SPACE for that! In NY closet space is PRECIOUS and expensive. I share a single sliding door closet with DH. We have enough clothes for about 2 weeks depending on the season. We do laundry 2x per week. In unit laundry is a MUST!
 
All 6 weeks of laundry piles up on the bottom of one closet of my 1,400 sq ft 2 bed 1 ba detached house, with two occupants and a little birdie.

Fortunately I bought it over 20 years ago.
No way could I afford it today in a beach city of Southern California.
 
sledge said:
@yssie and @Daisys and Diamonds I'd encourage you to inspect your wiring closer.

I have a close friend that is a licensed electrician and owns his business. As a side gig I've helped him on a few rewire jobs.

One job was a beautiful 40/50's era home. It had a hodge podge of things going on. Most of it was old knob and tube wiring. It had some burnt cloth wiring and some newer Romex style where someone tried to add on.

My buddy originally got called out to add a few extra outlets when he discovered the mess. The owners had just recently bought the home and had zero idea about this. They were young, had kids and not much money. He took the job at a barely break even price to basically ensure their safety.

Obviously, not every situation is this severe. But at some point, an owner of an older home with no updates should expect to spend some money. Until then, do frequent inspections and make sure all is good.
Click to expand...
thank you for the concern
it was something the other half thought of before we brought it
i think we are ok
we got an electrical inspection done along with the building report as a prerequisite for the mortgage
the place has been rewired at some point and we don't have the old black wires
we just don't have enough wires !
the breaker switch does its job to stop us overloading
my parents house was the same when i was growing up
the back wall of the kitchen was wired with the wall of the lounge where the heater and tv was plus vhs and stereo
mum making toast while using the microwave in the winter would always do it
its just too many appliances

also when the sparkie did the work on the cook top and wired in the gas infinity he also said we had been rewired

but yes extra electrical work is on the list
 
sledge said:
It probably boils down to personal preference. I've lived in many places and various setups and conditions over the years.

Growing up, we had 1 bath and off-site laundry and as a strong kid I was frequently the pack mule. That always stuck with me as more annoying than a single bath.

Consequently I've always tried to make sure I had a laundry room, even as a single guy. Those times I didn't I was okay paying to have my laundry done at the cleaners (yes, some places do it all) or hiring a housekeeper to help me.

If I were the one buying, I would determine if the 2 bath had a logical spot for a Euro style setup, what the condo restrictions are about installing them and if I had the extra cash to do the minor remodel, update of utilities and purchase of machines. Assuming all 3 checked out or even if I could save the cash in a reasonable time then I'd likely choose the 2 bath and do a remodel so I had both.

Screenshot_20191024-073434_Chrome.jpg
Click to expand...
what i like about this picture is its proximity to natural light
just woundering - what do people do with no laundry tub ?
personally - and i know this just isnt a thing in some places overseas but i love having a big clotheline in the back yard
i really really want a rotary bur its not a priority right now
i mean i love my dryer because we get a lot of rain being on the west coast but its just so nice to hope into a clean bed with the sheets just off the line dried im the sun
its one of life's little pleasures and i don't mind the few minutes out in the fresh air it takes to hang it out and bring it in
 
2 bathrooms, 2 bedrooms and try to see if you can put a compact laundry in. There are washing machines that also double as dryers. They have a very small footprint, it should be possible. Super common in Asia to see this kind of arrangement as space comes at a premium (I.e. several million dollars for a condo of the type you are describing).
 
Good to hear @Daisys and Diamonds. My earlier comments were certainly not meant to imply you had a problem, but rather just be aware those old beautiful homes normally have equally old MEP systems, and if not updated doesn't play well in our modern world.

You mentioned a great point -- when buying any property the few hundred bucks you spend on MEP, structural and termite inspections are a drop in the bucket. Many places require the termite inspection but in my state the other inspections are optional, depending on the specifics of your loan (FHA, VA, conventional, etc).

Also I would advise you to take the time to walk the property with your inspectors. My first house I bought I had some structural concerns with the roof as it looked wavy to me. As I spoke with the inspector, he indicated he saw that but if he wrote it in his report then it may blow the purchase as it would need fixed prior to the sale. We had a very honest conversations and I advised him to not write anything on my behalf but if there was a true structural concern them to note it and make a recommendation for repair. If it blew the deal I was okay with losing the house as I cared more about the structural integrity since that was a home I was going to own.

He elected to put that item in the report. As expected, it caused grief. Ultimately it was a $2,500 repair the seller finally elected to pay for so they could sell their home. The issue was the living room had a vaulted ceiling and they utilized 2x4 roof rafters over a longer span than recommended for the 24" spacing. As such the weight of the roof was too much for them to bear and the waves I saw was the roof slowly collapsing between the rafters. The fix was somewhat simple -- install larger rafters at the same 24" spacing and nail them together so they were "sistered". The issue was accessing them. One method would have been to remove the shingles and roof deck and install from the top. The second option was to remove the sheetrock, replace and then refinish the ceiling. Because the ceilings were 18'+, losing a few inches from the larger rafters was no concern. And while a pain, the ceiling option was cheaper.

When we renegotiated the contract terms, the owner elected to remove a pool table that he previously agreed to leave. He was pissed about the repair and knew I wanted the table despite it being old, not worth much and a convenience for him to NOT move it as his new property didn't have space for it. It didn't really bother me much, so I quickly accepted the deal which seemed to annoy him more.

The point of my long blabbering post is inspections are a bargain and depending on the severity of the issues found may prevent you from a costly mistake, or simply provide some guidance on something that could be a major problem is not addressed. Any buyer should exercise their right to have them done before making such a large purchase.
 
sledge said:
Good to hear @Daisys and Diamonds. My earlier comments were certainly not meant to imply you had a problem, but rather just be aware those old beautiful homes normally have equally old MEP systems, and if not updated doesn't play well in our modern world.

You mentioned a great point -- when buying any property the few hundred bucks you spend on MEP, structural and termite inspections are a drop in the bucket. Many places require the termite inspection but in my state the other inspections are optional, depending on the specifics of your loan (FHA, VA, conventional, etc).

Also I would advise you to take the time to walk the property with your inspectors. My first house I bought I had some structural concerns with the roof as it looked wavy to me. As I spoke with the inspector, he indicated he saw that but if he wrote it in his report then it may blow the purchase as it would need fixed prior to the sale. We had a very honest conversations and I advised him to not write anything on my behalf but if there was a true structural concern them to note it and make a recommendation for repair. If it blew the deal I was okay with losing the house as I cared more about the structural integrity since that was a home I was going to own.

He elected to put that item in the report. As expected, it caused grief. Ultimately it was a $2,500 repair the seller finally elected to pay for so they could sell their home. The issue was the living room had a vaulted ceiling and they utilized 2x4 roof rafters over a longer span than recommended for the 24" spacing. As such the weight of the roof was too much for them to bear and the waves I saw was the roof slowly collapsing between the rafters. The fix was somewhat simple -- install larger rafters at the same 24" spacing and nail them together so they were "sistered". The issue was accessing them. One method would have been to remove the shingles and roof deck and install from the top. The second option was to remove the sheetrock, replace and then refinish the ceiling. Because the ceilings were 18'+, losing a few inches from the larger rafters was no concern. And while a pain, the ceiling option was cheaper.

When we renegotiated the contract terms, the owner elected to remove a pool table that he previously agreed to leave. He was pissed about the repair and knew I wanted the table despite it being old, not worth much and a convenience for him to NOT move it as his new property didn't have space for it. It didn't really bother me much, so I quickly accepted the deal which seemed to annoy him more.

The point of my long blabbering post is inspections are a bargain and depending on the severity of the issues found may prevent you from a costly mistake, or simply provide some guidance on something that could be a major problem is not addressed. Any buyer should exercise their right to have them done before making such a large purchase.
Click to expand...
you are right
and no need to apologize for a long rambling post
i havn't had anyone to talk to for 10 and a half months !!!
but im sorry i had to have a laugh how you guys call 4x2 (which is actually 90x45 in the metric world) 2x4
it cracks us up every time (sorry smilies wont post for me)
now im going to ramble ....

at the time the actual building report annoyed us because Gary is a qualified builder and been in the trade since he started his apprenticeship at 16
however our roof is low pitch -( i envy you your vaulted roof) and we knew Gary wouldn't fit through the tiny man hole (and our plumber almost got stuck up there) so it was good seeing the pictures from inside the roof -(and our minuscule amount of insulfluff ) and also the state of the roof becsuse we can't see it without getting up there on a ladder
it was nice you getting a new ceiling as well as piece of mind - ours are the original softboard ceilings and as with our walls are the old imperial sizes so when we regibb (re- sheetrock ?) we will have to buy bigger sheets and cut them down or do some sideways thing or something Gary has a plan for because some internal walls are so crooked he wants to straighten the framing

But the electrical component of the report done by an electrician was another matter entirety and it was a great releaf to have that done.
i desperately wanted to buy a California bungalow because that's what i grew up in but the houses we looked at were original and needed repiling and probably had lath and scrim on the walls and the old scary wiring so Gary was dead aganist it and he's the builder ...and my labourer - so it was his call
he grew up in a brand new mid century home not a Californian bungalow or a villa and all he saw was work when he looked at my kind of houses

to be honest at the time it felt anoying having to pay $600 for the report because any qualified builder can do it (but not for his own interest) and i worked with builders and Gary had friends but we were moving to a new town and knew no one. also the building report which was a prerequisite from the bank was way overdone.
the young lady doing our morgage apologised for not warning me not to get too freaked out by how indepth they are, and the only iffy thing we really had - in a report almost as thick as a phone book - was an asbestosis garden shed which the bank dismissed as no real cause for concern because with Gary being a builder he understood the risks and how to manage them

but the building report had weird things not actually anything to do with the structural integrity of the house
like a photo of ..... a rotton fence post
some rather ugly workmanship on some architrave in one of the bedrooms (its ugly and it anoyed Gary because he's also a qualified joiner) and i mean its really ugly like a dog leg not a nice mitre
when money allows we need to find a joinary shop to run us up some architrave to match the predominate profile in this house to get every thing matching

anyway the building report was pedantic- it called out a home made wardrobe door - its like a shed door from the inside - but new wardrobe doors are cheap as chips and to be honest its grown on me since my old work mate admired the effort it took to build it heehee
we'll get around to the doors one day

another weird thing the building report noted .....the interior doors smelt funny
that freaked us out because we didn't get a P (meth) test- but it turned out to be ant spray - but the night that we went unconditional Gary couldn't sleep worrying about it possibly being a P house but it was too late as it was already ours

that's too bad about the pool table - those things are so blinkin' heavy - heehee it would have caused the last owner a lot of pain
our main bug bear was a big bedroom window that leaked and i knew it was too big and heavy and i wouldn't be strong enough to help Gary
the prevouse owner was a landscapper - his DIY skills were not good and Gary drove up and discreetly drove past to make sure they took the window out to fix it properly by a real builder it hasn't leaked in two winters since

this had been the family home but they moved and rented it out and id say it was just too much hastle in the end because every single door bar one has been patched (baddly)
my bedroom door has a sticker painted over the hole and they were beautiful native timber doors
so sad the house has suffered some real abuse - in different lighting at odd times of the day we see holes just wallpapered over
then everything inside had one coat of paint including the front fence which is now peeling because it had no preperation
but the house was clean to move into ... and ant free

sorry for the ramble heehee
but id never brought a house before and Gary had rented the last 30 years after his divorce and we never realized how stressful moving is
 
I think the trade-off decision needs to evaluate how many guest nights per year vs. how much laundry he has.
If he is single, lives in a city, and wears mostly business/dress clothes which go to the dry cleaner--perhaps he drops off his laundry once a week and outsources that task. Weekly you would have maybe 3-4 loads including sheets and towels?

If he has guests only once or twice a year---maybe he offers them a hotel room or simply sucks it up and shares his bathroom. And are the guests relatives/friends that he actually wants to stay at his place to enjoy time with them? Is he close enough to then to be comfortable assigning shower times?

I would prefer a second bathroom myself just because I like my privacy. Even if only for dinner guests I would prefer a separate powder room as opposed to people using my personal bathroom.

If he does not entertain much and the guests are infrequent then perhaps he can make do with one bathroom.
Really a lifestyle choice.
 
i read this article last year that the averge guest bedroom in a NZ house gets used 11 times a year om average
we brought a nice new bed for ours and had my nephew to stay for 12 days last year but no one this year
....maybe it needs to be converted to an ensuit or a walk in wardrobe !
my point being i think as nice as it is to have a nice set up for guests its your house and you have it for your own convenience
i
 
VERY tough choice but I'd choose the second bathroom, mainly because I don't like having to share "my" bathroom with visitors. I'd look into the possibility of adding a washer/dryer combo machine to my kitchen -- that's how the Europeans do it! 8)
 
I have two bathrooms on the second floor, and a laundry. I dream of moving the laundry into the garage and making a third 1/2 bathroom out of that room. We have a jacuzzi and almost never use it, but I think of a hot tub or something like it.
 
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