Author Topic: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.  (Read 31853 times)

Awesomeness

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #50 on: October 13, 2019, 02:02:46 PM »
I’m relocating someday to an area where these homes are common. I just can’t do it no matter the price and location. Two toilets is a necessity these days.  It is common to have the half bath in the master. 

I’ve owned a handful of properties and the last two were 2bed 2 baths w no tubs, no dining rooms.  Love large showers and large islands w room to eat.

Well planned small homes in the best locations are my favorite.


big_owl

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #51 on: October 13, 2019, 03:15:07 PM »
 We have 4br, 3.5 bathrooms, I love it that way.  It's not like an extra bath or two costs any more than a single on a continual basis so I'm not sure why the hate.  It's really nice to be able to go TCB away from the rest of the house at any given time no matter where guests are located.

I have IBS so any naysayers can GFY with your toilet judgment. 
« Last Edit: October 13, 2019, 06:31:24 PM by big_owl »

hops

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #52 on: October 13, 2019, 04:35:18 PM »
My only major housing requirement, whether I'm renting or buying, is a minimum of 1.5 bathrooms. With severe Crohn's and no colon, the thought of only one bathroom fills me with anxiety. Did it as a kid for years and it sucked for all of us. Wouldn't want more than three bedrooms, though.

calimom

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #53 on: October 13, 2019, 06:47:10 PM »
Growing up, I lived in an A-frame house my father built. Originally there was one bathroom downstairs. As my sisters grew into their early teens, my dad fitted a second half bath in the eaves of the loft/bedroom where my sisters and I slept. There was no room for a shower, but the addition went a long way in family harmony. I own a 1970s three bedroom California ranch style house now and there's a full bath for the main part of the house, and an ensuite 3/4 (no tub) in what's officially the master bedroom.

Over the summer my RE partners and I rehabbed a 1960s ranch probably much like the OP describes. It's 1200 SF with three small bedrooms and one bathroom. I'm guessing the second or third bathroom became a thing in the US about 40 years ago.

imolina

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #54 on: October 13, 2019, 09:30:32 PM »
I don't think I could live in a house with only one bathroom. We live in Abu Dhabi , and our 3 bedroom condo + maid's room has 5 bathrooms, each room has a bathroom, maid's room has a bathroom and there is a half bathroom. Excessive I know, but one bathroom only is too less especially with small children that cannot hold it.

Montecarlo

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #55 on: October 13, 2019, 09:36:20 PM »
I've been looking at real estate and noting what a relative bargain 3 bedroom 1 bathroom houses are. I think they're the ideal house size for the average family plus they tend to come from an era where housing standards were of a better quality than newer builds. They're also better positioned, practical, have bigger yards, tend to be close to public transport etc. I grew up in the same configuration and despite a household of 5 never had any bathroom issues that people seem to complain about. While everyone seems to want ensuites and double sinks I think a few years down the track the humble 3 bedroom 1 bathroom is going to make a major comeback.

What do you think?

If by major comeback, you mean they will never, ever be built again in the US and will be increasingly rare through remodels and dilution, I 100% agree.

Snark aside, I think you are right they are undervalued.  People want their second bath

sentry

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #56 on: October 13, 2019, 10:56:08 PM »
My family of four (3 yo & newborn) downsized from a 3 bedroom / 2 bath 1800 sq-ft home to a 1300 sq-ft 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom ranch house built in 1962 and have zero issues with bathroom availability. The worst part was getting my toddler to take showers since the bathroom has no bath tub. He loves it now.

I get the convenience of having multiple bathrooms and have owned a house with a beautiful custom master bathroom and a separate and equally plush guest bath. We found that unless guests were actually staying with us (rare), the guest bath was hardly used.

Definitely don't regret downsizing or our apparent lack of bathrooms. It's one less place to clean/maintain/heat/cool/whatever.

Cgbg

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #57 on: October 13, 2019, 11:20:43 PM »
Our 2300 sq ft house (built in the 1920s) came with 3 bd/2.5 baths.

It’s now 3 bd/1.5 bath.

The half bath was in the unfinished basement, probably leftover from when the previous homeowner had his basement shop down there. It wasn’t a well constructed “bathroom” - just a partitioned off toilet- and we yanked it out after living here for a few months.

Then we reduced the upstairs bathroom to a half bath. The room is 6’x6’ and it had a 3’x3’ shower in it. The sink was mounted on the wall and you could barely slip past it to the toilet. Plus, the shower pan was leaking (not to mention it was solid lead.) So we yanked the shower - well, all the stuff really, but we put in a new vanity and toilet. It was useful to have that second toilet just outside the boys’ rooms while they were growing up.

Master is on the main and the bathroom is outside of the master. One sink, shower (no tub). Maybe we will dormer out the upstairs bathroom to add a tub (we have the architectural plans done already) but frankly it’s just the two of us now that the boys are off to college. I just don’t foresee us changing it.

The county still taxes us as if we have 2 full baths.

Imma

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #58 on: October 14, 2019, 12:15:16 AM »
We have 4br, 3.5 bathrooms, I love it that way.  It's not like an extra bath or two costs any more than a single on a continual basis so I'm not sure why the hate.  It's really nice to be able to go TCB away from the rest of the house at any given time no matter where guests are located.

I have IBS so any naysayers can GFY with your toilet judgment.

Well it may not cost more in water/energy use (although those are extra rooms to be heated in winter so that's not completely true) but cleaning 1,5 or 3,5 bathrooms every week is a pretty big extra cost in time and then there's the opportunity costs of owning a bigger, more expensive house.

I have a severe bowel condition as well so I know what that's like but it hasn't caused any issues for me. I've always lived with healthy people who don't need the bathroom often/long so the chances of needing the bathroom at the same time are pretty low. That happens maybe once or twice a year. In which case I go first and the healthy person waits - or could go to the second toilet we installed a few years back I suppose but I  don't think a situation like that has even happened since we've had two toilets.

Hula Hoop

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #59 on: October 14, 2019, 01:15:58 AM »
@Imma  - I agree.  The cost of multiple bathrooms is in all the extra cleaning (either doing it yourself or paying someone), the cost of building a huge house where you can fit 3.5 bathrooms or whatever and cost of heating, cooling and maintaining a such large house.  Obviously, to each their own and all that but the MMM forums are traditionally where we question materialism/consumption and give people face punches.

Cranky

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #60 on: October 14, 2019, 04:26:19 AM »
How long does it take people to clean a bathroom?? I don’t feel like that’s a major time issue.

Basement bathrooms have long been common in my area - men came home from grubby jobs, went directly downstairs and washed up and changed clothes.

Dicey

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #61 on: October 14, 2019, 06:09:55 AM »
I've been looking at real estate and noting what a relative bargain 3 bedroom 1 bathroom houses are. I think they're the ideal house size for the average family plus they tend to come from an era where housing standards were of a better quality than newer builds. They're also better positioned, practical, have bigger yards, tend to be close to public transport etc. I grew up in the same configuration and despite a household of 5 never had any bathroom issues that people seem to complain about. While everyone seems to want ensuites and double sinks I think a few years down the track the humble 3 bedroom 1 bathroom is going to make a major comeback.

What do you think?

If by major comeback, you mean they will never, ever be built again in the US and will be increasingly rare through remodels and dilution, I 100% agree.

Snark aside, I think you are right they are undervalued.  People want their second bath
I lust after an older 3+1 in original condition. Why? Because we flip houses for fun and profit. Adding a second bath adds a ton of value, probably the most bang for your renovation buck out there. A 3+2 sells for a significant premium over a 3+1. Alas, they are like hen's teeth in my area.

IRL, my house is like @big_owl's. We are four adults in a 4+3.5, and I love it! Just tonight DH and I brushed our teeth at the same time, side by side, each at our own sink. It was nice. Not necessary, but nice. We bought this clown house because it's three and a half blocks from DH's work.  When he retires and our responsibilities to the other adults in our household have been discharged, we'll downsize. Hopefully to that mythical 3+1 we continually seek.

MayDay

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #62 on: October 14, 2019, 07:01:34 AM »
How long does it take people to clean a bathroom?? I don’t feel like that’s a major time issue.

Basement bathrooms have long been common in my area - men came home from grubby jobs, went directly downstairs and washed up and changed clothes.

In new builds the bathrooms are stupidly large, the size of a good sized bedroom. Just mopping the floor is larger task than a small bathroom where you can use a rah and wipe it up in 2 minutes.

Linea_Norway

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #63 on: October 14, 2019, 07:24:26 AM »
I used to live in a house with 2 fully equipped bathrooms for 15 years, with 2 adults. It was only twice a year or so that we needed to use the bathroom downstairs. If would have been sufficient with one most of the time.

But heaving a toilet outside the bathroom would be great, especially when staying in a house with more than 2 people. Some time ago I had a sleep over at someone else's house, with several people. And there was only one bathroom in total. So when one person showered for 20-30 minutes, it was a long wait for the other people having to do a morning pee.

In our cabin we have been staying with 4 people from time to time with one toilet and a "bathroom", where you can put a bowl of water to wash yourself. There is no actual sink. It still works, but there is a bit of a queue on the toilet after the late breakfast.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2019, 11:27:28 AM by Linea_Norway »

Imma

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #64 on: October 14, 2019, 07:43:47 AM »
How long does it take people to clean a bathroom?? I don’t feel like that’s a major time issue.

Basement bathrooms have long been common in my area - men came home from grubby jobs, went directly downstairs and washed up and changed clothes.

I have a small bathroom (about 4m2) and it takes me about half an hour. The downstairs toilet maybe 15 minutes. I'm not exactly a neat freak, but wiping down all the wall tiles and the radiator and mopping the floor takes time, and then there's the sink, the toilet, the faucet. Bathrooms get dirty pretty quickly, at least in my house. And we don't even have kids.

If some bathrooms don't get used a lot you might get away with cleaning them a little less often, but there's always going to be dust so even if you don't use the bathroom at all it requires a minimum level of cleaning.

bacchi

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #65 on: October 14, 2019, 08:27:02 AM »
How long does it take people to clean a bathroom?? I don’t feel like that’s a major time issue.

Basement bathrooms have long been common in my area - men came home from grubby jobs, went directly downstairs and washed up and changed clothes.

In new builds the bathrooms are stupidly large, the size of a good sized bedroom. Just mopping the floor is larger task than a small bathroom where you can use a rah and wipe it up in 2 minutes.

Yeah, this is pretty stupid. I'm assuming it's for the exercise bike that gets used for a week and then never again.

The two of us are fine with 1 bathroom. Even the cats know to wait their turn.

Laserjet3051

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #66 on: October 14, 2019, 09:44:46 AM »
As a male living in a home with 3 women, I'd sooner burn in eternal hellfire than try to exist in a 1 bathroom setting. Nothing short of 1.5 baths would suffice, 2 baths being the preferable minimum. This is non-negotiable, that is until our 2 daughters leave home for good, then the calculus changes.

Here4theGB

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #67 on: October 14, 2019, 10:14:27 AM »
Sharing bathrooms, Nope.

AerynLee

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #68 on: October 14, 2019, 10:47:46 AM »
I'm surprised how many on here are insisting on needing extra bathrooms. Granted, they're nice, but not I-can't-live-without levels*.

Our last house we spent about 3 years with 3 adults and 1.75 baths. The 3/4 bath in the basement was rarely used. Then a few years ago the roommate moved out and DH and I moved to a townhome with 1 bathroom. I was a little concerned about having one toilet but it's been over 4 years now and no one has had to pee outside yet.
There was a possibility a while back that we'd end up with 2 small kids and I figured we'd want a second bathroom once they were 5ish since 4 people with one toilet is a bit much but we were planning on playing it by ear if we did get them, not immediately looking to upgrade

*I'll give that for people with severe digestive issues that the extra can be necessary.

Imma

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #69 on: October 14, 2019, 11:31:36 AM »
@Laserjet3051 as someone who grew up in a house with 3 women, wouldn't it be easier to put up a mirror in everyone's bedroom? Many teenage girls spend a lot of time doing their hair and make-up but you don't have to do that in the bathroom. We shared one bathroom and did our make-up in the bedroom. I can't remember any big fights over the use of the bathroom.

As a non-native speaker of English I'm quite curious what a 3/4 bathroom is. I've learned that a toilet is a half bathroom and the place where you go to wash yourself is a full bathroom, but I can't really picture a 3/4 bathroom.

Jon Bon

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #70 on: October 14, 2019, 11:40:21 AM »
@Laserjet3051 as someone who grew up in a house with 3 women, wouldn't it be easier to put up a mirror in everyone's bedroom? Many teenage girls spend a lot of time doing their hair and make-up but you don't have to do that in the bathroom. We shared one bathroom and did our make-up in the bedroom. I can't remember any big fights over the use of the bathroom.

As a non-native speaker of English I'm quite curious what a 3/4 bathroom is. I've learned that a toilet is a half bathroom and the place where you go to wash yourself is a full bathroom, but I can't really picture a 3/4 bathroom.

3/4 of a bath is one with a shower but no tub. I still call it a full bath, its not a term regularly used.


As for the 3 and 1? Hells to the yes! They are great to buy and put a bathroom in. Then some fool will pay you SO MUCH MONEY for it because all the houses around it are only 3 and 1!

I mean you gotta have space to do it, but a small bathroom you can put nearly anywhere.




mm1970

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #71 on: October 14, 2019, 12:23:24 PM »
I don't think we even have room for that extra 1/2 bath.

I take very short showers.  The shortest in the family (hubby, 2 boys).  STILL during my grand total of 5 MINUTES in the bathroom for my 3 minute shower, BOTH boys had to come in - 1 to brush teeth, the other to poo.

Here4theGB

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #72 on: October 14, 2019, 01:18:50 PM »
So do you folks deuce out in a shared office bathroom at work and think to yourself as the person right next to you is channeling the devil himself out of their colon:  "this is awesome, I'd LOVE to do this at home too!"

I have no first hand experience, but I imagine I wouldn't like showering in the same confined space that everyone in my family just took a dump in.

DINK's here, 3.5 baths.  I can at least stomach porcelain and didn't need to go full on golden toilets.

Here4theGB

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #73 on: October 14, 2019, 01:30:12 PM »
So do you folks deuce out in a shared office bathroom at work and think to yourself as the person right next to you is channeling the devil himself out of their colon:  "this is awesome, I'd LOVE to do this at home too!"

I have no first hand experience, but I imagine I wouldn't like showering in the same confined space that everyone in my family just took a dump in.

DINK's here, 3.5 baths.  I can at least stomach porcelain and didn't need to go full on golden toilets.

Wait 5 minutes and run the fan? How much do y'all poop that requires 1.75 bathrooms per person?
I think that's the main gripe.  Wait five minutes here, another 10 there, 5 there, etc....That seems like it would be frustrating.

Our place is a bad example, hence the golden toilet jab at myself.  The condo is 3 stories and that's how it was setup.  It's excessive to be sure, but nice that guests can all have their own.

Metalcat

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #74 on: October 14, 2019, 02:10:23 PM »
So do you folks deuce out in a shared office bathroom at work and think to yourself as the person right next to you is channeling the devil himself out of their colon:  "this is awesome, I'd LOVE to do this at home too!"

I have no first hand experience, but I imagine I wouldn't like showering in the same confined space that everyone in my family just took a dump in.

DINK's here, 3.5 baths.  I can at least stomach porcelain and didn't need to go full on golden toilets.

Wait 5 minutes and run the fan? How much do y'all poop that requires 1.75 bathrooms per person?
I think that's the main gripe.  Wait five minutes here, another 10 there, 5 there, etc....That seems like it would be frustrating.

Our place is a bad example, hence the golden toilet jab at myself.  The condo is 3 stories and that's how it was setup.  It's excessive to be sure, but nice that guests can all have their own.

Eh. It hasn't been a problem in any of my homes. If you have even slightly different schedules or can manage some basic communication, it's fine. People wait for bathrooms at bars and restaurants all the time. I've never had waits at home like I do when I go out.

Same here, even when I shared with the 4 guys, it just wasn't an issue. We kind of had a routine, literally no one EVER used the toilet while someone else was in the shower. The thought actually horrifies me.

It would seem though that a lot of people who don't have digestive problems seem to have much more urgency with their bathroom habits than others.

I'm imagining that's really where the line is between the people who think 1 bathroom is no big deal and the people who consider it insane.

Montecarlo

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #75 on: October 14, 2019, 02:36:06 PM »
If by major comeback, you mean they will never, ever be built again in the US and will be increasingly rare through remodels and dilution, I 100% agree.

Snark aside, I think you are right they are undervalued.  People want their second bath
I lust after an older 3+1 in original condition. Why? Because we flip houses for fun and profit. Adding a second bath adds a ton of value, probably the most bang for your renovation buck out there. A 3+2 sells for a significant premium over a 3+1. Alas, they are like hen's teeth in my area.

IRL, my house is like @big_owl's. We are four adults in a 4+3.5, and I love it! Just tonight DH and I brushed our teeth at the same time, side by side, each at our own sink. It was nice. Not necessary, but nice. We bought this clown house because it's three and a half blocks from DH's work.  When he retires and our responsibilities to the other adults in our household have been discharged, we'll downsize. Hopefully to that mythical 3+1 we continually seek.

Kinda exactly my point, actually :P

OtherJen

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #76 on: October 14, 2019, 02:40:43 PM »
So do you folks deuce out in a shared office bathroom at work and think to yourself as the person right next to you is channeling the devil himself out of their colon:  "this is awesome, I'd LOVE to do this at home too!"

I have no first hand experience, but I imagine I wouldn't like showering in the same confined space that everyone in my family just took a dump in.

DINK's here, 3.5 baths.  I can at least stomach porcelain and didn't need to go full on golden toilets.

Wait 5 minutes and run the fan? How much do y'all poop that requires 1.75 bathrooms per person?
I think that's the main gripe.  Wait five minutes here, another 10 there, 5 there, etc....That seems like it would be frustrating.

Our place is a bad example, hence the golden toilet jab at myself.  The condo is 3 stories and that's how it was setup.  It's excessive to be sure, but nice that guests can all have their own.

Eh. It hasn't been a problem in any of my homes. If you have even slightly different schedules or can manage some basic communication, it's fine. People wait for bathrooms at bars and restaurants all the time. I've never had waits at home like I do when I go out.

This.

Imma

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #77 on: October 14, 2019, 02:54:23 PM »
So do you folks deuce out in a shared office bathroom at work and think to yourself as the person right next to you is channeling the devil himself out of their colon:  "this is awesome, I'd LOVE to do this at home too!"

I have no first hand experience, but I imagine I wouldn't like showering in the same confined space that everyone in my family just took a dump in.

DINK's here, 3.5 baths.  I can at least stomach porcelain and didn't need to go full on golden toilets.

We're DINKs too which means even our small house is empty 99% of the time. Let's assume we each spend 20 minutes a day in the bathroom, which is probably more than we actually do. Out of 24 hours in the day that means the bathroom is occupied less than 3% of the day. I like to take a shower at the end of the day which means my s/o occasionally walks in to brush his teeth which I don't mind at all. We didn't even have any issues when we had a roommate who took two very long showers a day.

big_owl

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #78 on: October 14, 2019, 03:46:24 PM »
So do you folks deuce out in a shared office bathroom at work and think to yourself as the person right next to you is channeling the devil himself out of their colon:  "this is awesome, I'd LOVE to do this at home too!"

I have no first hand experience, but I imagine I wouldn't like showering in the same confined space that everyone in my family just took a dump in.

DINK's here, 3.5 baths.  I can at least stomach porcelain and didn't need to go full on golden toilets.

Wait 5 minutes and run the fan? How much do y'all poop that requires 1.75 bathrooms per person?
I think that's the main gripe.  Wait five minutes here, another 10 there, 5 there, etc....That seems like it would be frustrating.

Our place is a bad example, hence the golden toilet jab at myself.  The condo is 3 stories and that's how it was setup.  It's excessive to be sure, but nice that guests can all have their own.

Eh. It hasn't been a problem in any of my homes. If you have even slightly different schedules or can manage some basic communication, it's fine. People wait for bathrooms at bars and restaurants all the time. I've never had waits at home like I do when I go out.

Same here, even when I shared with the 4 guys, it just wasn't an issue. We kind of had a routine, literally no one EVER used the toilet while someone else was in the shower. The thought actually horrifies me.

It would seem though that a lot of people who don't have digestive problems seem to have much more urgency with their bathroom habits than others.

I'm imagining that's really where the line is between the people who think 1 bathroom is no big deal and the people who consider it insane.

Yeah exactly, I've had diarrhea for 39 years straight so nobody gets to to tell me to hold it while I wait for somebody to finish up. And I don't want to force the sounds and smells of said carnage upon my wife or guests... So the more bathrooms the better.

And it seems our European forum members must be peeing all over the floor or living at a construction site because it only takes like 10min every month or two to clean a bathroom. 

Metalcat

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #79 on: October 14, 2019, 04:12:07 PM »
And it seems our European forum members must be peeing all over the floor or living at a construction site because it only takes like 10min every month or two to clean a bathroom.

It takes me more than 10 minutes a day to clean my bathroom.

I wipe down the tub after every shower, clean the sink and faucet daily, wipe down the toilet every day or so, wipe the counter, Windex the mirror every few days, etc, etc.

I can't fathom a bathroom that only gets cleaned monthly, even just for the dust alone. Granted, my entire apartment is always dust-free and spotless, and the bathroom is no exception...that's one of the benefits of only having one small bathroom.

big_owl

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #80 on: October 14, 2019, 04:18:45 PM »
And it seems our European forum members must be peeing all over the floor or living at a construction site because it only takes like 10min every month or two to clean a bathroom.

It takes me more than 10 minutes a day to clean my bathroom.

I wipe down the tub after every shower, clean the sink and faucet daily, wipe down the toilet every day or so, wipe the counter, Windex the mirror every few days, etc, etc.

I can't fathom a bathroom that only gets cleaned monthly, even just for the dust alone. Granted, my entire apartment is always dust-free and spotless, and the bathroom is no exception...that's one of the benefits of only having one small bathroom.

Damn...

Metalcat

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #81 on: October 14, 2019, 04:30:04 PM »
And it seems our European forum members must be peeing all over the floor or living at a construction site because it only takes like 10min every month or two to clean a bathroom.

It takes me more than 10 minutes a day to clean my bathroom.

I wipe down the tub after every shower, clean the sink and faucet daily, wipe down the toilet every day or so, wipe the counter, Windex the mirror every few days, etc, etc.

I can't fathom a bathroom that only gets cleaned monthly, even just for the dust alone. Granted, my entire apartment is always dust-free and spotless, and the bathroom is no exception...that's one of the benefits of only having one small bathroom.

Damn...

I don't have much of a life apparently. Lol

Hula Hoop

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #82 on: October 14, 2019, 04:42:20 PM »
We only clean our 2 bathrooms maybe twice a week - and the shower probably only once a week.  But even I'm kind of sceeved out by bathrooms that are only cleaned once a month.  Our house is by no means spotless but dirty bathrooms are really gross. 

chouchouu

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #83 on: October 14, 2019, 10:27:37 PM »
@Laserjet3051 as someone who grew up in a house with 3 women, wouldn't it be easier to put up a mirror in everyone's bedroom? Many teenage girls spend a lot of time doing their hair and make-up but you don't have to do that in the bathroom. We shared one bathroom and did our make-up in the bedroom. I can't remember any big fights over the use of the bathroom.

As a non-native speaker of English I'm quite curious what a 3/4 bathroom is. I've learned that a toilet is a half bathroom and the place where you go to wash yourself is a full bathroom, but I can't really picture a 3/4 bathroom.

That was my experience as well with 3 women sharing. We had a mirror in our bedroom where we did our hair and weren't really make up people anyway.

I do agree with those that mentioned having the toilet in a separate room from the bath and shower is nice. Very hard to find that in new builds.

ROF Expat

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #84 on: October 15, 2019, 12:11:03 AM »
I can't imagine the three-bedroom/1 bath home ever making a "comeback" in the sense that there will be any significant number of new 3/1 builds in the US.  think the market has pretty much spoken and most people want another half bath at the very least, and often more.  That's why 3/1 sell at a discount and why the addition of another bathroom adds so much value. 

For anyone that is happy with a 3/1, that's great.  For me, having an extra bathroom or two so that I and my family members can get ready for work or school at the same time, and/or an extra bathroom that guests can use without traipsing upstairs is something I'd really rather not do without.  I admit that it is a "luxury," but to me it is one that is worth the space, money, and effort to clean. 




kei te pai

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #85 on: October 15, 2019, 12:31:38 AM »
I am following this thread with some amusement. I wonder if what we are seeing here is actually a discussion about different cultural attitudes to bodily functions/privacy/modesty?
There are some very strongly expressed views that do not lean toward the Mustachian perspective. Not a criticism, just a comment!

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #86 on: October 15, 2019, 01:17:37 AM »
As I mentioned, in our previous home we had to bathrooms, but only used the one upstairs in practice. So only one bathroom to clean. The other one was mostly used by occasional guests.

In our current home, we have a large bathroom with bathtub adjacent to the bedroom. We even enter the bedroom through the bathroom (design flaw, is you ask me). But that it the bathroom where we brush our teeth and where DH washed himself at the sink most of the time, and takes his occasional bath.
I on the other hand, love to shower. But that big bathroom doesn't have a shower where you can stand under. You can only shower sitting in the bathtub, which is a bit hopeless. So I mostly use bathroom number 2 where there is a shower. There is also room to place a bubble bath in the corner, but we haven't bothered to install one. That bathroom is also closest to our living room, so we use it as the toilet during the rest of the day.
Therefore, even living there with only 2 people, we still use 2 bathrooms and both need to be cleaned regularly. I do that probably weekly, or at least when I notice dust or other uncleanliness. I use maybe 15-20 minutes per bath for a basic wash (sinks, mirrors, scales, toilets, bathtub and flat surfaces), only dry dusting the floor. I generally never need to wipe the tiles on the walls. Occasionally I also scrub the shower floor and wet wipe the whole floor, clean the lamps above the mirrors and wash the shower glass walls. Those glass walls are normally dried on the inside after showering.

Metalcat

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #87 on: October 15, 2019, 04:14:53 AM »
I am following this thread with some amusement. I wonder if what we are seeing here is actually a discussion about different cultural attitudes to bodily functions/privacy/modesty?
There are some very strongly expressed views that do not lean toward the Mustachian perspective. Not a criticism, just a comment!

I'm finding it fascinating.
Although, as one of the people who is comfortable sharing 1 bathroom, I can firmly say that it has nothing to do with me being more lax in terms of bodily functions/privacy/modesty. Quite the opposite. Firm boundaries and structured routines are what make sharing one bathroom easy.

ctuser1

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #88 on: October 15, 2019, 05:39:37 AM »
I've lived in many settings.

I was single for about 5 years out of college. For some of that time I lived mostly on craigslist-roommate situations, i.e. all my belongings fit in two suitcases and I camped on someone's living room couch. Needless to say, I shared the bathrooms with roommates during this time.

Then I landed a travel job. So I got what seemed like "swanky corporate accommodation" (i.e. accommodation that is way beyond what I would pay for). I had a full bathtoom to my disposal during this time.

Then I got married and moved to a 1BD apt. Then a 2BD in anticipation of kid1. It seems we lived in this setting 2BD, 1BA, forever!!

Recently we purchased a 3BD, 2.5Bath house!!

So 1Bath has been the norm for me for much of my adult life, including almost a decade with kids!! It works fine till you have guests over (e.g. in-laws, parents etc.).

My monthly carrying cost for the house (excluding mortgage principal, but including amortized portion of all long term cost) is $3200. My monthly carrying cost of the 2BD/1Ba rental was ~$1800.

Let's just say I'm fine paying this extra $1400/mo, thereby pushing back my FI goals. 1.5 extra bathrooms is an important part of that equation!!

A 3BD/1Ba house sold in our neighborhood for about $200k. For reference, our house (3BD, 2.5Ba) cost me $270k 3 years ago and will likely go for $310k-ish today. That is a very temptingly large difference.

But, no thanks for personal use, unless I can spend the $20/$30k for adding an extra bath. 
« Last Edit: October 15, 2019, 06:39:29 AM by ctuser1 »

Cranky

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #89 on: October 15, 2019, 05:51:35 AM »
TMI, but I’ve always said that I have the world’s fastest kidneys, and if I’m drinking coffee in the morning I deeply appreciate not waiting in line for the bathroom.

I don’t even have “clean bathroom” as a separate chore item. I wipe the counter off every morning and change the hand towel. The toilet gets cleaned as needed, by the person who just used it. The floor gets washed when I wash the kitchen floor.

I do scrub out one of the showers once/week, with disinfectant, alternating between them. That takes maybe 10 minutes? I wipe off the back of the toilet then, too. What else gets dusty in the bathroom?

big_owl

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #90 on: October 15, 2019, 06:00:51 AM »
There are whole threads on this forum devoted to not using shampoo or soap.... Just saying.

But this whole conversation did remind me of an SNL bit from when I was a kid, luckily YouTube is around to preserve it.

https://youtu.be/avb1XbO0EIs


« Last Edit: October 15, 2019, 06:13:08 AM by big_owl »

StarBright

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #91 on: October 15, 2019, 06:07:50 AM »
I grew up in small 3 bed 1bath and I never had issues with the small but I swore when I grew up I'd have at least 2 bathrooms and a big hot water tank.

I had to wake up ungodly early to get my shower in and get ready from 6th grade until college and I'm not a morning person and I hated it! My dad had a no shower at night rule though because the sound of it disturbed his sleep so we all had to get ready in the AM.

As an adult I have a two bath house and I am thankful.

Metalcat

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #92 on: October 15, 2019, 06:10:43 AM »
TMI, but I’ve always said that I have the world’s fastest kidneys, and if I’m drinking coffee in the morning I deeply appreciate not waiting in line for the bathroom.

I don’t even have “clean bathroom” as a separate chore item. I wipe the counter off every morning and change the hand towel. The toilet gets cleaned as needed, by the person who just used it. The floor gets washed when I wash the kitchen floor.

I do scrub out one of the showers once/week, with disinfectant, alternating between them. That takes maybe 10 minutes? I wipe off the back of the toilet then, too. What else gets dusty in the bathroom?

The mirror, on top of the mirror, door frames, baseboards, art, toothbrush chargers, plunger, toilet brush lid, literally any item that doesn't move much.

nereo

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #93 on: October 15, 2019, 06:29:59 AM »
One under-discussed aspect of the OP here is the assumption that homes built several decades ago (e.g. in the 1950s-1970s) were somehow ‘better constructed’ than new construction homes.  I think this is dead wrong.

I’m reminded of a running joke of both Norm (Yankee Workshop) and Bob Vila (This Old House) whenever they started renovation work.  “Man, they sure don’t make them like they used to... [long pause] ... thank god!”

Part of this is certainly survival bias; the homes which are still around from three generations ago were well built and well cared for, and/or have been extensively renovated.  The poorly built ones have been bulldozed.  In contrast, while building codes can be a PITA during construction and renovation, the net result is a much safer, better insulated and less toxic dwelling.  Homes from the 50s-70s were among the worst offenders, as building-science hadn’t come to the forefront and builders didn’t understand the importance of air-sealing.  New materials (asbestos, formaldehyde, plastics) were used before we knew anything about their potential hazards.

Anyway.... FWIW we have a 3/3 but plan to rent out 1 bedroom and 1 bathroom (so our ‘living space’ is a 2/2).  I’d rather have our theoretical second-child share a bedroom than lose that second bathroom, but I acknowledge this is a ‘first-world problem’. 

Boofinator

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #94 on: October 15, 2019, 07:27:43 AM »
There's frugal, and then there's cheap.* For any living condition with more than two people, one bathroom falls on the cheap side of the spectrum (with of course the exception of where the current conception of cheap is actually frugal, such as a really low-income situation or having lived in the '70s). I would trade off in a heartbeat working two extra months of my life in order to be able to 1) have access to a crapper when I (or my family members) need one and 2) have general access to a bathroom when it is convenient. It's kind of like the decision of whether or not to own a car (or a second car): sure, I don't necessarily need one, and I would save a lot of money by not having one, but does it measurably improve my living standard relative to the amount I have to work to afford it?

*And then there's clownish: My current house has 4.5 baths, which is overkill for most of the year despite seven fulltime occupants.

Davnasty

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #95 on: October 15, 2019, 07:29:40 AM »
There are whole threads on this forum devoted to not using shampoo or soap.... Just saying.

But this whole conversation did remind me of an SNL bit from when I was a kid, luckily YouTube is around to preserve it.

https://youtu.be/avb1XbO0EIs

Just saying what? Given the context it sounds like you're saying this is gross? My hair is healthier and less dry than it was when I used shampoo. I don't see anything gross about that.

And I'm a little skeptical of these supposed threads dedicated to not using soap, but if they exist I would be open minded to whether it's possible to do so and still be clean. If it works it works. Our ingrained beliefs that certain things are necessary don't change the real world results. Isn't that the underlying premise of this community?

Boofinator

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #96 on: October 15, 2019, 07:38:23 AM »
There are whole threads on this forum devoted to not using shampoo or soap.... Just saying.

But this whole conversation did remind me of an SNL bit from when I was a kid, luckily YouTube is around to preserve it.

https://youtu.be/avb1XbO0EIs

Just saying what? Given the context it sounds like you're saying this is gross? My hair is healthier and less dry than it was when I used shampoo. I don't see anything gross about that.

And I'm a little skeptical of these supposed threads dedicated to not using soap, but if they exist I would be open minded to whether it's possible to do so and still be clean. If it works it works. Our ingrained beliefs that certain things are necessary don't change the real world results. Isn't that the underlying premise of this community?

Lol! This is the MMM forums, you know? I'd be willing to bet, without actually having personally seen one or searched for one, that at least half a dozen such threads exist.

That being said, in hopes of derailing just a bit, I'm firmly in the less-is-more when it comes to non-hygienic uses of soap.

Davnasty

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #97 on: October 15, 2019, 07:43:21 AM »
There's frugal, and then there's cheap.* For any living condition with more than two people, one bathroom falls on the cheap side of the spectrum (with of course the exception of where the current conception of cheap is actually frugal, such as a really low-income situation or having lived in the '70s). I would trade off in a heartbeat working two extra months of my life in order to be able to 1) have access to a crapper when I (or my family members) need one and 2) have general access to a bathroom when it is convenient. It's kind of like the decision of whether or not to own a car (or a second car): sure, I don't necessarily need one, and I would save a lot of money by not having one, but does it measurably improve my living standard relative to the amount I have to work to afford it?

*And then there's clownish: My current house has 4.5 baths, which is overkill for most of the year despite seven fulltime occupants.

I'd work two extra months for another bathroom too, but where'd you come up with that number?

Quote
The National Association of Home Builders reports that adding a half-bath to your home increases the value of an average home by 10 1/2 percent. Adding a full bath boosts the value by 20 percent.

https://pocketsense.com/much-new-bathroom-increase-value-house-1435.html

Davnasty

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #98 on: October 15, 2019, 07:59:17 AM »
There are whole threads on this forum devoted to not using shampoo or soap.... Just saying.

But this whole conversation did remind me of an SNL bit from when I was a kid, luckily YouTube is around to preserve it.

https://youtu.be/avb1XbO0EIs

Just saying what? Given the context it sounds like you're saying this is gross? My hair is healthier and less dry than it was when I used shampoo. I don't see anything gross about that.

And I'm a little skeptical of these supposed threads dedicated to not using soap, but if they exist I would be open minded to whether it's possible to do so and still be clean. If it works it works. Our ingrained beliefs that certain things are necessary don't change the real world results. Isn't that the underlying premise of this community?

Lol! This is the MMM forums, you know? I'd be willing to bet, without actually having personally seen one or searched for one, that at least half a dozen such threads exist.

That being said, in hopes of derailing just a bit, I'm firmly in the less-is-more when it comes to non-hygienic uses of soap.

Well then, now I have to go searching... Here we are!

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/welcome-to-the-forum/has-anyone-tried-not-using-soap-and-shampoo-when-they-bathe/

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/how-is-it-possible-to-shower-without-soap/

https://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/not-washing-with-soap-shampoo-or-brushing-teeth-for-prolonged-period/

But in skimming those threads it doesn't look like anyone is really arguing that we shouldn't use soap. Skipping shampoo is very different than skipping soap altogether.

nereo

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Re: In praise of the 3 bedroom 1 bathroom house.
« Reply #99 on: October 15, 2019, 08:02:15 AM »
There's frugal, and then there's cheap.* For any living condition with more than two people, one bathroom falls on the cheap side of the spectrum (with of course the exception of where the current conception of cheap is actually frugal, such as a really low-income situation or having lived in the '70s). I would trade off in a heartbeat working two extra months of my life in order to be able to 1) have access to a crapper when I (or my family members) need one and 2) have general access to a bathroom when it is convenient. It's kind of like the decision of whether or not to own a car (or a second car): sure, I don't necessarily need one, and I would save a lot of money by not having one, but does it measurably improve my living standard relative to the amount I have to work to afford it?

*And then there's clownish: My current house has 4.5 baths, which is overkill for most of the year despite seven fulltime occupants.

I'd work two extra months for another bathroom too, but where'd you come up with that number?

Quote
The National Association of Home Builders reports that adding a half-bath to your home increases the value of an average home by 10 1/2 percent. Adding a full bath boosts the value by 20 percent.

https://pocketsense.com/much-new-bathroom-increase-value-house-1435.html

Well, we recently had a room completely plumbed + electrical to be a full-bath for just under $6k.  Add flooring, fixture and drywall/paint and the total for this particular bathroom would be around $9k.  So that’s pretty darn close to 2 months of our salary for a nicely-done 100sqft bathroom.

I’m certain one could do it for half that if the plumbing were straightforward, or one could easily spend $50k if it involved putting an extension on with external walls and a roof.