Can as many people as possible read this as it is very important

happyfella

HI, I really need some input. I struggle to get up the stairs to go to the toilet and i am considering having an extension built onto the back of my property. The designer also already been out and said the only way to add a toilet downstairs for me is to build an extension that comes off the kitchen and half was across my lounge.

However, this means that i will have no window in my kithcne or natural light. and in the dinning room which backs onto the loung the big window would be removed and a small door put in its place.

That means the light to the dinning room would be reduced by a lot, and the would make the front room a bit darker.

They have looked at lots of different ways to put a downstairs toilet in my property and that is the only way.

My problem is, i really need the downstairs toilet but i am worried about no natural light in the kitchen.

I am also worried that, if i wanted to sell the house in like ten years time, would anyone want to buy it.

The toilet would also be a wet room. Although i have no intention of moving, no one knows what could happen in ten years time, and that is my worry as well.

Would anyone want to have a wet room downstairs and would any want to buy a property where there is no natural light in the kitchen and where the light is reduced in the dining room.

I would really value your opinion. A stair lift is out of the question for many reasons.

janer1967

Hi 

I can understand your problem I don't think having a toilet and wet room downstairs would put peoole off buying in the future but the lack of natural light could 

There are lots of clever lighting solutions out there which may help you 

Do you manage to get upstairs to bed ? Another option could be physio teaching you alternative ways to get upstairs 

They did this with me when I has my leg amputated but obviously I don't know what it is that stops you using stairs 

Another option could be an actual lift 

happyfella

janer1967 said:

Hi 

I can understand your problem I don't think having a toilet and wet room downstairs would put peoole off buying in the future but the lack of natural light could 

There are lots of clever lighting solutions out there which may help you 

Do you manage to get upstairs to bed ? Another option could be physio teaching you alternative ways to get upstairs 

They did this with me when I has my leg amputated but obviously I don't know what it is that stops you using stairs 

Another option could be an actual lift 

i have physio but it does not help me getting upstairs to the toilet. I suffer from serious pain going to the toilet upstairs. I do sleep up stairs though.

I have been offered a stair lift which would take me the majority of the way but i do not want that option. It is a long story.

The only option is to either have the extension built or struggle. But with no light in the kitchen, it does worry me if we ever wanted to sell in the long future

janer1967

I wasn't meaning a stair lift I mean a elevator type lift they do them specifically for in house for disabled people 

I was also referring to alternative ways to get upstairs like sitting and pushing yourself up with your arms one step at a time 

If you have explored all the options already as you say it's either the extension or manage to cope 

What about a commode to use downstairs you can have a service that comes to empty for you if required 

poppy123456

I agree that the lack of natural light in the living and no window in the kitchen could put people off, if you wanted to sell in the future. I know if i was looking to buy a house i wouldn't want to buy one with no window in my kitchen, that would be a major put off for me. Surely it can't be a good idea not to have a window in your kitchen?

The through lift option that was mentioned by janer, can only be possible if you have enough of space in 2 rooms for the lift. This would be 1 room downstairs and another room upstairs for the lift to go into. It would remain upstairs when not in use. Speaking from personal experience, they take up a huge amount of space. Maintenance of those can also be expensive because you need to have them seviced yearly.

The stair lift option would be your best one here but you said you don't want that. Is that because you just don't like them or because you don't want visitors to your home knowing you need to lift? Having this lift would be so much easier than any other option you mentioned above, especially taking away all of your netural light.

Other than that it would be the comode option or as janer as advised, live like you are now and manage as best you can. I think i remember you posting about this before if i'm not mistaken.

happyfella

the only options available would be the stairlift or the extension, the others i would not consider or could not be possible.

poppy123456

With an extension that will give you no natural light in the kitchen and less natural light in another room, i know which option i'd be taking.

chiarieds

As there's a lack of properties suitable for disabled/elderly people, I wouldn't think this on it's own would put potential buyers off.

I wonder if there's a way to make your kitchen into a kitchen & dining area, or make the lounge into one with a dining area. So, doing away with your dining room, if this is feasible.

As Jane mentions, there are some clever lighting options, & also ways to make your rooms appear lighter. Please see here for example: https://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/resources/dont-lot-natural-light/

When I had a new kitchen installed, I had an electrician who, amongst other things, & taking onboard my needs, came up with some good ideas including LED lights that you can tilt to focus light where you need them. My son is nearing the end of his home improvements, & has a new ceiling in his kitchen also with LED lights, & some under his wall units too. This because one of his kitchen windows needed to be much reduced in size in order that he could then get a fitted oven. So, if possible, I would consider finding a good, local electrician to see what they might come up with.

happyfella

poppy123456 said:

With an extension that will give you no natural light in the kitchen and less natural light in another room, i know which option i'd be taking.

and what is that

happyfella

chiarieds said:

As there's a lack of properties suitable for disabled/elderly people, I wouldn't think this on it's own would put potential buyers off.

I wonder if there's a way to make your kitchen into a kitchen & dining area, or make the lounge into one with a dining area. So, doing away with your dining room, if this is feasible.

As Jane mentions, there are some clever lighting options, & also ways to make your rooms appear lighter. Please see here for example: https://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/resources/dont-lot-natural-light/

When I had a new kitchen installed, I had an electrician who, amongst other things, & taking onboard my needs, came up with some good ideas including LED lights that you can tilt to focus light where you need them. My son is nearing the end of his home improvements, & has a new ceiling in his kitchen also with LED lights, & some under his wall units too. This because one of his kitchen windows needed to be much reduced in size in order that he could then get a fitted oven. So, if possible, I would consider finding a good, local electrician to see what they might come up with.

Thank you for that. We have considered making the kitchen and dining area in one. Because doing that would then bring more light into the kitchen area and would make it more modern instead of walking into a room with no window.

We have a boiler on the back wall. There is no where else to really put it we have been told. if we could have moved it then we could have had a window there

poppy123456

happyfella said:

poppy123456 said:

With an extension that will give you no natural light in the kitchen and less natural light in another room, i know which option i'd be taking.

and what is that

I thought that would be obvious considering my comment about no natural light... stair lift. You can have all the LED lights you want but you can't compare them to natural light.

chiarieds

About your boiler, again just from personal experience. I bought my property from my son's now mother-in-law, & she was told her boiler couldn't be moved, yet I had it moved when I had my kitchen renovated. There are sometimes ways around what are perceived as problems.

As above, however, a stair lift may be an option. You could have it removed in the future, altho I believe this would also incur a cost.

woodbine

I think we have to live with the here and now and not worry about ten years time, just how I see it.