New build - bathroom door opening

Tomek398

This is new build, two storey 2 bed house. The first floor bathroom is tiny. Only 2x1.7m. Why do architects design such small bathroom with doors swinging inside? It looks like a stupid idea. Are there any regulations re: direction of door opening in bathroom in Ireland?

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058284134/new-build-bathroom-door-opening

An outward opening door in that location would be a fire safety issue I think (someone collapsing against it in the landing wedging it shut). Having an outward opening door at the top of your stairs seems pretty silly even outside of fire.

Doors open into rooms, except where there's some disability access required (a lot of new builds, maybe all, will have a disabled access toilet on the ground floor with an outward swinging door).

A good alternative to both of those options would be the option of a sliding door. It takes up minimal space and doesn't pose any fire safety risk. Although I'm not sure if you can get ones made out of wood rather than glass.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058284134/new-build-bathroom-door-opening

i dont really see the problem with that WC, especially for a 2 bed house (presuming there is an accessible WC downstairs too)

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058284134/new-build-bathroom-door-opening

Small bathroom? Which of the bedroom or the landing would you take the space from to make it bigger?

Claw Hammer

If that door swung out it could knock someone backways down the stairs. making a bigger bathroom would take space from the bedroom. Most people want the space in the bedroom rather than the bathroom. Widening the bathroom would mean the door to the bedroom would hit the bed sop the bed would have to be moved. The designer did the best they could with the space available. Don't move into the house if you don't like it.

standardg60

Not sure what you're planning to do in it OP but it's precisely the size of my bathroom and i've managed fine for 20 years.

On the other hand two of my sister's houses have bathrooms at least 4 times the size and look ridiculous. With any modicum of better design both could have easily have accommodated en-suites for the adjoining bedrooms.

sprucemoose

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120237337#Comment_120237337

a two-bed house doesnt really need 3 WCs most likely

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120237390#Comment_120237390

Sorry should have clarified, mine is two bed, theirs are four.

Tomek398

Thank you all for your comments.

Size of the rooms/bathrooms/kitchens etc is always very subjective topic. For myself, that first floor bathroom is very small and door swinging inwards limits the available space even more. I'd like to have it done that way:

I don't see any issue and conflicts with the stairs. I don't see any fire safety issues as well, but again, I'm not expert in local regulations.

Sliding doors is also very nice idea. I like those ones which are hidden inside the wall, but as far as I know they require substantial modifications.  

Tomek398

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120237337#Comment_120237337

This is not a joke! :-) I have to share my bathroom with my cat and need to put his cat litter tray somewhere.

Tomek398

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120237148#Comment_120237148

from garden. The total width of the house is a problem.

cloughy

I'd look at pocket door if I were you, it goes into a cavity in the wall, not overly expensive in grand scheme of things, take up a bit more width for the wall it retracts into

Another option is a small bifold/concertina door so it folds back on itself do smaller opening

Tomek398

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120239693#Comment_120239693

I like the idea of pocket door. Just need to get more info about the cost etc. The house is still under construction but (as far as I know) developer is not flexible and will install the door according to initial specification.

JohnnyChimpo

Pocket door can affect where the light-switches end up being placed, etc. but if youre doing this during the construction phase everything is possible

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120239878#Comment_120239878

assuming the bath itself doesnt actually span the full length of the bathroom wall, some of the space at bottom (as we look at it) side of bath could be used for pocket door cavity, & this wouldnt interfere with any utilities/light switches on other side of wall in hall.

The door would look a bit odd as it would be recessed from the wall a bit as you look from the hall, but would avoid OPs swinging door issue.

Still OP, even with a sliding door you would not have good space for a litter tray, it would be in the way of the sink toilet or bath depending on where you put it, regardless of door.

Tomek398

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120239961#Comment_120239961

Yes, you right. It will be very little space for a tray even with sliding doors but I need to find better solution than door swinging inwards.

Claw Hammer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120238913#Comment_120238913

If someone is coming up the stairs and reaching the landing just as the dorr opens they could be knocked backways. The person opening the bathroom door may not be aware of them and neither will they know someone is about to leave the bathroom. Your house insurance may not cover you if you alter the door like that. Someone could end up in a wheelchair.

mickdw

Pocket door if you are early enough in the construction might add about 500 to cost.

Then again developer will probably take the piss.

Faith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120240186#Comment_120240186

There's likely to be space under your stairs, could you put the tray in there? You could cut a cat flap into the door so it doesn't need to be left open.

RichardAnd

It wouldn't be too difficult to alter the door to swing outwards. If you're handy, you could do it yourself, but it could be done by a handyman without costing too much.

Just don't hire someone like this:

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RdTNcTcoDGI

Claw Hammer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120243115#Comment_120243115

It might not be difficult to do, but it would create a dangerous situation.

Tomek398

I don't understand where you see that dangerous situation. I was living in the house (parent's house) where bathroom doors are swinging outwards and it has never created dangerous situations.

mickdw

A door opening out might pass regulation of its swing does not encroach on minimum landing area.

Given the layout of the stairs and toilet in this thread, I feel a door opening out could very well create a shock situation when someone just approaching the top of the stairs has a door opened out quickly into their face and could result in a missed step and fall.

I certainly wouldn't design a house with a door opening out so close to stairs.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120250232#Comment_120250232

Was said bathroom door at the top of a stairs / small landing?

Claw Hammer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120250232#Comment_120250232

Look at the diagram above. Anyone coming up that stairs has to step as they alight on the landing. If someone arrives on the landing as the door is swinging outwards they will be struck by the door and knocked back towards the stairs.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120238913#Comment_120238913

Cannot do that. Cannot and should not have a door opening into the escape stairs / route.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120239878#Comment_120239878

Should not be any light switches on the inside wall of a bathroom anyway. Biggest problem is that the developer will not sway because of regulation requirements and BCAR sign off.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120250232#Comment_120250232

Regulations have changed since your parents house was constructed.

Meeoow

Would you install a shower instead of the bath? I'm getting rid of my bath if I ever get enough money together to do up my house.

JohnnyChimpo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120259196#Comment_120259196

It would affect the cable chasing on external switches too. Obviously not insurmountable it just needs to be considered

Tomek398

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120259200#Comment_120259200

Maybe. I don't know that . That is why I created that topic to find out but nobody provided convincing arguments so far.

Tomek398

This is the same house but this time ground floor. Corridor is quite narrow (~1.2). I completely don't understand why front door doesn't open outwards creating more precious space inside. For that reason WC door opens in very inconvenient way for people coming from living room or kitchen.

I've seen number of hoses in Ireland with front doors opening outwards so it must be allowed. I think that desing was done on Monday morning ;-)

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120264891#Comment_120264891

Front doors open inwards so they're easier to break down by fire brigade.

The hinges are on the inside so burglars cant pop the hinge pins.

A visitor doesn't have to step backwards to be let into your house.

They don't catch in the strong wind.

Small children and animals can't push the door to open it.

Many more reasons.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120264860#Comment_120264860

Building Regulations.

That’s the convincing argument that’s required. You have no choice but to accept it.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120264891#Comment_120264891

Ground floor WC’s are visitable and accessible as required by building regulations. The door opens out to allow for the space inside to be unobstructed to allow a wheelchair user to transfer to the toilet.

The opening door will not cause a greater I just by pushing someone down a flight of stairs.

Deal with it unfortunately. You don’t like it, don’t buy a new dwelling.

Doop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120259190#Comment_120259190

But yet the downstairs WC door can ????

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120265661#Comment_120265661

Yes because it’s at ground floor level. The door doesn’t push you down a flight of stairs.

Plus when escaping from the ground floor, you would normally expect people to be awake and alert as opposed to upstairs when they may have just been woken from a deep sleep and not be 100% aware of their surroundings.

Claw Hammer

Furthermore, on the ground floor there will be alternative escape routes. There will likely be a back door and windows opening to the back or side of the dwelling.

Tomek398

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120265325#Comment_120265325

Maybe I wasn't clear enough. I don't want ground floor WC doors to swing inwards. I want them open in different dirrection (left-right) so that I can access WC more easily from the living room.

I don't want to continue discussion about first floor bathroom door. For me it is a pure stupidity that the space in the tiny bathroom (just 3.4m2) is taken by the doors opening inwards.

o1s1n

How about a folding door? I was thinking about installing one in my bathroom that has a similar issue to yours.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120266032#Comment_120266032

It's the way it is so you can just push it closed in the event of an emergency exit. Suck it up if you don't like it.

Tomek398

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120264937#Comment_120264937

>>>Front doors open inwards so they're easier to break down by fire brigade.

They can easly break down the house front door regardless the direction of its opening.

>>>The hinges are on the inside so burglars cant pop the hinge pins.

There is special protections for it which has been available for many years.

>>>A visitor doesn't have to step backwards to be let into your house.

:-) :-) It is not a problem :-)

>>>They don't catch in the strong wind.

Not a problem. They can be protected for it

>>>Small children and animals can't push the door to open it.

The same applies whey they are inside.

There are many more advantages to the fron door swinging outside when there is limited space in corridor inside.

Tomek398

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120266055#Comment_120266055

If we consider emergency situation, it would be better to have front dooor opening outside.

Stone Deaf 4evr

I've a feeling that no matter the answers you get, you're not going to happy, as you've convinced yourself that your own ideas are the right ones.

kinda like not wearing a seatbelt as it'll let you escape the car quickly if there was an accident.

Doop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120265981#Comment_120265981

Ah right I see... people become alert as soon as they reach the bottom of the stairs.

Calahonda52

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120250232#Comment_120250232

you have already said you don't understand the regs, You should start with that and work back.

Feisar

OP, absolutely no offence meant by my question, however is this the first time you've looked at a set of plans, not just of this house but of any one? I ask because I can guarantee you have been stepping into bathrooms in houses all yer life and thought nothing of it. The door swing is shown there so it all looks tight but you open the door, step through and close it after you, it's no big deal.

rob316

deleted

tvjunki

Had the same issue in a dormer bungalow with small landing so installed a sliding door on a barn door track. Works great. Can be expensive but we installed it ourselves.

Also in another house disabled bathroom there was a sliding door for extra space so a wheelchair could turn.

Padre_Pio

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120266094#Comment_120266094

I don't wear a seatbelt so I am safely ejected from the car through the windscreen.