Houses from the 1950's

bashe · 06-03-2009, 02:31 PM

So I have been browsing the housing market in hopes of purchasing a house in about a year. One thing that I have noticed is that many of the houses build in the 50's and 60's only have one bathroom. They have 3 or 4 bedrooms but only 1 bathroom. Did people not use the bathroom in the 50's? Maybe children were not allowed to use the bathroom? Many of these houses look really nice, but one bathroom? Really?

**Bernie Brewer** · 06-03-2009, 02:41 PM

Well, bathrooms are some of the more expensive rooms in the house. Especially back then, in the days of cast iron drain pipes and galvanized supply pipes. It was a lot cheaper to add a couple extra bedrooms. Bathrooms, not so much.

CBBaron · 06-03-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bashe

So I have been browsing the housing market in hopes of purchasing a house in about a year. One thing that I have noticed is that many of the houses build in the 50's and 60's only have one bathroom. They have 3 or 4 bedrooms but only 1 bathroom. Did people not use the bathroom in the 50's? Maybe children were not allowed to use the bathroom? Many of these houses look really nice, but one bathroom? Really?

I grew up in a much older house with a single bathroom and a family of 6. Its not that hard to share. In the 50's multiple bathrooms were still a luxury and "master bath's" were unheard of. Now we're just spoiled.

Craig

**HenryHill** · 06-03-2009, 02:43 PM

There was no 'Pill' in the 50's, and back then, everyone didn't feel entitled to more than they needed.

In other words, they dealt with things and worked them out a little more than now.

SmugMug · 06-03-2009, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bashe

So I have been browsing the housing market in hopes of purchasing a house in about a year. One thing that I have noticed is that many of the houses build in the 50's and 60's only have one bathroom. They have 3 or 4 bedrooms but only 1 bathroom. Did people not use the bathroom in the 50's? Maybe children were not allowed to use the bathroom? Many of these houses look really nice, but one bathroom? Really?

Looking in South Side? My bro had a house off Green Springs Ave a few years back and it only had 1 bathroom. They converted the "mudroom" at the back entrance to a half bath.

flyangler18 · 06-03-2009, 02:46 PM

My inlaws' house sounds very similar, and it was the house that my wife was born and raised in. Buy once, and that's where you lived. 3 bedrooms, 1 bathroom. Not unusual at all for the time.

**the_bird** · 06-03-2009, 02:52 PM

Yeah, the house my MIL grew up in (South Buffalo) was built post-war, six kids, one (small) bath. The house my MIL bought in the same neighborhood was the same, just one bath. Maybe that's why they planted trees in the backyard, for the little boys to use!

bashe · 06-03-2009, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmugMug

Looking in South Side? My bro had a house off Green Springs Ave a few years back and it only had 1 bathroom. They converted the "mudroom" at the back entrance to a half bath.

I am mainly looking in hoover. many of the houses are newer but the ones with the big yards are all older.

SmugMug · 06-03-2009, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bashe

I am mainly looking in hoover. many of the houses are newer but the ones with the big yards are all older.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you have someone do a thorough inspection on the house, especially if it's older. I've had friends tell me horror stories about some of the older houses in Cahaba Heights. They all looked nice and were decently priced which meant the buyers would have more money for updates/additions. Turns out that most of them had structural issues and that extra money went to repairs. Not sure how true it is, but sounds valid enough to me to be aware of older homes.

FYI - Ben Chenault at Mortgage Banc is a fantastic broker if you're looking for one.

jgln · 06-03-2009, 05:08 PM

What made it worse besides having girls spending too much time in the bathroom were the boys. When you share a bedroom with others it's the only room in the house where you can get some privacy.