From a quiet little place to a dream cottage How an old toilet in Wales became a vacation paradise

A former public toilet on the beach in Wales has been transformed into a charming vacation home. After almost ten years of renovation, the cottage is now for sale again.

In Wales, a former public toilet has been transformed into an attractive vacation home. In the immediate vicinity of the beach, including a sea view.

The local authority demanded a high price for the toilet block in Barmouth, northwest of Cardiff on the strait between Wales and Ireland. The property fetched just under 35,000 francs in a bidding process. A steep price for a run-down toilet block without a functioning toilet.

But that didn't stop Elaine and Alan Taylor from buying it anyway. The British couple, aged 53 and 63, recognized the potential of the public toilet - namely its location.

300,000 francs conversion costs

The two are said to have discovered the offer while on vacation by the sea in 2009, writes "Wales Online". So they bought the cottage at auction for the equivalent of 33,000 francs. Their offer was accepted in 2015. They then invested another 300,000 francs in the conversion.

The result: a beautiful little house reminiscent of a dacha, finca and bungalow on the beach.

Elaine tells the newspaper: "Many people found our decision interesting. These days you might hear comments like that more often, but back then I think it was quite unusual. People kept asking us if we would keep the toilets as such."

She continues: "One reason why we bought and converted the empty toilet block was that we felt we weren't taking away any living space, but only enhancing the area by revitalizing an abandoned building."

Project took almost 10 years

The transformation of the old toilet building into a new project took almost ten years. There were delays right from the start.

Elaine recalls: "We received the building permit in the fall of 2016, but we weren't allowed to start until the school vacations due to the proximity to a school. So we started in summer 2017."

However, the biggest challenge came during the planning phase. As the building is on the beach, the couple had to work with Natural Resources Wales. An authority responsible for environmental protection, regulation and conservation of natural resources in Wales.

Cottage for sale again

But now, almost 10 years later, the cottage is finally finished. But over time, the couple's plans have changed. They no longer spend as much time in Wales and Elaine no longer works there. They don't want the property to stand empty again, they want it to be used and looked after.

That is why the toilet block is for sale again. However, it is not yet known how high the price will be.