People love bathroom space. We’ve never heard anyone say, “I have too many bathrooms, would you please turn one of them into a closet for me?” There’s no arguing that adding a bathroom can improve both your home’s value, and your family’s enjoyment, but is it worth it? Here are some great scenarios when adding a bathroom is absolutely worth it !
You’re adding more people to your home.
Adding a bathroom is absolutely worth it when there are going to be more people in your home. For instance, you could be bringing home a new baby, moving in your older parents, planning to rent out a portion of your home or just entertaining more guests. Whatever your reason, having too few bathrooms with extra people in your home can be a major inconvenience. Not to mention, it makes living in harmony almost impossible.
Your children are getting older and need their own bathrooms.
While it might not seem like a necessity, adding a bathroom is absolutely worth it when it makes your home more flexible to live in. For example,your bathroom hoarding pre-teen daughter is sharing a bathroom with her teenage brother who loves to take 30 minute showers. They are always fighting over bathroom time and it is costing you your sanity, what little you have left anyway. Homeowners ranked a adding a bathroom a perfect 10 on a survey conducted by Houselogic.com. (10 being the most happy and satisfied and 1 being completely unsatisfied)
Your bathroom to bedroom ratio is not where it needs to be.
In particular, the most valuable time to add a bathroom to your home is when you only have one bathroom (ex. 3 bedrooms / 1 bath). In this case adding a bathroom is absolutely worth it. Not only for your peace of mind, but also for the resale benefits. Having a home that has 3 bedrooms, and 2 baths will make a considerable impression with buyers, especially over a 3 bedroom / 1 bath home. Notably, buyers that will consider buying a home with 2 bathrooms may never consider purchasing a home with just one bathroom. Therefore you expand your buyer pool to a whole new market of buyers!
Still deciding if you should add an extra bathroom? Check out these facts:
- On average, you will recoup 60% of the costs of adding a new bathroom to your home at resale.
- Adding a half bath typically adds 10% to your home’s value
- Adding a full bathroom adds about 20% to the home value.
- If your home has a below average number of bathrooms for your neighborhood, adding a bathroom could bring a great ROI.
- Oh, and no more stressing out over bathroom space
If you are concerned with getting the most return out of your bathroom addition, speak with a realtor who can guide you in the right direction. A realtor can tell you what buyers in your area are looking for.
If you’ve decided that adding a bathroom is absolutely worth it for your home, check out our top recommendations below.
- Make sure to add an exhaust fan! It’s the #1 feature homebuyers want in a bathroom, says the National Association of Home Builders. 90% of buyers ranked an exhaust fan as their must have bathroom item. Linen closets came in at a close second. An exhaust fan will help clear nasty odors and moisture from your bathroom. Adding years to the life of your paint, slowing rust on fixtures, prevent door and window warping, and cut down on maintenance costs due to mold and moisture. Plus your bathroom will smell much better! exhaust fan.jpg
- Try to balance your full shower to tub ratio. Buyers with young children prefer homes with at least one tub. Older buyers enjoy the convenience of not stepping in and out of a slippery tub when they want to take a shower.
- Consider motion activated faucets. They can save you money and help the environment. No more wasting water or forgetting to turn off faucets.
- Get a high efficiency dual flush toilet. These are especially helpful if you have a septic tank, plus they will save you money on your water bill. Just select your type of flush based on liquid or solid waste.
- Be mindful of alternative door options. Pocket or sliding (barn style) doors are a great space saving option. One thing that is often overlooked, a standard door can take up to 14 square foot of valuable bathroom space! Pocket or sliding doors can maximize your space and provide a unique visual appeal. pocket door.jpg
- Keep your paint colors light. – Light colors help your bathroom look bigger and bring a refreshing and relaxing vibe. This doesn’t mean your bathroom has to be boring. Think of adding more vibrant colors in your decor pieces such as artwork, mirror framing, or towels or even in your backsplash.
clear nasty odors and moisture from your bathroom. Adding years to the life of your paint, slowing rust on fixtures, prevent door and window warping, and cut down on maintenance costs due to mold and moisture. Plus your bathroom will smell much better! exhaust fan.jpg
Be mindful of alternative door options. Pocket or sliding (barn style) doors are a great space saving option. One thing that is often overlooked, a standard door can take up to 14 square foot of valuable bathroom space! Pocket or sliding doors can maximize your space and provide a unique visual appeal. pocket door.jpg