Does an Extra Bathroom Add Value?
You may be looking into the value of your house because you're intrigued, or, you want to move onto a new chapter in your life - will an extra room, specifically a bathroom, add more value to your house? Read on to find out.
Finding out the value of your house is good to know regardless if you’re selling or not. It's always wise to keep an eye on the housing market because you never know if it's going to drop or spike, which will impact the price of your house. Having more than one bathroom is definitely going to increase interest from buyers, especially if they have a family or need to get ready at the same time as their partner in the morning.
House prices
With house prices fluctuating massively in the last couple of years, adding a new bathroom to your home isn’t something to take lightly but something to take your time over. Will the cost of creating an additional bathroom be worth it in the long run? Will you make the money back or potentially make a profit if you were to sell your house?
Keep reading to find out if a new bathroom is the right choice for you.
How many bathrooms should a home have
The ideal number of bathrooms for a home will depend on its size and the number of bedrooms you have. For example, a 3-bed home would ideally have 2 bathrooms. Most likely a family bathroom and an ensuite. However, many new and renovated homes also have an additional downstairs toilet or cloakroom.
Fix leaks
These shouldn’t be fixed just for aesthetic reasons. While you may think oh that’s just a small leak it won’t cause any harm, it could potentially be causing damage that you can’t see. If left unattended a small leak can turn into a big one and can even cause serious mould problems.
Update or relocate
If an extension isn’t for you then creating a new bathroom in an already existing room in your home or simply ripping out one of your current bathrooms and starting afresh are both great options.
Some of the reasons for updating a current bathroom might be the layout and size. If you have an existing bathroom that doesn’t work for you, why not consider a layout change or even stealing a bit of space for another room. Both options can really give your bathroom a completely new lease of life.
Upkeep of an additional bathroom
Let’s face it, bathrooms aren’t the easiest of rooms to clean, with damp towels, moisture, and that dreaded toilet paper dust so you also need to take into consideration the extra time it could take to clean an additional bathroom.
Now, if you currently have just one bathroom in your home then creating an additional bathroom is likely the best way to go but if you already have 2 or 3 then why not consider updating your current bathrooms to make them more practical for your needs. This is likely to be the best and most cost-effective way forward.
Downstairs bathroom
Downstairs bathrooms can have both positives and negatives. For example, a downstairs bathroom might be great for the elderly or disabled, especially when paired with a downstairs bedroom.
However, a downstairs bathroom can also cause problems for people when bedrooms are upstairs, especially if this is the only bathroom in the house. For this reason, downstairs bathrooms can be particularly problematic for people with young children, meaning you could be missing out on a huge area of the market.
Ensuite
If you’re looking to add an ensuite to a bedroom then make sure to consider both the positives and negatives before proceeding such as: Will your ensuite have a window? Is there space for a bath or just a shower? Once you’ve fitted everything is there plenty of space to move around without feeling cramped? These are all important things to take into consideration.
While an ensuite is likely to add value to your home no matter its size, the size and finish of the ensuite will be two main factors in how much it is likely to increase your house value. If you have a small cramped ensuite with just a shower and no window it’s likely to add much less value than a spacious ensuite with a bath and a window.
If you are unsure, there’s no harm in contacting a professional bathroom fitter for advice. Whilst they can be costly the price of hiring a professional is likely to outweigh the price and mistakes would cost if you didn’t get a tradesman in.
Plumbing
One of the biggest things to consider when creating a new bathroom or changing the layout of your current bathroom is the plumbing. Have you got plumbing already in place? If not, this can be time-consuming and costly.
If you’re looking to add a new bathroom upstairs, we recommend fitting it above a kitchen or an already existing downstairs bathroom as this will allow easier access to fit the correct plumbing. If you already have a bathroom or ensuite upstairs and you’re able to fit a new one directly next to this, this will also help to make plumbing your new bathroom much easier.
Don’t worry too much if you aren’t able to do any of the above as there are other options. If a completely new plumbing system for your bathroom is too expensive why not consider a macerator system? Allowing you to install a bathroom in places that would otherwise be too expensive or impossible to fit, macerators are commonly used in basements and loft conversions. To read more on macerator take a look at our post on how Saniflo toilets work.
Cost of fitting a new bathroom
Fitting a new bathroom can cost anything from £3000 - £15000 and even more if you’re looking for a truly luxurious finish. Take a look at our article on the costs of fitting a bathroom for more information on the costs of plumbing and labour etc.
To find a reliable and trusted tradesman take a look at Checkatrade.
Other considerations for a new bathroom
Consider what else might be involved when adding a new bathroom. Are you creating undesirable outcomes when trying to add a benefit? E.g. Will an extra bathroom add strain to your boiler, cause pressure issues or cause any other complications? If you have to run metres and metres of pipework around just to get a working bathroom, is that what a buyer will want (the further you extend the pipework across the house, the more places there are for things to go wrong)? Are you putting it in a place where a buildup of mould is likely, e.g. in a poorly ventilated room?
If after reading this article you decide against a new bathroom, updating your current bathroom can still have a positive effect on the value of your home. Just make sure if you’re renovating your bathroom with the intention of selling on, make sure to keep things plain and simple as not everyone has the same taste. If you create a bright pink bathroom, the chances are this could put off potential buyers.
If you found this post useful, you might also like - Under Stairs Bathroom Ideas - How much should fitting a bathroom cost? - Ensuite Bathroom Ideas.
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