Renovation Dilemma Trading Space for a Bathroom

When it comes to home renovations, there are two rooms in the house that traditionally will yield the highest return on investment- the kitchen and the bathroom. This is where a little sweat equity, a well laid plan, and savvy shopping, can add thousands of dollars in value to your home. While most people tend to think about the master bathroom when remodeling is discussed, sometimes updating a secondary bathroom or even adding a half bath will yield more of a return.

All of the newer homes are being built with multiple bathrooms, so homebuyers today expect a 3+ bedroom home to have a minimum of two full bathrooms (usually two and a half, with a half bathroom on the first floor). If you own an older home, what you will typically find is that there is only one shared bathroom for the entire house. While renovating this bathroom might add some value, adding a second bathroom would really add value! There are some challenges to this, but by looking at the layout of your home and locating all of the plumbing, it may be possible to squeeze a second bathroom out of another room in your house.

The easiest place to start looking is in the bedrooms. While you never want to lose an entire bedroom, sometimes cutting one in half and creating a bathroom is the way to go. The value added from the new bathroom will clearly out weigh the lost value from losing some floor space in the bedroom.

Another place to look is on the first floor. In a lot of older homes, there are usually butler pantries, closets, or even a larger room that you can take some space from to create a half bathroom. Look for rooms that may be under utilized and would better serve as a bathroom. If that is not an option, and you have unfinished space in the basement, you may want to consider adding a bathroom there. Again, anywhere that you think you can squeeze out some space or add additional living space (like a basement), the out of pocket expense is well worth it.

If space is just too limited to carve out a bathroom, it may be time to look at an addition. This will be the most costly option if you have to lay additional concrete and excavate part of your yard, but sometimes it is worth it. If the addition is your only option, it is best to consult a real estate agent to see if it will bring enough added value to justify the expense.