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Question About Adding A Bathroom Johnny_A_58 04-14-2008
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Posted by on April 15, 2008, 8:03 am
wrote:
>
>
> ..
>
> > I'm sure you'll agree that the only thing worse than an outdated house
> > is a poorly updated house. I'd not cut the existing bathroom in half,
> > and your other options don't seem particularly attractive, either. Hard
> > to say without seeing a floorplan, but if one of the bedrooms is on the
> > other side of the existing bath, I'd think about scrapping it in favor
> > of two large, modern, well-appointed bathrooms.
>
> =A0 =A0 I agree. =A0Maybe eliminating one bedroom and splitting the space =
between
> a new master bedroom bath and the new master bedroom. =A0Keeping the exist=
ing
> bath for the rest of the family.
>
> --
> Joseph Meehan
>
> =A0Dia 's Muire duit

I agree too. No question adding a second bath to a 3 or 4 bedroom
house adds significant value. But doing it in a way that results in
2 bath rooms that are very small, especially one that will serve as
the master, IMO, is a losing proposition. For the money and work
you're going to put into it, the result will just be another situation
that is far from desirable. Another question is how small a bath is
permitted in the building code.

I also agree with Joseph's idea of giving up one bedroom and using
that together with another bedroom as the master/master bath is a good
idea if possible. Depending on your budget and how large of a project
you are willing to take on, you might want to consult with an
architect on ideas for how to add a bath together with some type of
renovation that could significantly boost the property value.

Posted by Norminn on April 15, 2008, 8:39 am
Johnny_A_58 wrote:

>Hi, Looking for opinions about whether the resale value of a house would go up
or down
>after adding a bathroom. I know, sounds obvious, but read on.
>
>I live in a 4 bedroom, ONE bath older house. The bathroom is 6'3" X 12'6". The
way the
>house is laid out, I could cut the existing bathroom in half, making two rooms
that would be
>SMALL 6'3" X 6'1" after allowing for the wall in between them.
>
>I could SQUEEZE a full bath in each half with one accessed like it is now, from
the main
>hallway. I could cut a hole into the master bedroom from the second half so I
would end
>up with a master bath. But they would be SMALL.
>
>The only other options I have would be to take away part of the walk-in closet
in the
>master BR, or take the small adjoining enclosed porch, currently used as an
office and
>convert it into a bathroom.
>
>Both of those options would give me a master bath without touching the existing
bathroom,
>but then I would lose either the office or a most of the closet. If I took the
office, which is
>really a sunroom, I would have to do some major reworking of the exterior of
the house,
>i.e. taking out a bunch of windows and an exterior door, and resheathing and
residing to
>match the rest of the house.
>
>My wife and I are capable of doing all the work ourselves either way, but we
are wondering
>what would be the better way to go from a resale standpoint. Thanks, John
>
>
>
If the ONLY reason for the change is resale, forget it. I would not put
a bath on a porch. Is the home one story? Can the
smallest bedroom work as a sink/commode/shower and storage?I would lean
that way if making the change and the layout is
appropriate. I've looked at a lot of older homes with lousy remodels
and absurd layouts......somebody's "dream", but not
mine.

Posted by RicodJour on April 15, 2008, 11:40 am
> Johnny_A_58 wrote:
> >Hi, Looking for opinions about whether the resale value of a house would go
up or down
> >after adding a bathroom. I know, sounds obvious, but read on.
>
> >I live in a 4 bedroom, ONE bath older house. The bathroom is 6'3" X 12'6".
The way the
> >house is laid out, I could cut the existing bathroom in half, making two
rooms that would be
> >SMALL 6'3" X 6'1" after allowing for the wall in between them.
>
> >I could SQUEEZE a full bath in each half with one accessed like it is now,
from the main
> >hallway. I could cut a hole into the master bedroom from the second half so I
would end
> >up with a master bath. But they would be SMALL.
>
> >The only other options I have would be to take away part of the walk-in
closet in the
> >master BR, or take the small adjoining enclosed porch, currently used as an
office and
> >convert it into a bathroom.
>
> >Both of those options would give me a master bath without touching the
existing bathroom,
> >but then I would lose either the office or a most of the closet. If I took
the office, which is
> >really a sunroom, I would have to do some major reworking of the exterior of
the house,
> >i.e. taking out a bunch of windows and an exterior door, and resheathing and
residing to
> >match the rest of the house.
>
> >My wife and I are capable of doing all the work ourselves either way, but we
are wondering
> >what would be the better way to go from a resale standpoint. Thanks, John
>
> If the ONLY reason for the change is resale, forget it. I would not put
> a bath on a porch. Is the home one story? Can the
> smallest bedroom work as a sink/commode/shower and storage?I would lean
> that way if making the change and the layout is
> appropriate. I've looked at a lot of older homes with lousy remodels
> and absurd layouts......somebody's "dream", but not
> mine.

You can turn off a potential buyer with the real estate listing. A
four bedroom house with only one bathroom will turn off people while
they're still reading. Maybe a builder or someone who doesn't mind
doing work immediately on a new house wouldn't be scared off, but in
general the more people that are interested enough to go see it, the
more likely it is to sell.

R

Posted by cshenk on April 15, 2008, 5:37 pm
"Johnny_A_58" wrote

> Hi, Looking for opinions about whether the resale value of a house would
> go up or down
> after adding a bathroom. I know, sounds obvious, but read on.

Add if you can.

> I live in a 4 bedroom, ONE bath older house. The bathroom is 6'3" X 12'6".
> The way the
> house is laid out, I could cut the existing bathroom in half, making two
> rooms that would be
> SMALL 6'3" X 6'1" after allowing for the wall in between them.

Nope, although the existing one is 'big' thats a nice selling point.

> I could SQUEEZE a full bath in each half with one accessed like it is now,
> from the main
> hallway. I could cut a hole into the master bedroom from the second half
> so I would end
> up with a master bath. But they would be SMALL.

How about this. Can you put in a 1/2 bath using the walk in close without
too much loss? L-shaped closet might be the result?

A 4BR, 1.5 bath sells better than a 4BR 1bath. Sure a 4BR 2bath is good,
but if you end up with tiny closets or (horror) a 3 BR 2Bath, you've lost
out.

> The only other options I have would be to take away part of the walk-in
> closet in the
> master BR, or take the small adjoining enclosed porch, currently used as
> an office and
> convert it into a bathroom.

1/2 bath in closet area may be doable (you didnt list it's size). I'd want
to preserve the office space if possible but thats the next best option for
a 2nd bathroom.

> Both of those options would give me a master bath without touching the
> existing bathroom,
> but then I would lose either the office or a most of the closet. If I took
> the office, which is
> really a sunroom, I would have to do some major reworking of the exterior
> of the house,
> i.e. taking out a bunch of windows and an exterior door, and resheathing
> and residing to
> match the rest of the house.

Nope, stop thinking 'traditional'. Unless the code specs for your area
*require* a solid wall and a window no bigger than 'x' you can put a
bathroom in a sunroom and just add privacy curtins. (outlets have to be
spec'ed for bathrooms though). You _may_ want to add some exterior visual
blocking material to the house up a few feet if you are sunroom to the
'floor'.

If you are not able to use the closet, this is your next best option if the
layout makes it easily accessable. If it's big enough, you might even be
able to keep a smaller office and add a 1/2 bath here. No idea of your
floorplan layout really though.

> what would be the better way to go from a resale standpoint. Thanks, John

Please, whatever you decide, do *not* give up the 4th bedroom. Bad call.



Posted by on April 16, 2008, 5:54 pm
> "Johnny_A_58" wrote
>
> > Hi, Looking for opinions about whether the resale value of a house would=

> > go up or down
> > after adding a bathroom. I know, sounds obvious, but read on.
>
> Add if you can.
>
> > I live in a 4 bedroom, ONE bath older house. The bathroom is 6'3" X 12'6=
".
> > The way the
> > house is laid out, I could cut the existing bathroom in half, making two=

> > rooms that would be
> > SMALL 6'3" X 6'1" after allowing for the wall in between them.
>
> Nope, although the existing one is 'big' thats a nice selling point.
>
> > I could SQUEEZE a full bath in each half with one accessed like it is no=
w,
> > from the main
> > hallway. I could cut a hole into the master bedroom from the second half=

> > so I would end
> > up with a master bath. But they would be SMALL.
>
> How about this. =A0Can you put in a 1/2 bath using the walk in close witho=
ut
> too much loss? =A0L-shaped closet might be the result?
>
> A 4BR, 1.5 bath sells better than a 4BR 1bath. =A0Sure a 4BR 2bath is good=
,
> but if you end up with tiny closets or (horror) a 3 BR 2Bath, you've lost
> out.

On what basis do you conclude that a 3 Bedroom/2 Bath home done right
is a horror compared to a house of the same square footage that is a 4
bedroom/1 bath? A 4 bedroom house with one bath is what's a horror
and any buyer will see it in a minute.



>
> > The only other options I have would be to take away part of the walk-in
> > closet in the
> > master BR, or take the small adjoining enclosed porch, currently used as=

> > an office and
> > convert it into a bathroom.
>
> 1/2 bath in closet area may be doable (you didnt list it's size). =A0I'd w=
ant
> to preserve the office space if possible but thats the next best option fo=
r
> a 2nd bathroom.

Few people are going to value "office space" in a home that is already
4 bedrooms above the value of an additional full bath. Anyone who
needs an office can use one of the 4 bedrooms.



>
> > Both of those options would give me a master bath without touching the
> > existing bathroom,
> > but then I would lose either the office or a most of the closet. If I to=
ok
> > the office, which is
> > really a sunroom, I would have to do some major reworking of the exterio=
r
> > of the house,
> > i.e. taking out a bunch of windows and an exterior door, and resheathing=

> > and residing to
> > match the rest of the house.
>
> Nope, stop thinking 'traditional'. =A0Unless the code specs for your area
> *require* a solid wall and a window no bigger than 'x' you can put a
> bathroom in a sunroom and just add privacy curtins. (outlets have to be
> spec'ed for bathrooms though). =A0You _may_ want to add some exterior visu=
al
> blocking material to the house up a few feet if you are sunroom to the
> 'floor'.
>

This is more bad advice. Money spent on a hafl-ass solution isn't
going to add to resale value or make the house easy to sell. I can
just imagine how prospective buyers will react when they see a
bathroom with a privacy curtain and "exterior visual blocking
material."



> If you are not able to use the closet, this is your next best option if th=
e
> layout makes it easily accessable. =A0If it's big enough, you might even b=
e
> able to keep a smaller office and add a 1/2 bath here. =A0No idea of your
> floorplan layout really though.
>
> > what would be the better way to go from a resale standpoint. Thanks, Joh=
n
>
> Please, whatever you decide, do *not* give up the 4th bedroom. =A0Bad call=
.


Nonsense. A 4th bedroom has value if the rest of the house can
support it, ie bathrooms, enough overall room, etc. If he can get
a nice Masteer Bath plus a full second bath and wind up with that
together with 3 bedrooms, he will have a house that is worth more than
one with either 4 bedrooms and 1 bath or some half-ass solution,
because it's more balanced and livable.

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