How Difficult Is It To Add A Bathroom
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- 08-09-2021
Do you have questions about how difficult is it to add a bathroom? We look at whether a bathroom adds value to your home and plumbing tips for adding a bathroom.
Does adding a bathroom add value to your home?
If you live in a shared space, then the chances are that you've experienced what it's like having to wait for your housemate or significant other to finish with their business, all the while you are busting for the toilet.
Alternatively, you might have woken up late for work one day, and with haste, you rush to the bathroom for a shower only to find it occupied.
In either of these unfortunate circumstances, you will undoubtedly have wondered about the advantages of having another bathroom in your home to avoid any unnecessary hassle.
Those are just two of the reasons why adding a bathroom to your existing home is a great way to add value to it.
A bathroom is a space to prepare for the day ahead and a space to relax and unwind after the day is done. It goes without saying then that the value of your home can only benefit from adding another bathroom or renovating an existing bathroom.
So then, if adding a new bathroom to your home is definitely going to increase its value, then that begs the question of how much do you stand to gain if you add another bathroom, and what will the costs be?
The answer to those questions depends on what exactly you want to do and some other circumstances.
Do you want a new bathroom, or do you want your existing bathroom fixed up? How large is your home?
What area do you live in? These things are all taken into consideration when calculating the value of adding a bathroom to your house.
In general, though, without considering your location, getting a retouch done is the least expensive option and will typically cost you a few thousand pounds. The only real added value upgrading your existing bathroom will provide to your home is if the bathroom was old and falling apart in the first place.
Adding a bathroom to your home, however, will be significantly more expensive. Expect to be at a minimum paying on average a few thousand pounds.
Depending on how large you want your new bathroom to be and whether or not you want an extra fancy shower, luxurious bath or any other fixtures to go along with it, you can end up paying quite a bit more.
Don't let these prices dissuade you from the idea; however, depending on precisely what kind of bathroom you end up with, your location, and how much you invest into it, you could be looking at anywhere from 40-70% of the value of the new bathroom being added to your home property.
When you compare the increase in the selling price of a house to adding any other kind of room, you will find that a new bathroom is oftentimes even more valuable, and it's not that hard to see why.
You can forgo a bedroom for a couch, a kitchen for eating out, but a bathroom is the one part of a house that is indispensable because when it's in use or out of order when you need it most, what can you do?
How Difficult Is It To Add A Bathroom?
So let's say you have the funds and can envision a future where installing a new bathroom in your home is feasible.
The next things to consider are the practicalities of adding a bathroom to a house. And so, here are a number of things you need to consider when undertaking a project such as this.
Where To Add Your New Bathroom
It's all well and good to want to add a bathroom to your home, but when you search around your home, you may think to yourself that there is just no space.
Maybe your home lacks a spare room, crawl space, basement or obviously convertible spaces that look like they could fit a bathroom.
But fear not because there is still a very good chance that your home has enough space. It is quite simple to fit a decently sized extra bathroom with all the necessary fixtures such as a shower, toilet and sink in as little as 25 square feet of space.
If all you want is a half bath, then an even smaller space will do. When you look at it like that, then spaces you may never have considered or paid much mind to can start to look like possible locations.
For example, walk-in closets, long hallways, large master bedrooms, and even large existing bathrooms are all potential areas to add a new bathroom to your house. Consider ways that rooms can be changed around or even cut in half, so provide 25 square feet of space, and you should be able to find enough space reasonably quickly.
Plumbing Tips For Adding A Bathroom
When it comes to adding an extra bathroom to your home, forward planning is key. In particular, you should think ahead to what you want the end layout to be and plan accordingly.
Not only will this help avoid a situation where the new bathroom is completed, and you don't like the way it looks, but it will save you money in the end.
When adding a bathroom, the biggest time and money sink is the plumbing work needed to ensure all fixtures connect with the existing plumbing. So long as you keep in mind that your half baths and toilets are both connected to the existing water and waste pipes, you should be fine.
So to ensure the bathroom is constructed in a cost-efficient and timely manner, you should consider where your bathroom fixtures are best placed to minimise their distance to their relevant water and waste plumbing lines.
Another tip is to think about the door you are going to add. For the sake of saving space in the bathroom and making it easier to use and navigate, you are going to want either a normal door that swings outward or a sliding door.
The last thing you want when you are on the toilet is for the bathroom door to swing open and stub your toe, after all.
Tips For Revamping A Current Bathroom
If adding a new bathroom to your home isn't in the cards for you, then remodelling an existing bathroom is the next best thing.
Not only is this a far cheaper option it is also an incredible way to freshen up the feel of your home, especially if your existing bathroom is old or in poor condition.
The first thing that you or any guests you have over are likely to see is your bathroom walls. Old, flaky painted walls or torn wallpaper walls aren't the best looks, neither are cracked tiles.
Repainting your bathroom walls or applying new wallpapers or tiles are all great ways to change the overall feel of your bathroom drastically for the better.
Taps and faucets should be the next thing you take a look at. You may want to consider replacing your existing ones with more modern alternatives to give your fixtures a fresh look.
Old faucets are also prone to degradation and the buildup of limescale and rust. Replacing them with more modern and stylish faucets may not only improve their appeal but their functionality as well.
Lights are another factor that has a great effect on the quality of your bathroom. Dim lighting will not only make the atmosphere more depressive and grimy but can also make it hard to see, which can be a nightmare when you need to get ready to go out for whatever reason.
You could also improve your bathroom mirror by adding or replacing the frame to match the style and feel of the overall bathroom.
Maybe one of these tips will help you freshen up your bathroom but if that's not enough, try applying them all together.
Particularly if you live alone and only need one bathroom or if you don't want to fuss about with the plumbing, you can give a whole new lease of life to it by figuring out a style or theme you like and applying it.
Whether you want the bathroom to look sleek and modern, or you want it to have a rustic charm, you don't need to pay a small fortune to achieve the results you want by revamping your current bathroom.
How Long Does A Bathroom Renovation Take?
Whether or not you want to add a new bathroom to your home or want to revamp your existing bathroom, the time it takes to complete these projects can vary wildly.
As a rule of thumb, the more construction and pipework that needs to be done, the longer the process will take.
For a cosmetic revamp of your existing bathroom, it should take next to no time at all. Expect it to be under a week.
Adding a new room to your house will take a decent amount of time more, typically four to nine weeks.
If you are going all the way and adding a large bathroom in such a way that changes the actual footprint of the house, then you should expect it to take quite a while, depending on how much construction work needs to be done. It will also cost a significant amount more.
Issues To Consider When Installing A Bathroom Yourself
While it may seem daunting, installing a new bathroom without professional help is entirely possible. That being said, you should be at least somewhat experienced with DIY work before attempting such a large project.
If you do decide to go ahead, then there are four main things to keep in mind.
Ventilation
Every bathroom needs some way to get rid of all the steam and humidity to prevent mould.
Not to mention some way to get rid of the smell from the toilet is very important. Ensure that the new bathroom has some form of ventilation once completed, whether in the form of a window or a duct fan.
Weight
Bathroom fixtures are often very heavy. Some weigh as much as 20 pounds per square foot. As such, you need to make sure that whatever floor surface you are building them on can support them safely.
This is even more important if you are building it onto a floor above ground, as it could end up collapsing in a worst-case scenario.
Costs
A lot of money and time will go into bathroom installation, but you can save a lot by being smart about it. First, ask yourself, is it cheaper to buy the necessary tools and equipment myself and do the job, or is it just as expensive as hiring someone else to do it.
If you are new to DIY and lack power tools, you may find the latter more affordable.
Next, ask yourself how much you are willing to budget to achieve the result you want and ask a professional plumber or contractor for advice on whether or not the plan you have to add a bathroom is feasible and whether or not it's up to you.
We offer services to both domestic and commercial customers. Our charges are highly competitive and realistic. If you want to find out more about installing a new bathroom, please contact us.