Is there some wasted space in your home you wish that you could give some purpose? Perhaps it’s a walk-in closet you use for stuff that you rarely access. It could be a little alcove in your basement or a book at the end of a hallway that serves pretty much no function. Have you ever considered using that space instead for a tiny bathroom?
The tiny home craze has proven that you don’t need a lot of space for a functional bathroom. A toilet, sink, and shower really don’t need all that much room. While it will be far from luxurious, the function of a tiny bathroom adds both convenience and value to your home. Some homes with only one or two bathrooms could find the space to fit at least a half bath somewhere.
You may see prospective homeowners on home buying cable shows be unimpressed with small extra bathrooms. But most people are more than happy to have that handy extra bathroom at a moment’s notice, especially if the main bathroom is on a different floor. This is also true for couples looking for a divorce. Some of the divorce mediation attorneys endorses to have separate rooms and bathrooms for such couples. Really, the only thing to worry about when putting in a new bathroom is figuring out the plumbing situation.
For example, many older homes have plumbing in spaces that you might not at first expect. This is because sometimes old bathrooms were moved to different locations in the house, but the plumbing still exists.While older plumbing will very likely have to be redone to put in a new bathroom, whatever exists already will make the job easier. Since you’ll already be tearing up the walls and floors already for the renovation, it’s not that big of a deal, unless the existing plumbing runs into places you may not expect.
Existing sewer access is probably the most important thing if you live in a city with a sewage system. If not, those lines will have to be added. If you have a septic system, you’ll have to add access to that instead. Running those lines is probably the most expensive part of the entire addition. It’s also important to have an expert plumber check to see if your existing sewage lines can handle the additional load, especially if you are planning to add a shower. If you’re only adding a low-flow toilet and a small sink, it’s probably doable without major plumbing renovations.
While having to run new plumbing can become expensive, the overall benefit to adding an extra bathroom can greatly outweigh the costs. Adding even a tiny bathroom to your home’s first or second floor, or even attic space or basement can be well worth the additional cost. A tiny half-bath alone can add thousands of dollars to your home’s value. If you can fit in a shower stall, the value rises even more so. Maximizing your home’s functional square footage is always a good idea, and adding half-baths or full baths are the best way to do just that.