Is It Worth Adding a Powder Room to Your Home? Consider These Things First

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The number of bathrooms in a home can be a major selling point for potential buyers. And, as such, an extra bathroom can make your home more attractive and easier to sell—which is why a lot of homeowners consider adding a half-bath (or “powder room”) to their property.

But adding a powder room isn’t necessarily the right renovation project for every homeowner—and before you decide to add bathroom space to your home, there are a few things you’ll want to consider.

A recent article from realtor.com outlined elements to consider when determining whether to add a powder room to your home, including:

• Available space… You don’t need a lot of space for a powder room (some are as small as five feet deep by 32 inches wide). But you do need some space—so before you commit to adding a half-bath, make sure to evaluate potential areas in your home and make sure you have a place that will work for a powder room (for example, a coat closet or the area underneath the staircase).
• …and whether you can live without that space. Depending on where you’re considering adding a powder room, you’ll also need to consider how to replace the space you’re renovating. For example, if you decide to turn your coat closet into a powder room, do you have an additional storage space where you can keep your coats and shoes?
• Pipe location. Ideally, you want to add a half-bathroom in a place where it makes sense for your current pipe layout. Otherwise, you’ll have to run new plumbing and waste lines to the space—which can add $4000 – $5000 to your powder room budget.

The Takeaway:

Bottom line? An additional half-bath can add significant value to your home and appeal to buyers—but it’s important to make sure it’s the right move for your property before you move forward with renovations. If you’re planning on selling your house in the near future, have your real estate agent analyze the market and advise whether it will make sense to spend the money your project will cost, or if it makes sense to list it as-is.