Adding a bathroom to your home increases your home's resale value. In a CNN Money report, Paul Emrath of the National Association of Home Builders stated that an additional bathroom can raise the value of a home by around 20 percent. Of course, the actual value added by an additional bathroom varies. The following are some guidelines that can help you maximize the return on your bathroom addition investment.
Add a Bathroom where Necessary
You should add a bathroom where it is clearly needed. This is where it will create the greatest impact and add the greatest value to your home. For example, if there is no bathroom on the first floor while there is a big bathroom on the second floor, adding a bathroom to the first floor is the wiser choice. A bathroom is clearly needed on the first floor, so the return on the cost of adding a bathroom to the first floor should be greater than the return on the cost of adding a bathroom to the second floor.
Use Available Indoor Space
If at all possible, add a bathroom without building an extension. Let's say there's space under the stairs; won't that do for the basic first-floor powder room? Of course, you should not squeeze in a bathroom where none is possible. Ask a remodeling contractor to assess your home and judge if you need to build a new bathroom or if you can merely section off existing space for the new bathroom.
Stick to the Basic Plan
Keep necessity in mind when planning your new bathroom's appointments and fixtures. Ask yourself, “What things will make this bathroom comfortable and convenient to use?” The most basic plan that will satisfy the “comfortable and convenient” condition is the most cost-effective and should keep your bathroom costs at the lowest possible.
Prioritize Quality
A well-planned and well-made bathroom gives greater value than a bathroom that looks poorly planned and poorly made. Even if you want to keep costs low, you should never sacrifice quality for affordability. When building your new bathroom, you should choose high-quality and durable building materials. Furthermore, if you want great results, let a professional contractor handle the bathroom addition.
Don't Go for Luxury
Do you really need a faucet that sings – nay, squeaks – The Star-Spangled Banner? Does your sink really have to double up as a fish aquarium? Do not equate quality with luxury. Luxurious and ultra-expensive bathroom fixtures will turn your additional bathroom into a showpiece, but they will not guarantee an equivalent increase in your home's resale value.
Adding a bathroom to your home will always be a wise move as it will certainly increase your home's resale value. However, careful planning is required if you want to be able to get the optimal rate of return on your investment. The best way to do this, really, is to talk to a professional remodeling contractor who can advise you on the most cost-effective way of adding a bathroom to your home.
Article By Jinky Bagagnan
