Home Improvements come in many shapes, sizes and at various costs – and can have a significant impact on both the look of your home and how you spend your time in the house.
One of the most significant changes that can occur at home is the addition of a bathroom. It is a regular consideration, but often the benefits can be underestimated, or missed entirely. Below we look at five of the main reason an additional bathroom should be considered as part of a home-improvement campaign.
1 – Gaining additional time
Unless the house is occupied by only one person, there will be occasions where two people want to use the bathroom at the same time. This problem increases significantly when the property is home to a large family.
Let’s suppose a home has one bathroom, but is home to a family of five. If everyone needs to leave home at the same time then most family members will find themselves getting up earlier than would otherwise be necessary just to be able to use the bathroom in the morning.
If we say someone is getting up 30 minutes earlier than they would otherwise, just to use the bathroom, across 12 months (based on a 5 day working week) this is a total of 130 hours, or nearly 6 days of time lost just to get into the bathroom!
2 – Family Privacy
Linked to the above, households with children, and particularly teenagers, will know that many adolescents are obsessive about privacy and do not want mum or dad hassling them when they are getting ready, or relaxing in the bath. This can lead to disagreements and disharmony in the house.
An additional bathroom can help settle some of the frayed nerves – particularly if one bathroom is handed over to the youngsters in the house, allowing them the privacy they seek for as long as is required.
3 – Home value
If a homeowner is considering a move in the future, it is widely recognised that an additional bathroom is seen as a positive selling point when a house is put up for sale. Linked to the two above points, prospective buyers will often recognise the time and hassle saving benefits of an additional bathroom. Many consider it a necessity, so to have one already installed will also be seen as a job, and cash, saved when considering a purchase.
Estimates on the increased value a bathroom provides vary depending on the size and type of bathroom, but there are very few reports of an additional bathroom actually reducing the value of a house.
4 – Guests and elderly relatives.
Although not applicable to everyone, many people will have elderly relatives visiting. Sometimes, moving in with family is a necessary alternative to a nursing home.
Should this be on the horizon, the home owner may want to make the house as accessible as possible. Often stairs can be a significant challenge, and a downstairs bathroom can provide comfort and privacy without making the task of getting there becoming a small military exercise.
5 – Style
Finally, a bathroom can be the ideal room for a homeowner to show their creative flair. The range of bathroom styles and accessories is enormous – and a second bathroom can be installed as part of a theme or certain look the home owner is seeking.
It is worth considering having two different styles of bathroom – one designed for practicality, getting showered and ready for work in the morning, with a second designed specifically to help someone relax – with suitable accessories, lighting and design.
Phil Turner has recently started to follow QS Supplies after finding great bathroom design ideas at Burlington Bathrooms.