Adding a powder room to your home can increase its value tremendously. A well-designed and decorated powder room makes your home more livable and enjoyable.
According to the National Association of Home Builders, adding an extra bathroom can increase your home’s value by around 12%.
In this post, we’ll touch on how adding a powder room to your home could increase its value. We’ll also talk a bit about what goes into building a powder room to give you a better idea of whether or not this home renovation is right for you.
If you’re asking yourself, “Does adding a powder room add value to my home?” then keep reading to find out how it does!
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Understanding the Difference Between a Powder Room and a Full Bathroom
If you’ve ever been house hunting, you’ve likely come across the terms “half bath” and “full bath.”
But what do they mean, exactly?
While you may be thinking that a bathroom is just a bathroom, each bathroom size has its own meaning.
Full Bathroom
Full bathrooms have to contain four elements: a toilet, sink, shower, and running water.
Spotting a full bathroom is quite easy since they have to contain all four of these features. If it doesn’t, it’s not a full bath.
Half Bathroom (Powder Room)
A half bathroom has everything a full bath has, minus the shower/tub. So, a half bathroom has to contain a sink, toilet, and running water.
You’ll typically find half bathrooms on the ground floor, basement, or near guest rooms.
For more details about the differences between full bathrooms and powder rooms, make sure to take a look at my full article on what is a powder room.
How Much Space Do You Need for a Powder Room?
Fortunately, a powder room doesn’t require that much space.
To make a comfortable size half bath for your guest, you’ll need a space that’s roughly 4 feet wide and 8 feet long.
If you make your powder room smaller than that, it’s going to be reallyyyyy tight. Finding a larger space won’t be practical.
How Much Does It Cost To Add a Powder Room?
Several factors can determine the cost of adding a powder room to your dwelling. The first thing you need to consider is the size.
Above, we mention that a standard powder room is about 4 feet wide and 8 feet long. However, a larger powder room will be more expensive to construct.
Next, you need to consider the bathroom’s features. A typical half bathroom needs a toilet, sink, mirror, and running water. You can also add a few storage facilities to keep the room organized.
The final factor you need to think about is plumbing. Depending on how sophisticated your plumbing system is, it can be the most expensive element of building a powder room.
For a reliable plumbing system, you can expect to spend roughly $10,000 to $20,000.
Here’s a rough breakdown of how much you can expect to spend when adding a powder room to your property:
- Door – $100 – $200
- Mirror – $75
- Toilet – $250
- Storage – $300
- Faucet – $100
- Labor – $2,000 (depends on the contractor)
- Fan – $200
- Flooring – $10 per square foot
Where To Find Space for Your New Powder Room
It can be challenging to find the right area to put your powder room. However, your home has plenty of space if you know where to look.
The best part is most homeowners have the space for a powder room without having to add any square footage to their property.
Here are a few spots you can add a powder room without spending more on a pricey renovation project:
The Hallway
While hallways are there to make it easier to move around your home, they also offer a significant amount of extra space.
Almost all homeowners have enough space in their hallways to add a powder room.
Closets
Many homes have large closets in their bedrooms or hallways.
If you don’t need the extra storage space, nothing is stopping you from turning it into a useful powder room. Powder rooms will add far more value to your property than a linen closet.
The Basement
If you have a furnished basement, adding a powder room is an amazing amenity for your guests.
Plus, renovating your basement won’t interrupt your daily life as much as adding your powder room to a hallway or closet!
What Are the Added Benefits of Adding a Powder Room to Your Home?
So, why should you consider adding a powder room to your home? Here are a few benefits you might want to consider.
Makes It Easier To Host Guests
Sharing a bathroom isn’t exactly comfortable, no matter how close you are to your guests.
Adding a powder room to your home makes having guests over for holidays or dinner parties much more convenient and comfortable. You can reduce the number of people using your personal bathroom, which is always a bonus.
Makes Use of Extra Space
Do you have extra space in your home that you just can’t seem to make use of? Perhaps adding a powder room is the right way to go.
Not only does this make your home more accessible, but it will also add value when you decide to go back on the market.
Allows You To Grow Your Family
Are you thinking about adding more occupants to your home?
If you want to grow your family but are concerned about space, a powder room gives you that extra bathroom you need to fulfill everyone’s private requests.
No more will you have to deal with morning arguments about who’s turn it is to do their business.
Things to Consider Before Adding a Powder Room
Before you start construction on your new powder room, keep these factors in mind.
Plumbing Requirements
Your powder room is going to need running water, ventilation, and a drainage system. To save money and make an even higher ROI on your new powder room, try to place it as close to your existing plumbing system as possible.
One tip is to try to have your half bath sharing the wall with another bathroom.
If your house is a bit older, you may be able to install new plumbing lines directly below your main floor. However, this will require a more extensive renovation project.
The good news is that since a powder room isn’t used as frequently as a full bath, you can use more visually appealing and delicate fixtures.
Electrical Requirements
You’re going to need either an open window or an exhaust vent to properly ventilate your powder room. You’ll also need electrical outlets so you can plug in all of your appliances.
Whichever electrical outlets you choose, you’ll need to connect them to a water-proof circuit.
Privacy
Everyone wants as much privacy as possible while they’re doing their business in the bathroom. If you can, try and locate the bathroom so it isn’t directly visible from other rooms in the house.
You can install screens or dividers in the bathroom to help shield the toilet area so your guests feel a greater sense of privacy.
Sound
While this is an optional feature, you’ll want to ensure your powder room has proper sound insulation. Sound insulation is extremely important if the half bath is located near the living room or other high-traffic areas.
You can easily add sound insulation around the shared walls to prevent people from hearing you or your guests as they use the bathroom.
Final Thoughts on Powder Room Value Add
So does adding a powder room add value? The answer is yes, and tremendously so. What’s more, it’s a lot easier and more affordable than you may think.
As long as you have a solid plan of where and how you’ll install your powder room, your investment is almost guaranteed to pay off when you choose to sell your home.
Remember, always consider your floor space and budget when building your new bathroom.
We hope this article was helpful, and feel free to share it with anyone looking to remodel their home.
