Jack & Jill Baths (houses, buy, new construction)

[Trailing Spouse]

While looking at floor plans for Texas homes, we noticed that there are a lot of models with Jack & Jill baths. In other states we have lived in, J&J baths were frowned upon when it came to resale. So tell me, does it matter - do you all have a preference????????? Thanks in advance for your replies.

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by Trailing Spouse

While looking at floor plans for Texas homes, we noticed that there are a lot of models with Jack & Jill baths. In other states we have lived in, J&J baths were frowned upon when it came to resale. So tell me, does it matter - do you all have a preference????????? Thanks in advance for your replies.

If you mean bathrooms that are only accessible via another bedroom or are between two bedrooms, I disagree that there are a lot of them. You do see them much more frequently in older homes, though. My parents' house was built in the late 1940s/early 1950s and it has JJ baths; neither of the bathrooms can be accessed without going through a bedroom or a dressing room. I personally would not buy a house with that sort of layout.

[scyogi]

Hi Trailing--All the houses we looked at with J/J were small. (Not the house itself but the dressing area of the J/J). If I was 5-10yrs old I would think it was groovy but I am not sure how I would feel if I was a teen??? Darling and Highland (I think) do them quit a bit. It would NOT be a deal breaker for me though. How is the house hunting coming along??

[nsumner]

J/J baths are common in new construction but usually they are located on the second floor where there is also a third bathroom that can be accessed by guests using the gameroom without going through the bedrooms. There is really no preference, and they don't hurst resale either.

[fratermus]

During our year-long house hunt, one of the best bathrooms we saw was in an early-50s house with a JJ bathroom. One half was aqua tile and the other was pink. Sounds weird but was gorgeous. The rest of the house was wonky (not in a good way) so we passed. But we did love that bathroom.

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by fratermus

During our year-long house hunt, one of the best bathrooms we saw was in an early-50s house with a JJ bathroom. One half was aqua tile and the other was pink. Sounds weird but was gorgeous. The rest of the house was wonky (not in a good way) so we passed. But we did love that bathroom.

My parents' bathroom has aqua tile. It's the master bathroom but has no bathtub...only a shower...and only one sink. I guess people weren't as high-falutin' back in those days. Then again, it does have a dressing room with a built-in marble vanity and sink right next to it.

[momof2dfw]

What is a negative is a second floor or even just 3 bedrooms ANYWHERE in the house that have to share 1 bathroom. A J&J is much better in that situation if there is only 1 toilet/tub/shower for 3 bedrooms and guests to share. We have TWO Jack & Jill bathrooms in our LARGE home both on the second floor. One is between two bedrooms where they each have their own dressing/vanity area which is a moderate size and the toilet and tub/shower are in the middle. This J&J bath is only accessible thru the bedrooms. The other J&J bath is between another bedroom and then a hallway off the gameroom. The vanity areas for that bath are HUGE! One counter is over 5' in length. I prefer the J&J baths especially when it is bedtime and my kids are getting bathed and there are guests in the house as they don't have to go down a hallway to and from the bathroom to their bedroom. With the J&J bath one person can be showering while another is brushing teeth, etc and not have to wait. I've yet to see J&J baths go out of style and don't see it anytime in the near future.

[Guingirl]

We have a 2005 custom and saw quite a few customs and non customs that have J&J baths over on the FW side of the Metroplex. We also have a powder or 1/2 bath for company. We have a one and a half story home so all the "living" areas are on the single story.

One of the only things that I have found to be a downer as far as resale are Master bedrooms being upstairs (which is a standard in other states), poor schools or school districts and too few garages. Some people look at how the house is facing as a poor quality for resale, but we can't have all the houses with a North/South exposure .

[lh_newbie]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

...The other J&J bath is between another bedroom and then a hallway off the gameroom.

I didn't think it was considered a J&J bathroom if it connected to a hallway.

[lh_newbie]

Originally Posted by Guingirl

Some people look at how the house is facing as a poor quality for resale, but we can't have all the houses with a North/South exposure .

Wouldn't that be a strange looking area with only n/s facing homes! I'm just happy ours is n/s.