Expand bath on 1st floor or add bath on second? (Realtor, value)
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We have a mid-70's side hall colonial with a 1/2 bath on the first floor and a full bath on the second. To add another bath upstairs would require a dormer over the garage and cost significantly more than expanding the bath downstairs, changing it from a 1/2 bath to a full. My question is, is it worth it to have the two full baths upstairs as they usually are, or save the cash and expand the bath downstairs. Will it matter in value or salability? We will have to do it one way or the other.
I don't work with buyers (actually, I only work with refinances, lol), so I'm definitely not an expert. (And I see you put this in the RE professionals subforum.)
However, as a homeowner who has purchased and sold properties, as well as someone who has watched endless hours of house hunting shows on HGTV, I can say that a full bath on a floor without bedrooms is pretty much a waste of a full bath. If I were looking at houses and saw a full bath on a floor without bedrooms, I'd comment about what a waste it is because no one would use it. And an unused tub gets dirty. I wouldn't want to have to clean it.
From an appraiser's standpoint, I think a bathroom is a bathroom. However, from a buyer's standpoint, there is more value in an upstairs bathroom. Plus, if I understanding you correctly, adding the bathroom upstairs would put you at 2.5 as opposed to 2. There is value in that as well.
We have a mid-70's side hall colonial with a 1/2 bath on the first floor and a full bath on the second. To add another bath upstairs would require a dormer over the garage and cost significantly more than expanding the bath downstairs, changing it from a 1/2 bath to a full. My question is, is it worth it to have the two full baths upstairs as they usually are, or save the cash and expand the bath downstairs. Will it matter in value or salability? We will have to do it one way or the other.
Yes, it will matter, at least in our area. Having two full baths with the bedrooms (therefore possibly earmarking one for the master bedroom) is much more in demand/desirable than only one. A full bathroom on the main floor (in a Colonial) serves very little purpose.
Plus, as was already pointed out, it will essentially give you 2 1/2 bathrooms - pretty much what buyers (in our area) look for when shopping for a Colonial.
Thank you for your responses. There is a study on the first floor that has a full closet and two windows, which we may use as a bedroom when he reaches 15 or so years of age. We might also only expand the first floor bathroom into a bath with shower rather than a tub, as it only has a toilet and sink presently. I would much rather have a full bath added upstairs but the cost is prohibitive. Just wanted a pro's thoughts on the matter. Do you think adding the bath upstairs would increase the value enough to make it worth it? As a side note most houses in my neighborhood are very similar, with some having 2.5 baths and a fourth bedroom.
Thank you for your responses. There is a study on the first floor that has a full closet and two windows, which we may use as a bedroom when he reaches 15 or so years of age. We might also only expand the first floor bathroom into a bath with shower rather than a tub, as it only has a toilet and sink presently. I would much rather have a full bath added upstairs but the cost is prohibitive. Just wanted a pro's thoughts on the matter. Do you think adding the bath upstairs would increase the value enough to make it worth it? As a side note most houses in my neighborhood are very similar, with some having 2.5 baths and a fourth bedroom.
A lot has to do with how much you are eventually going to accept as a selling price.
If you go the low cost route and expand the downstairs bathroom someone will buy the house for a lower price.
If you go the high cost route of adding a second full bath to the upstairs someone will buy the house for a higher price.
If the upstairs bathroom will complete a master suite, then add it upstairs. Most people want a master suite. If not, then I'd add the full bath downstairs. I personally won't buy a home without a full bath and bedroom downstairs because then if anyone is injured or old people come to visit, they can just stay downstairs. But for resale, I think not having a master suite will turn off a lot of buyers.
Is your home more likely to be bought by a young family or an older couple looking to retire? Aging in place is definitely becoming more of a consideration for older buyers, who would want a downstairs full bath to go with the bedroom you mentioned. But a young family would probably prefer to have two baths upstairs.
I have a similar question and was going to start a thread but you're all already here!
Our home is 100 years old. 1400sq on the first floor, 500 on the second floor, 200 on the third floor (attic but there's actually a beautiful staircase going up to it so it does present as a third floor.) There are 2 full baths... BOTH on the first floor. ::headdesk::
There are 4 bedrooms on the second floor and the attic is considered a bedroom as well (closets, electrical, windows to code, cable tv wire run, carpeted, etc.)
I see us having two options, when it comes time to sell:
1) Turn the smallest bedroom (70sq ft and L-shaped) into a fairly-spacious bathroom and steal the closet space from it for the master bedroom which is in its own, raised section with that small bedroom. There is a doorway that could make it private if desired but people in the other rooms would still be able to access it. (There's a full bath and laundry room right at the bottom of the stairs though.)
or 2) Don't worry about adding a third bath but take room from the "garage" (a 12' x 40' alley-shaped area of nothing and doesn't meet the driveway anyway but the patio) to turn into a master suite.
I REALLY favor the first option... the area under the smallest bedroom is directly over the empty "alley" space so the floors can easily be reinforced. The plumbing is also exposed there, making the bridge a simple one.
However, every realtor I've spoken with doesn't really STAY with me on this - lol - and just bark out that you should NEVER get rid of a bedroom. I feel like we have enough of them to lose one and overcoming NO bathroom on the second floor is so much harder than going from 4/5 bedrooms down to 3/4. Four bedrooms, without getting up to McMansion-type homes nearby, is a luxury compared to other homes in our neighborhood as it is.
Thank you for your responses. There is a study on the first floor that has a full closet and two windows, which we may use as a bedroom when he reaches 15 or so years of age. We might also only expand the first floor bathroom into a bath with shower rather than a tub, as it only has a toilet and sink presently. I would much rather have a full bath added upstairs but the cost is prohibitive. Just wanted a pro's thoughts on the matter. Do you think adding the bath upstairs would increase the value enough to make it worth it? As a side note most houses in my neighborhood are very similar, with some having 2.5 baths and a fourth bedroom.
I would prefer a full bathroom on each level. This way when you have guests over they don't have to go upstairs. Plus for resale if you want to sell to an older person or a person with an elderly parent they can use the downstairs bedroom and have a bathroom down there too.
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