For most of us, there’s no question over whether it’s worth extending the home to add extra bedrooms or create a large, open-plan kitchen. These rooms are seen as an essential part of the forever family home. Therefore, this type of extension is seen as a wise investment.
But it’s not often that the bathroom is considered the primary reason for adding an extension. For some, it might seem a lot of money to spend on a room that’s only busy for a small part of the day. Others may feel that there are more important uses for an extension. However, creating an extra bathroom – whether that’s by extending out or up, or by rejigging floorplans – can bring many benefits to families. So, if you’re asking yourself whether it’s worth adding a second bathroom to your home, read on.
The benefits of a second bathroom
Hands up who regularly waits to use the family bathroom in the morning? Typically, the timing of work schedules and school runs mean there are clashes and queues in households up and down the country. This can lead to stressful mornings with bickering and at least one person running late. So, being able to reduce these daily pressures with a second bathroom is surely a big benefit? Afterall, who doesn’t want a calmer morning routine?
More and more of us are now living in multi-generational households. This is sometimes due to grown-up children returning home to save money and sometimes because we’re accommodating our aging parents inside the family home. And this can mean our homes are busier than ever. So, extending and adapting our homes to meet these changing situations is not only beneficial, but it’s essential to keep it functioning for everyone. An extra bathroom may simply provide an extra shower or it could create an accessible space that gives family members more independence.
Additional bathrooms have one other big benefit and that’s the creation of a private space for adults to use, away from the rubber ducks and other clutter in the family bathroom. It can also offer a nicer space for guests to use. So, there are many tangible reasons why a second bathroom can really improve life at home.
Options for creating a second bathroom
There’s really no question that a second bathroom is beneficial. But that still leaves the question of where to put it. In family homes, space is usually at a premium, with every inch already in use.
Of course, that’s not to say that you can’t find an existing space to utilise. Perhaps you can squeeze one under the stairs. Although at best, this is only likely to be a tiny shower room or WC. If you’re lucky enough to have a large master bedroom, you may be able to partition off a section for an en-suite. Or you may be lucky enough to have a utility room that you can convert to a multi-purpose space.
You may also have the option to go up into the loft and create an extra bedroom and bathroom. However, if you want the bathroom to be accessible to everyone in the family, this has its limitations. So, the most viable solution might be to extend.
You could keep it simple and extend out on the ground floor, perhaps tacking the bathroom onto the side or rear of the house. Although this may sound awkward from a layout point-of-view, this can be a good solution for multi-generational homes where you’re converting part of the house for your parents to use. And if you live in a bungalow, it’s actually the easiest and most obvious solution.
That said, you shouldn’t rule out going all-in with your extension and build a two-storey affair. This should give you more living space as well as an extra bathroom. The only thing to bear in mind is that this will add to your bathroom extension cost. And with average prices coming in at around £1,300 per m², it’s something you should take plenty of time to consider.
Things to consider
When you’re planning your bathroom extension, make sure you allocate enough floorspace. Making a spacious bathroom with a separate walk-in shower and bath will offer plenty of flexibility for the family and should help to future-proof your home.
Think about ventilation too. A bathroom with a window is always nicer to use but also consider a well-positioned extractor fan to ensure the space doesn’t become damp.
When you’re planning a new bathroom, it’s easy to overlook the importance of storage. But in a family home, it’s essential to stop the room becoming cluttered. Plus, it’s handy to have a stash of clean towels and spare toiletries close-by when you’re using the bathroom.
It might also be worth taking some time to think about the type of heating and lighting you want too. Underfloor heating can be great for improving the look and feel of a bathroom but you might find a heated towel rail is equally practical in a busy household. Similarly, downlights are a good option for creating a bright space, but you might want to add more ambience with wall lights and dimmers if the bathroom is going to be a space for adults to relax in.
