Building an additional bathroom to your home has several benefits:
It provides more convenience for your family (imagine lining up to use the toilet when you have to go right now!). It’s definitely more comfortable for everyone when there’s an extra bathroom to use.
With an extra bathroom, you would also be adding more value to your property. In case you decide to sell, buyers would be more attracted to purchase a house with an extra room or in this case, an extra bathroom.
But building one is not as easy as it sounds especially if you are not prepared. What do we mean when we talk of preparation? What are the things you should take note of to prepare yourself for the task of building it?
Are you building it on the upper level of your home or on the ground floor? How much available space do you have for the bathroom? The answer to these depends on the current layout of the house and the position of the existing plumbing. If you are going to put the bathroom where there is no existing plumbing, the farther you will have to run the pipes through the walls, the more expensive it would cost.
Fortunately, most homes have existing plumbing at the back. You can build the bathroom near that area and simply run the pipelines off the current plumbing.
Most builders will disagree with this—there will always be space for an extra bathroom, albeit small. For instance, a walk-in closet can be converted into a bathroom (or powder room). And you don’t even have to tear down walls to do this!
Stealing a few feet from a large room is also sufficient to make a bathroom. You only need about three feet from one side. Other possible areas where you can put a bathroom includes the space at the end of your hallway, pantry, beside the laundry area or existing bathroom and adjoining closets.
Modern shower enclosures can be surprisingly small yet functional—about 25 square feet will do. A headroom of six feet and six inches is enough so you can tuck a bathroom (or tub) under the stairs or in the attic. A second or third bathroom can be squeezed into most houses if you look closely enough.
PVC drain lines have to sit low in order for the water to drain. If your house sits on concrete slab or you don’t have crawl spaces, then the plumber will have to cut into the concrete (or open up walls) for the new drain line.
Aside from requiring more work and increasing costs, doing so might weaken the structural integrity of your house and encourage the development of cracks. Talk to your plumbers in Melbourne on the best possible way to approach this challenge.
Can your water supply adequately provide both hot and cold water to the extra bathroom? Have your plumber assess the capacity of your existing water heater, the condition of your current pipes and if they are compatible with the new piping to be installed in the additional bathroom. Make sure to work only with plumbers that completely understand high-efficiently plumbing systems.
If your available space for an extra bathroom is really cramped, consider having the door swing out instead of in. You can also opt to install a sliding pocket door instead of a regular door.
Another trick you can do is to install skylight windows for natural light and exhaust or ducted fan for more ventilation.
Adding an extra bathroom will surely provide a good return of your investment, if not in terms of money, then in terms of comfort for your family for many years.