The Guardian recently ran an article celebrating the ensuite bathroom. It highlighted the changing requirements of home movers who are, as a minimum, increasingly requesting an ensuite to at least one bedroom.
Why are more bathrooms beneficial?
The desire stems from busy families who have to jostle for bathroom time – a queue to use the shower just won’t do. Other home movers have their hearts set on creating a tranquil, spa-like ensuite, where they can wind down without being surrounded by kids’ bath toys and teenage beauty products.
If you are buying a property to rent out, you can increase its appeal by having more than one bathroom – especially if you’re hoping to attract cohabitors who aren’t in a romantic relationship. Additionally, those who are considering multi-generational living now or in the future may require more than one bathroom to meet the family’s needs.
Add value with an ensuite
Ensuite benefits are not confined to just buyers either. The Guardian article reported how British purchasers are prepared to pay 20% more for a home with two bathrooms compared to those with just one. If you are considering selling your property and think adding an ensuite may help your prospects, it’s worth giving the idea some serious thought.
Is your home set up for an ensuite?
Firstly, to be called a true ensuite, the room has to be accessible exclusively from a bedroom and not the hallway, and this fact may end your project before it has even started. Your designated bedroom will need to be big enough to be sectioned in two using a new partition wall, without compromising living standards.
The bedroom will still need to be big enough to accommodate a bed, a wardrobe and additional storage, while the ensuite will need to be roomy enough for a shower, a WC and a hand basin. For guidance, the recommended area for an ensuite is 1 metre by 3 metres, but a good bathroom planner may be able to work with spaces as small as 0.8 metres by 1.8 metres.
There are alternatives to dividing a bedroom. You could utilise a big storage or airing cupboard if it’s located next to a bedroom, replace fitted wardrobes, move internal walls to adjust the allocation of space or convert a box room into an ensuite but the latter may detrimentally affect a home’s value.
Calculate your return on investment
Secondly, if your sole aim is to add value to your home, the sums are more important than the type of suite you install. A return on investment should always work on the principle that the amount of money you spend on the project is less than the amount of value the project adds to your home.
UK Bathroom Guru estimates adding an ensuite will cost between £6,000 and £9,000 + VAT, depending on the complexity of the work and the standard of the fixtures and fittings. Involving an estate agent before you start an ensuite project is wise. We can help by valuing your home as it currently is and projecting what it might sell for if you add an ensuite.
Other ensuite considerations include:
If you’d like home moving advice, including feedback on your current home’s set up, please give our sales team a call.
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