Looking to add an extra bathroom to your home? We explore your options...
Fixing, renovating and remodelling a bathroom is hard work, but it’s the room you will use the most, and thus, you definitely don’t want to do a shoddy job. Unlike other rooms like study rooms, living rooms or bedrooms, bathrooms have very specific plumbing, space and electrical requirements that might make the question “Can you add an extra bathroom anywhere in a house?” seem daunting.
However, this article is here to tell you, yes! Indeed, it’s quite simple to add an extra bathroom anywhere in the house, especially if you have the space, money and time to really plan it out. Read on to find out how...
Why would someone want to add another bathroom to their house?
Well, it’s very normal to hear this when listening to house talk, and there are a few fairly good reasons why an additional bathroom, on top of the existing bathroom you already have, can help drastically increase your quality of life.
By far the most common reason people cite for wanting to add a new bathroom is to make bathroom breaks more convenient and comfortable. This is why en suite bathrooms, or a master bathroom, are so incredibly popular. What's more, a bathroom is a private space. People like having their bathroom breaks undisturbed, and near to the place they work or sleep.
Not to mention, with a guest or common half bath bathroom, you can have guests over more frequently and more comfortably as it will make it less awkward for both you and for guests to go to the loo.
If you find yourself, as do many people, in a rush in the morning, having an additional bathroom closer to where you wake up can help cut down your time for preparation as you can easily shuttle between your bedroom and the toilet.
If you have children, or many people living in the same house, then having an extra bathroom and shower enclosure should also be a no-brainer since you’ve most likely experienced the morning hurry to get off to work or school, and being slowed down by family members hogging the toilet. So, if you have a big family and have just enough room, floor joists, and water supply pipes for an additional bathroom, we strongly encourage you to consider adding one to your existing space.
Another reason people commonly overlook is the value it brings to your home. By this, I don’t mean living value, but rather, resale value. It is commonly known that bathrooms beyond the first one add 4 to 5 percent to the total valuation of the house. And, a house with many bathrooms sells easier since it will be great for new families or ex-pats expecting guests often, making it an upgrade that retains its value long-term.
Where should I put my new bathroom?
By adding a bathroom to your existing place, you can make an inexpensive but impactful upgrade to your living situation if you do it well.
However, it is important to situate the bathroom in a strategic place. If you spend a lot of money adding a second bathroom to a house with only 2 tenants living together in the master bedroom, then you'd better hope you have guests often! If not, it could turn into just an additional place to clean, and lots of money wasted behind a closed door.
Some places you might want to consider adding a toilet are:
- Ensuite to your bedroom (to create a room that can be rented out easily)
- On the upper floor of your house
- In a space under the stairwell or at the back of the kitchen that you aren’t currently using
- Near your child’s bedroom
- Cordoned-off part of the garage
- Unused coat closets
The space beneath your stairs could be put to good use as a downstairs toilet
How much room is needed?
In the UK, an average-sized bathroom measures just over 4 square metres. This is remarkably small (when you think about it), so some families like to have one bathroom that's just for them and another that functions as a bathroom for guests. When friends or family do come to stay, this will help avoid confusion and avoid any potentially embarrassing moments on those busy mornings.
On the more luxurious side, you can plan up to 6 square metres onwards for a space that’s really spacious and comfortable.
Whether or not you’re tight on space, make sure you measure really well before committing to such a large home renovation. Even if you have a big room, if it’s located weirdly in a corner or hard to reach by your plumbing system, large parts of the space might be not ideal for a new bathroom.
A handy guide for this is that you will need at least 600mm between a hinged or sliding door and the front of the toilet, so at least your legs can stretch. In the UK, we're all tight on space, so we understand, but the least you could do is make sure the door has enough clearance to swing in and not hit anything. Check out bathroom clearance guidelines in our handy guide.
Key considerations
Just to get it out of the way, unless you are including it as part of a house extension, you will not require a permit or permission from authorities to build your toilet. However, you will be required to have a qualified electrician conduct all your electrical work. And, if you should install boilers or heating systems, a Gas Safe-compliant engineer will need to step in.
Another key consideration is the SVP, which stands for the Soil and Vent Pipe. Your bathroom connects to the rest of the local infrastructure through the pipe, leading to the sewer system.
This cannot be moved, so you will have to find ways to connect to the SVP without going through the supporting structure of your home. If the SVP is too far away from your intended location, consider using a macerator toilet or finding other alternative spaces.
With a second bathroom, you can really go to town with your design. How about some funky floor tiles?
Conclusion
Though you can absolutely add your dream bathroom anywhere in your house (even to an existing bedroom if it has enough space), there are many areas and rooms that might make for rather unsuitable bathrooms. Remember what I mentioned above, adding a useless toilet only leads to lots of money wasted for no real purpose. Before upgrading just for the sake of it, ask yourself: Do I really need this?
Make sure that the space you’re choosing doesn’t have a better use case, and that it is the best possible space to install a new bathroom. Then, check if the space is adequate for the appliances you wish to add and make sure that the wiring and piping can be connected properly.
What's more, if you prefer having more building control and living space, then maybe that extra space in your house should be used for something else. And of course, if you're thinking of adding an extra bathroom to your house, ensure that you adhere to any building regulations should there be any. Some landlords may have rules on adding on or rerouting existing waste pipes or water pipes so you might want to go research that.
That’s about it. Did this article make you want to go ahead and install another bathroom, or are you happy with your existing bathroom? If it's the former, rather than the latter, why not let us bring your dream bathroom to life? Enquire about our free, no-obligation Bathroom Design Service today by clicking on the image below.
