Bathroom Shower Value

[nathan3011]

Hi Guys,

About getting a basement shower, i've been thinking about it for quite a while now and just wondered if there was any extra benefits when it comes to selling the property later on?

would it increas the value of the property at all??

thanks

[Bismarck Jack]

nathan,

best to start a new thread instead of stealing this one. your questions will be answered there.:bike:

[scuba_dave]

An improvement to a house will generally increase the value
Is the rest of the basement finished?
If not it may not be considered living space & it may not count as much
But I know as a homeowner I would value a shower even in an unfinished basement. With an outside door it would be great to have a shower that I could access without tracking dirt & muck thru the rest of the house

At some pint in the future we may add a shower & toilet in our unfinished basement . It would be used when I didn't want to track dirt thru the rest of the house. And for easy access for people when we have cookouts & pool parties

[Bismarck Jack]

Wow. i sounded like a jerk there. didnt intend to...sorry.

Adding a shower to your basement if it is already finished and has an existing 1/2 bath, would increase your value. But, maybe not as much as you think.

some operational definitions: (may vary from place to place)
1/4 bath = toilet
1/2 bath = toilet + sink
3/4 bath = toilet + sink + shower
full bath = toilet + sink + bathtub/shower

Depending on the area and the appraiser, changing a 1/2 bath to a 3/4 bath will increase appraised value, but usually this is a standard increase. An example of this would be 1/2 bath is worth $2,000 and 3/4 bath is worth $2,800 when calculating value. Often times a nicely finished shower costs more than $800

Another way your value could increase indirectly is in the saleability or marketability which is different than value. Marketability simply makes the property more attractive or sellable to a buyer therefor allowing you to sell faster and make more. Key word here is "indirect". Your house is only worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it. So dont get discouraged if you dont see your money back. It would help the house sell.


FYI, In real estate, Bathrooms and kitchens get you the most bang for your buck!

[DUNBAR PLUMBER]

The "best" value when considering a bathroom to raise property value is to go with a full bath, which means a bathroom that has a full size tub that is like your tub upstairs.


This allows children to take baths which if a window for egress was installed in that lower level, that bathroom would tie to a bedroom permissable on the lower level.


I get questions all the time in regards to switching tubs to showers, and I plainly explain that IF you do this, that will kill your chances of selling a home if it is the only bathroom in the home.

A bad situation because anyone with kids will move to the next house, looking for something that should be common in every home on the street.

[Bismarck Jack]

I agree with this completly. We really dont know the posters situation though.

Is the basement finished?
are you ditching a tub for a shower?
do you have just a 1/2 bath and are adding a shower?
Do you have a bathroom at all down there?

too difficult to tell you if adding a shower will increase your value for sure without knowing your full situation.

[scuba_dave]

Well, he hasn't been back to the site since he posted :call2:

[Bismarck Jack]

I may have scared him off. sometimes I dont realize how things can come across. No real emotion in typing i guess.

[pushkins]

Just as a foot note, I was reading an article from the American Real Estate Institute and they are saying that they are find that thier clients are looking for walk in showers in master bathrooms. As long as the house has one bathtub that is all they need so the rest can be showers.

Who uses their jacuzzi or spa bath in the master bathroom anyway?....I tear out way more than we put in now. Almost all our master bathroom renovations are for walk in showers so I have to agree with the Real Estate Institute (damn.... I never thought I'd be agreeing with a real estate person salesperson).

[scuba_dave]

Our downstairs is a full bath w/tub & shower
Its a jacuzzi jet tub w/heat. We use it as a tub for out son all the time
We use it every now & then for soaking w/the jets
When we want to use it it sgreat - it was an inexpensive model
Outside we have a "real " hot tub with lots of jets & power

On the 2nd floor is an existing 3/4 bath = shower only
Since most of the 2nd floor will be our Master bedroom we are adding a Master shower w/steam. It will be 3x5 with one 5' wall glass w/glass door
It will also have a single sink. Is that a 5/8 bath ?

I like the idea of having the toilet separate from where we shower & brush our teeth. With the existing 2nd floor layout this made the most sense

[Bismarck Jack]

you are in a league of your own there. Without a toilet:toilet: I couldnt really call that a bathroom at all. I would call that...in advertising "a luxury master bedroom eloquently styled with master spa suite and hit on the steam feature, the origin of the imported tile ect. you are importing tile from Italy right? you should have something imported if you are building a room that exquisite.

[scuba_dave]

Well of course the tile is from Italy
It is Fra - gile

( I like "His end up")

:hahaha:
http://www.curbly.com/uploads/photos/0000/0000/9884/Deluxe-Crate-small_large.jpg