Comments for Adding A Bathroom Can Add 20% To Your Home's Value

Adding A Bathroom Can Add 20% To Your Home's Value

2007-09-11T20:20:48Z

With the real estate market in the toilet, it's fitting that the same device can actually help you significantly increase the value of your home. Yes, we're talking about adding a bathroom to your current dwelling, something CNN Money says can add up to 20 percent more value to your home. Consider adding a bathroom if:

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You have too few to start with, like only one.

You have far fewer bathrooms than bedrooms

A floor doesn't have a bathroom on it.

So if you're in the market for a new bathroom, putting one in the right place looks like it won't only add functionality to your place, but also give you a good return for your investment. However, the article notes, "you can't count on recouping the cost of any upgrade right away in today's weak housing market." A big payoff from the tiniest room [CNN Money] — FREE MONEY FINANCE

(Photo: Maulleigh)

Comment from Trai_Dep on 2007-09-12

2007-09-12T12:24:42Z

(the mirror cuts it off, but Dad's not wearing any pants)

PS: awesome picture - the inspired wretch that found it deserves a medal.

Comment from Trai_Dep on 2007-09-12

2007-09-12T12:22:39Z

Oh, wait. Is the graphic of Wayne Manor? Bat-dog, is that YOU?

Comment from Trai_Dep on 2007-09-12

2007-09-12T12:18:04Z

I think Dad trained Skippy to fetch Billy's towel. A win/win: Skippy gets the Milkbone and Billy simply gets the bone.

Either that, or Billy's the seducer, flashing any of Dad's pals when they leave the poker table. The little scamp.

Either way, nice to see upstanding Republican families represented here. Haven't had so much deconstructing fun since I read a Batman & Robin comic.

Comment from mac-phisto on 2007-09-11

2007-09-12T04:59:20Z

@Abusiveelusive: lol. now it makes perfect sense!

Comment from mantari on 2007-09-11

2007-09-12T00:42:56Z

My four bedroom house has four baths and a half bath. I'm thinking it'll actually ADD VALUE to my house if I *remove* a bathroom.

Comment from loreshdw on 2007-09-11

2007-09-12T00:41:06Z

Well now I know what it is called. I have a "Pittsburgh toilet" in my basement, next to a shower that is nothing more than a curtain and a drain. Very icky. But, when the only bathroom in the house is taken and a family member has an emergency, the toilet does get used. No one is willing to step in the shower, which the previous owners actually used. Ewww!

I hope to turn the existing plumbing into a real bathroom someday & create a finished basement.

Comment from scoopy on 2007-09-11

2007-09-12T00:23:13Z

@joebloe: You may want to stop worrying about a seventh bathroom and think about taking a course on grammar.

Comment from bonzombiekitty on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T23:17:34Z

@stubblyhead: Especially when you consider the reflection of the mirror. From the dad's point of view, he's able to get a very "nice" view of his son via the mirror.

Comment from Nemesis_Enforcer on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T22:55:20Z

@Pupator: Yep when I got laid off from my mortgage company job in April it was all just a plot, no a conspiracy...a C O N SPIRACY I tell you.

Comment from ludwigk on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T22:49:45Z

@mac-phisto: I'm upset that it exists, I'm upset that I now know about it, and I feel bad for the fair citizens of Pittsburgh, who's city's name is associated with this thing.

Comment from joebloe on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T22:41:38Z

My house already have six bathrooms. Do I need to add more?

Comment from forever_knight on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T22:14:59Z

@Pupator: uh, keep watching. this train wreck is just getting started...it will end with recession.

Comment from davere on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T22:13:36Z

@mac-phisto: Orlando. Bad taste has no barriers apparently.

Comment from robotprom on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T22:12:46Z

we have a Pittsburgh Toilet in our garage in Florida. It's walled in though, so we use the space as box storage.

Comment from stubblyhead on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T22:10:04Z

@bonzombiekitty: i think so too. especially since I just noticed that what you see is his reflection in the mirror.

Comment from madanthony on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T22:09:35Z

That's it. I'm adding 5 more bathrooms to my townhouse. Now it will be worth twice as much. Granted, I'll have to get rid of one of the bedrooms to do this, but who wouldn't want a one bedroom, 8.5 bath townhouse?

Comment from ekthesy on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T22:07:11Z

"You'll thank me when this whole family gets the flu at the same time!"

Comment from Pupator on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T21:53:26Z

It's a bunch of nonsense to say that the real estate market is in the toilet. Just because the never-before-seen growth and increase is slowing down (not even stopping, especially not going backwards) it does not mean that the market is in the toilet.

This entire "mortgage collapse" is a scare created by the media and by lenders who want you to refinance with them. The only people feeling the credit pinch are those who weren't credit-worthy to start with. Middle-class Americans can still walk into a bank today and get great rates (~6.5%) if they can afford to pay a down payment (people who can't afford down payments shouldn't be buying houses!).

This isn't a vent on Consumerist - they were making a pun with their wordplay - but still....

Comment from Canadian Impostor on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T21:52:12Z

Add a bathroom if there's only one for sure. Nothing sucks more than going to look at a place to rent and finding out it's three bedroom one bath.

Comment from bonzombiekitty on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T21:43:32Z

@rmz: I think Consumerist is just pointing out the irrationality behind the increase in value. It may increase the value of the house significantly, but the reason it does is kinda silly.

Comment from Asvetic on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T21:36:52Z

Makes sense, everyone poops.

Comment from Abusiveelusive on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T21:29:12Z

@mac-phisto:

Wikipedia has all answers.

[en.wikipedia.org]

Interesting. Never knew that.

Comment from mac-phisto on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T21:11:56Z

@davere: was this particular house in pittsburgh? i visited a few friends down there & came across the abomination that is known locally as a "pittsburgh toilet". it's common incarnation is a toilet in the corner of the basement - no walls, no sink, no stall, just a toilet.

Comment from Rusted on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T21:04:25Z

One cannot have too many. Nice to have a spare when one is out of commission or under repair.

Comment from rmz on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T20:38:12Z

I'm confused by this post.

You talk about how it's a great way to increase the value of your home, but then you sarcastically add points like "everyone needs their own bathroom, after all, right?" and "heaven forbid we have to walk downstairs to do our business."

So, you can add one to your home to increase its value, but doing so is a sign of over-decadence and laziness?

Comment from bonzombiekitty on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T20:30:54Z

I'm not the only person who thinks that the dad in that picture looks really creepy? He seems to be having a perverse pleasure in watching the dog rip away the towel from his naked son.

Comment from davere on 2007-09-11

2007-09-11T20:28:52Z

However, don't just add a toilet to the utility room next to the hot water heater.

A house I looked at tried to pass that as a "half bathroom."

I guess, in theory, it is. But yeah, no thanks.