I received an email the other day from Darren, he wanted to know how the value of a property would be affected if he decided to replace his bath with a shower cubicle. It’s a good question, and i’m sure others have been in a similar situation. Hi, THE SITUATIONI assumed that the property Darren is referring to is a small property with only 1 bathroom, as opposed to him referring to a 2nd bathroom. So i’m going to base my answer on that scenario. There are a lot of reasons why someone may want to replace their bath with a shower cubicle; the main reasons being to create space or simply because the bath is unused. In many cases a bath doesn’t suit the lifestyle of many people. BATHROOMS ARE VALUABLEBathrooms are extremely valuable; they do have potential to add/reduce value to a property, so it’s important to get them right. A lot of people put great importance into a bathroom, especially those that like to kick back and relax in a hot tub after a long day at work. Additionally, in a family market, extra bathrooms can add significant value. KNOW YOUR TARGET MARKETBefore making any decisions, you need to know which kind of market your property will appeal to when selling. I think the key factor that we can extract from the email is that he has a small home with 1 or 2 bedrooms. If that’s the case, I think it’s safe to say that he’ll be targeting couples, first-time buyers or investors, consequently eliminating the family audience. A small house with a small bathroom won’t be suitable for a family, so the odds of a family purchasing the property will be unlikely. Since that’s the case, investors and couples shouldn’t be phased too much by there being no bath. Essentially, I don’t think the value of the property will be affected, but you do run the risk of limiting your market, and that can be a major problem when it comes to selling. A lot of young couples are constantly on the move, especially young professionals, so it maybe more convenient for them to have a shower. However, every now and then they may want the luxury of wanting to relax in a hot tub. While replacing the bath with a shower cubicle may not affect the value for young couples and investors, it’s imperative to always finish the bathroom to a high standard, because that will definitely affect the value of the property. So no matter what you decide to do, plan the space well and finish it with quality. At the end of the day, when you’re talking about a small house with a small bathroom, it’s the quality that will be affect the value the most drastically. ASK YOUR ESTATE AGENTIf you’re really unsure about what to do and are concerned about the value of your property, you should consult your local estate agent. Your agent will know the local market, consequently he/she will know a) what type of people buy the property you live in b) what they look for in those properties. As in an incentive for your estate agent, just tell him/her that when it comes to selling, you plan on using their agency. Keep them sweet. WHAT WOULD I DO?If there’s enough space to fit a bath, like there obviously is in Darren’s case, then I would make a compromise. There are some great bathroom suites available these days, so the lack of options shouldn’t be a problem. While a standard sized suite may make the space look cramped, there are a lot of suites designed for smaller bathrooms. These suites are designed for small space, they aren’t physically as big as the standard suites, but everything looks in proportion. Suites like these maybe more costly, since they’re custom, but they’re definitely worth it. I would get a custom suite that offers a bath, which can also be used as shower cubicle. That way I get the best of both worlds. In conclusion, if you can comfortably fit a bath into the bathroom plan, then have one, otherwise you’ll most certainly limit your market, even if you don’t necessarily hinder the value of your property. EXTRA TIPS FOR SMALL BATHROOMS
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May 2016
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