How many bedrooms and bathrooms do we need?
How times change. At the end of the 20th Century it wasn’t unheard of for some British homes still to have outside toilets. Nowadays, if they still exist, they are more likely to have been turned into storage space or a handy recycling bin store.
What’s the general market preference
The number of bathrooms a home has is one of the first questions would-be buyers ask, and it’s usually linked to the number of bedrooms the property has. This speaks volumes about general market preferences and expectations. it’s certainly not unusual for new-build two-bed homes and apartments to have two bathrooms as the enthusiasm for ensuites remains undimmed.
Look at it from a property investment perspective
From a property investment perspective, many of the new build properties, including two bed apartments, within the Graven Hill development have ensuites and research suggests adding a bathroom to a property adds between 5-7% in terms of property value. Similarly, a downstairs cloakroom can add thousands for relatively little outlay. There is also such a thing as having too many bathrooms. If it comes at the expense of useful space, this will hit the home’s value and appeal.
Balancing affordability against practicality
So, how many bedrooms and bathrooms do we actually need? The Royal Family have 78 to choose from when they are staying at Buckingham Palace but for the rest of us then estate agents recommend there should be two bathrooms for every three bedrooms to maximise value.
Can you have too many bathrooms?
Ultimately this depends on your personal needs and the floor space you have available. Having bathrooms you don’t need, or only use sparingly, can be wasteful. Could you put that space to better use? Bathrooms aren’t cheap to install either with fixtures & fittings, pipework, tiles and fixtures, and they are probably one of the worst rooms in the house to keep clean.
Taking into consideration hosting & guests
When buying or building your own home it’s important to assess your housing needs as an individual, couple or family. As a “singleton” or couple then an ensuite as well as a main bathroom is a nice-to-have but not essential, unless you plan on having guests stay every weekend. If you want to be the host-with-the-most then offering your visitors the option of an ensuite will definitely be a luxury they will enjoy during their stay.
What about family expansion and growing needs?
Any families who have children then the priority for more bathrooms probably increases with time, as long as parents don’t mind the extra scouring duties. For those with teenagers the necessity for additional bathrooms probably feels more urgent, particularly as they fight over showers, mirrors and appliances every morning. If you have both boys and girls then even more so and, as they get older, they will definitely need a bedroom each regardless.
Jack & Jill bathrooms with dual access can often be a great compromise for families, making great use of the space but allowing easy access from more than one bedroom or hallway.
Ideally, we would all like to have a bedroom for each of our children so your typical 2-child family would be looking at a three bed homes or upwards, with perhaps two bathrooms to meet their needs.
Aging in the home
As the number of bathrooms and bedrooms in a home are important for those with children, it’s equally as important for the older generations. As Generation X heads towards retirement, then aging in place has to be considered. Some may see too many bathrooms as a drawback and think more about the importance of having a downstairs bathroom as a way of future-proofing their home against frailty, illness and access issues.
House design considerations to think about
While there isn’t a readily available statistic for the average number of bathrooms in a UK property, British bathrooms are known for their compact size and space-saving solutions. Some experts are predicting that consumers may consider downsizing the number of bathrooms, or space-saving from baths to shower rooms to maximise any available space overall. If that’s the case then housebuilders haven’t quite fully caught on and the “more is more” bathroom design approach still prevails, with many new builds from two beds upwards offering ensuites.
Regardless, whether it’s a cozsy ensuite or a shared family bathroom, the British focus is still very much on functionality and efficient design that makes the most of the available space.
Are hobby rooms or Work From Home offices a better use of space?
Budgets will always play a part in what people can afford to include in their dream homes, working from home now often sees that spare bedroom turned into an office or study. Or when home-based hobbies made a comeback thanks to Covid then that unused bedroom became the craft space or home-made gym, which is a great way to utilise unused space. A good quality pullout sofa bed will often be more than enough for visitors who are only staying a night or two.
Considering the maintenance costs
Every homeowner has to find the right balance between convenience, cost and upkeep – still with an eye on future saleability. More rooms and certainly more bathrooms require more cleaning and maintenance. More showers and baths invite more longer-term problems that require plumbers, not to mention decorating and heating costs over the year. Ultimately, you have to find the right balance between your lifestyle needs and convenience, weighed against the ongoing cost and upkeep.
Finding the perfect home isn’t just about the number of bedroom or bathrooms, it’s about finding an affordable space, in the right location, to suit you and/or your family’s needs. If you would like to find out more about the beautiful range of two, three, four and five bedroom homes on offer at Graven Hill then get in touch with the team today.