Bathrooms
Homeowners are willing to spend money on luxury products tocreate bathrooms that reflect their personal style. Nowhere is this more evident than in the cities that have the highest returns on cost for bathroom remodels. “When someone is really splurging, they are not getting something stock or off-the-shelf,” says Ben Ladomirak, owner of Teevan Restoration in San Francisco.
David Rhodes of Schmid & Rhodes Construction, in Knoxville, Ky., says that although his customers renovate secondary bathrooms, they put more money into master suites — including expanding into adjacent space or adding on. They are also upgrading the finishes. “Products that were difficult to get five years ago are readily available today in most retail stores,” he says. These include tumbled marble, high-end tile, and multiple-head shower fixtures. However, he tells customers to expect a lower return during resale for this custom work because it may not be to the buyer’s taste.
Though Miami remodeler Lee Parron of Kitchen Center renovates kitchens, he also sells bath cabinetry. “Our customers are spending $10,000 to $20,000 just on bathroom cabinets,” he says. “Whether it is a very modern Zen-like feel or a traditional period look, both are costly.”
Tom Poulin has run Poulin Design/Remodeling in Albuquerque for 25 years and added a Re-Bath franchise in 1998. His design/build customers spend $40,000 to $60,000 on master suites that include stone, whirlpool baths, frameless shower doors, and shower spas. However, the Re-Bath side is up 38% since last year. The company offers several packages that vary in scope from installing a bathtub liner to replacing all faucets, fixtures, and surfaces. The average Re-Bath client spends about $3,500 for the tub or shower-surround package.
“The bathroom is an integral part of the home that is used every day and must be maintained,” Poulin says. He notes that single-family houses have an average of 1.5 bathrooms. “We have 200,000 single-family homes in our area, so 350,000 bathrooms have to be redone every 10 years. That is an unlimited market.”
National return on investment
Bathroom Remodel midrange: 84.9%
Bathroom Remodel upscale: 77.4%
Bathroom Addition midrange: 74.9%
Bathroom Addition upscale: 72.8%
Bathroom Addition – Mid-Range
Add a full 6-by-8-foot bath over a crawl space with poured concrete walls. Include cultured-marble vanity top with molded sink; standard chrome faucets; 30-by-60-inch white fiberglass tub/shower with ceramic tile surround; single-lever temperature and pressure-balanced faucet; white low-profile toilet; general and spot lighting; electrical wiring to code; mirrored medicine cabinet; linen storage closet or cabinet; vinyl wallpaper; painted trim; and ceramic tile floor.
Bathroom Addition – Upscale
Add a new 9-by-9-foot master bath to existing master bedroom over a crawl space. Include a 4-by-4-foot neo-angle shower with ceramic tile walls with accent strip, recessed shower caddy, body spray fixtures, and frameless glass enclosure. Include a customized whirlpool tub; stone countertop with two sinks; two mirrored medicine cabinets with lighting; a compartmentalized commode area with one-piece toilet; and a humidistat-controlled exhaust fan. Use all color fixtures. Use larger matching ceramic tiles on the floor, laid on the diagonal with ceramic tile base molding. Add general and spot lighting including waterproof shower fixture. Cabinetry shall include a custom drawer base and wall cabinets for a built-in look. Extend HVAC system, and include electric in-floor heating and heated towel bars.
Bathroom Remodel – Mid-Range
Update an existing 5-by-7-foot bathroom. Replace all fixtures to include 30-by-60-inch porcelain-on-steel tub with 4-by-4 ceramic tile surround; new single-lever temperature and pressure-balanced shower control; standard white toilet; solid-surface vanity counter with integral double sink; recessed medicine cabinet with light; ceramic tile floor; vinyl wallpaper.
Bathroom Remodel – Upscale
Expand an existing 5-by-7-foot bathroom to 9 by 9 feet within existing house footprint. Add another window bringing total glazing area to 30 square feet. Relocate and replace tub with custom 4-by-6-foot dual shower with top-of-line fittings and full-body-wash shower wall, tile and glass block surround, glass door. Relocate toilet into a partitioned area and replace it with a one-piece color unit. Add bidet. Add stone countertops in custom vanity cabinet with twin designer undermount sinks; nickel-finish faucets. Add linen/towel storage closet. Ceramic tile floor, papered walls, hardwood trim. Add general and spot lighting; a humidistat-controlled exhaust fan; electrical wiring to code.