Along with the Kitchen, the Master Bathroom is one of the most important rooms in your home. It is also one of the larger investments in up-dating your home and an important concern in relation to Return on Investment (ROI) when it comes time to sell your home.
Buyers of homes want an updated Master Bathroom and they expect to see a comfortable and usable updated room when touring perspective homes to purchase. Without the updated Master Bathroom, buyers may immediately dismiss the home without giving it second thought to its potential. For homeowners who plan to remain in their homes for some time, say more than three-five years, the investment in the Master Bathroom becomes one of personal enjoyment. Should you remain more than 10 years, the room may need further improvements prior to selling.
Since home values vary a great deal, the needs of an updated Master Bathroom will be determined by the location, value and selling price of the home. Master Bathroom remodels could range from $15,000 and up for minor changes, meaning a new shower with replacement of tile, shower door enclosure, bathroom flooring, vanity tops, new plumbing fixtures and paint. Major remodels could range from $40,000-60,000 and up. The size of the room, the products chosen and the detail of the work all play a part in determining the investment a homeowner will make in updating their Master Bathroom. Often, homeowners want to know if they’ll get their money out of the remodel. Of course, the longer they stay in the home, the more they enjoy their new investment. And minor changes can make a big impact on the resale of a home without greatly affecting the budget. The bottom line in ROI is to discuss the value of your home with a realtor who will let you know what your home will sell for in today’s market and help you determine how much to invest in your Master Bathroom.
If you plan to remain in your home, you can decide on simple and quick fixes or complete remodels.
Make the Biggest Impact for your money!
This can be accomplished easily and quickly by changing out minor areas in the bathroom. Today’s updated look has changed from the brassy gold and chrome plumbing fixtures, cabinet pulls, doorknobs and light fixtures to oil-rubbed Bronze and brushed nickel. These items can be changed in a day and will make a big improvement for most homeowners. Often, it becomes the start of more improvements. Once one change is made, it opens up “the can of worms” for other changes. Those items that “kind of” bothered you will become more troublesome. Before you make changes, keep in mind that the entire look and feel should blend together and nothing should stand out as bothersome or too updated. Once you start thinking about making changes, it is best to review the entire area and determine what you want to do and start your plans from there.
What is REALLY Important to YOU?
Keep in mind that a Bathroom is a very personal room and should accommodate your needs and those of family and visitors. I’ve been asked what others do with their Bathrooms … should they convert a large Jacuzzi tub to a shower? Can they sell their home without a tub in the Master Bath? Should a half wall or pony wall be removed or installed? Questions arise around shower door units, whether they should be Frameless or Semi-frameless, with clear or obscure glass. Should a whirlpool tub have air or a heater? And the answer is…it depends. It depends on what you want and what is important to you. If you plan to sell your home within two years and you are concerned that your home may not sell without a tub in the Master Bathroom, then keep the tub and rework the shower size as much as possible. If you plan to stay in your home and the larger shower is more important to you than an unused tub, then remove the tub and enjoy your newly expanded shower. If you have never liked your tub and would love to relax in a heated tub with air bubbles, then this is the solution for you. A discussion with a Designer will help you uncover your desires, and a plan can be created to best suit your needs.
