No room for an extra bathroom? It’s a rare home where this is really the case. A bathroom can be squeezed into an amazingly small space. An area 3 feet by 5 feet handles a sink and toilet; 3 feet by 8 feet is enough for a shower too.
Architects maintain that a second or third bathroom can be squeezed into almost any house. Bath fixtures fit into less space than most people think. Into 25 square feet, you can squeeze a complete – if cramped – shower bathroom which would keep the cost to add an extra bathroom low. Be your own interior decorator applying real world colors, materials and custom lighting to walls, furniture and cabinets with an online bathroom design planner.
Where to Find Space
Look for the space in places like:
Hallway: The untraveled end of a hallway, sometimes with a window, may contain as much as 30 or 40 square feet – sufficient space for a bathroom.
Closets Back-to-Back: Opened up, adjoining closets sometimes measure as much as 4 feet by 4 feet.
First-Floor Laundry: Streamline the laundry room with modern stackable washer/dryer appliances that take up less room - then reclaim the space to add a half bath.
Existing bath: An average sink, toilet and tub need a minimum of 5 feet by 6 feet. Some large bathrooms can be split into two by relocating the fixtures.
Under a staircase: A sink and toilet usually will fit under the stairs. Just remember to check the headroom before you begin the project.
Part of a Bedroom: Take a 3 foot slice from one side of a large bedroom. Put a toilet at one end of the new room, a shower stall at the other and a sink opposite a door in the partition.
Walk-in-Closet: An oversized walk-in bedroom closet or hall linen closet could easily become a half-bath with few structural changes.
Other Tips
Have the door swing out, or install a sliding pocket door.
Ventilate windowless rooms with a ducted fan or pre-fab skylight window.
Place new fixtures near existing water and waste lines for a lower plumbing bill.
Check floor joists: Conventional fixtures weigh up to 20 pounds per square foot; tile in mortar up to 30 pounds. On spans over 11 feet, better double 2x8 joists on 16 inch centers.
Look for the space in places like:
