Table Of Contents
Bathroom renovations
We can do various things to spruce up the home. One thing that most people do is add an en suite to the house. You can do it yourself or engage a bathroom designer. Are you living in a home with an outdated or cramped washroom? Enhance your life and increase your enjoyment with a spacious ensuite in your home.
Adding an ensuite in your old home is one of the best investments you can make. Find out how you can add an ensuite to your old house today and factors to consider during the process.
What is an ensuite?
An ensuite is a perfect addition to any home because it helps improve your quality of life. This can be in several ways, including feeling a lot more comfortable when you get home from work.
Some homeowners may want to consider getting an ensuite to make the most of their homes. This way, they can get more privacy, especially if they live in a two-bedroom apartment. An ensuite also gives them more space for storage and extra personal space. Instead of sharing everything with their partner, kids, or pets, they can get away with the help of an ensuite.
This might not be a good use of money for those who rent apartments; they will have to move anyway; those who own houses get value for their money by adding ensuite bathrooms to their space.
Benefits of adding an ensuite to your home
Increases home value and aesthetics
Apart from your own enjoyment, adding an ensuite bathroom makes your home more attractive to buyers when you decide to sell it. Most people will be drawn to a house with an ensuite bathroom instead of one that has none. And you can get top market price for the home if it has an ensuite.
Provides convenience
Try and imagine not having to go down the hall late at night to look for a bathroom. Since the ensuite is located near your bed, you can hurry and use the loo and be back in bed in no time.
Offers a private space
If you have one bathroom shared by all the family members, you will not get the chance of having a private space where you can just sit, relax and think. You will get a lot of interruptions. But with an ensuite bathroom, you can lock yourself in for hours if you need some quiet time to relax after a hard day at work. You can also put on a TV set or a radio and watch or listen to your favourite shows as you go about your business.
Lessens the bathroom dash
If your house is a bee-hive of activities with kids and teenagers, you will most certainly be aware of the mad dash that happens every morning when everyone is busy trying to start their day. It is a nightmare! You will find different households applying different approaches to help with this mad rush, such as queuing, taking a number, etc. Still, some people might miss their turn.
With an ensuite bathroom, you will not be scrambling for the bathroom with everyone else. So, no need to compete with your children for the bathroom. You can also put good quality toiletries and not be worried that your kids will misuse them.
Proofs your home for years
If you don’t have kids now and plan to have some later, adding an ensuite to your house is advisable. You may be so busy when children arrive that you will not have the time to think about adding an ensuite. Therefore, get it out of the way early enough before you start having kids if you don’t already have one.
Disadvantages of having an ensuite in your home
There are no disadvantages to having an ensuite. The only thing that can be a disadvantage is the cost, which is usually outweighed by the benefits of having your own washroom.
Factors to consider when planning your ensuite
Location
Location is primarily one of the most important factors when deciding whether or not to put a new bathroom in your home. As it is, most people have multiple bathroom designs to choose from. A bathroom that is located within the living space will generally cost less, but if your bathroom is outside of the living space, there will be extra expenses involved with this design.
There are benefits to having your bathroom outside the living space. For example, the family can relax together in the living area, thus increasing family interaction. You may also find that it’s more convenient to have your main living areas (kitchen, living area, and bedroom) upstairs while the bathroom is in the basement, as this will reduce noise that may occur due to running water.
Size
The main reason people consider adding an ensuite is that it will increase the size of their bathroom. This means that you will have more room for getting ready after a long day, as well as a place to shower. There are two different sizes of showers available for the bathroom: under the counter and over the counter. If you have children, an over-the-counter shower is probably the way to go.
In designing an ensuite, you must consider how your furniture will fit into the space. If your room is small and the shower is high, you will need to consider getting a two-piece shower. The second piece should be high enough to prevent falling objects from hitting your guests or tub.
Cost
It is advisable to do a proper budget for adding an ensuite to an old house. Ensure that you plan for the unexpected and have funds readily available for when an emergency arises. For example, you may require extra funds for plumbing and electrical work, or the walls and floor may need urgent remedial work.
Do not look at cost only, but also quality. It is better to save up and purchase a quality product than rush to buy cheap products that may not last long. Also, if there are materials that have been used previously in repairing the house, use those materials first, as this will help you cut costs.
Layout
There are many bathroom ideas to choose from, so you can choose one that will show your individual style. You can choose between traditional, contemporary, country, or spa chic. However, this will depend on the age and type of home.
Therefore, you will need to ask yourself, how would you like your bathroom to look like? Do you want it to match the rest of the house? Perhaps you want something totally different? By determining this, it will help you when it comes to choosing faucets, showers, tiles, etc.
Utility
Think critically about what you need the ensuite for. Is it going to be a bath, a shower, or both? If your house has children, it is advisable to go for a bath. If you have a small space, you can shower over the bath. The tub has to be low so that there is the ease of getting in and coming out.
If you decide to do away with the bath entirely and put a shower, you may want to look at a slimline tray that is on the same level as the flooring so that when a person goes in, they do not have to take a significant step.
Also, consider the type of lighting that is needed. If you can, use natural light. You can also use a lit mirror and spotlights to illuminate dark areas. Check if the central light (LED) will work perfectly for the bathroom. Ventilation is another significant thing to consider. The bathroom needs a free flow of air to prevent condensation and keep the ensuite as fresh as possible.
Ask yourself, if you have an accident and your hip or back is injured, is the water closet comfortable enough to accommodate this? These are just the minority of the questions you can ask yourself before finalizing your plans.
Electrical
Have your electric wiring redone to make it safe and energy-efficient. You also don’t want to be left having to use an outdated electrical system which would be out of place in a new ensuite. The majority of houses in Australia now have under-floor heating in their main living areas. However, you will still want to make sure that a working electric hot water cylinder is available so that you can use the system safely.
Plumbing
Plumbing is one aspect that cannot be overlooked when adding an ensuite to an old house. To avoid having problems in the near future, plumbing has to be done correctly according to applicable plumbing standards. If not done correctly, this job will need to be redone, which can be pretty expensive.
Always use a professional plumber to do this job as you will need to locate the current plumbing system and the outlets. The plumber will make a determination of how the current plumbing system will fit with the new ensuite bathroom. That includes main drain pipes that drain your water closet, shower, and vanity.
Where can you add an ensuite in an old house?
You might be wondering where to put an ensuite bathroom in your old house. It depends on the space you have.
Create space for it
Taking into account the overall age and general style of the house, you can add or enlarge an existing space into an ensuite. If the space is big, you can have a bath or both a shower and a bath.
Build it in the hall
You can also build an ensuite in the hallway. This can be created in the “master hallway,” between the bedroom and the main wash area. You can create storage space or even built-in closets if there is enough space.
Transform a bedroom
How about an ensuite bedroom? You can include an ensuite in your bedroom if the space is large enough. If, however, the space is small, look for fitting designs. Many old houses have cupboards or closets that can store things. You can transform these cupboards or closets into shower areas and then look for space to put a water closet (WC) and the wash-hand basin.
Do you see that corner of your master bedroom? You can put a WC in that space and integrate trendy styles like glass panels or screens with little trouble. If your bedroom has a chimney that you do not use, it can be demolished to create space for an ensuite. This job is chaotic but worth every penny. Once it has been demolished, you will discover that you have a lot more space than you thought, and you can install a vanity unit in the new space.
Get a professional plumber to access your space
Today we live in an age where the need for personalisation is evident and paramount. There are many ways to make your home even more beautiful and functional. It is better to invest in customising your own space than buying something that looks like it belongs in any other house or apartment but your space.
As seen above, adding an ensuite to an old house makes it more appealing while also adding value to it. There are no permits that are required if you are adding an ensuite to your house. So, ensure you get in touch with a professional plumber to come to access your space and give cost estimates plus other ideas on how you can transform your home.
