Is a larger bathroom right for you?

A bathroom renovation can impact how a home looks and functions. Updated fixtures and newer decor can improve the way a family uses their new bathroom, but one of the biggest things a homeowner can do as part of a remodeling project is to enlarge a bathroom. By expanding the square footage of a bathroom, families can create a more versatile space that can accommodate more people and their belongings. For many people who are redoing their bathrooms, considering expansion is a big part of the decision.

Alure Home Improvements’ custom bathroom and kitchen design expert Patricia Nicolini talked about how she helps homeowners decide whether or not to expand the size of the bathroom they’re renovating.

Long Island, short bathrooms
Nicolini explained that Long Island has many homes that have tiny bathrooms and that’s enough to frustrate some people with their space.

“Long Island bathrooms are typically very small. An average Long Island bathroom is 5-feet by 7- or 9-feet,” she said in an interview. “The newer homes in Long Island may have a larger master bathroom, but older homes have these small bathrooms. They’re just so small that people don’t feel like they can move or there isn’t enough storage space.”

Homeowners can be so unhappy with these spaces that they’re willing to “steal space” from other nearby rooms in order to expand the bathroom. But you don’t want to just add a few more feet of tile, you want to give the bathroom more style and function, Nicolini explained. That’s why she always asks her clients a series of questions to determine if a larger bathroom is right for them:

• Are you planning on staying in the home long term (more than a few years) or are you looking to sell?
• Are you thinking about a larger bathroom because you are in need of more storage space?
• Does your budget call for an expansion?
• What are you trying to achieve? For example: Are they two people who need to more room because they get ready at the same time each morning?
• Are you looking for a larger bathroom as a retreat?

Nicolini’s questions get to the heart of what she has found to be the top reasons for bathroom expansion. People need more space for a growing family, additional storage, separate showers and tubs, or they want to create a retreat space with his and her sinks and a spa-like atmosphere.

Pros and cons 
By figuring out how homeowners want to use their bathrooms, Nicolini can help them weigh the benefits and create a plan.

The cost of a bathroom expansion isn’t just the money, but also the space. In order to expand you need to take space from an adjacent room or closet, and that isn’t optimal for every homeowner.

On the other hand, a larger bathroom gives you many more options for a renovation. Many people opt for dual sinks, luxurious showers separate from baths and a variety of amenities that wouldn’t work in a small, traditional bathroom.

An expanded bathroom can help facilitate many of the changes and additions that homeowners are after when they start a bathroom remodeling project.