Master suite addition - bath vs closet

12 years ago

I am new to the site but I have been lurking for a while.

I am considering an addition to my tiny little house. I currently have about 1320 sq feet in my 1950s rancher.

A lot of families in my hood are adding on or even tearing down existing structures to build bigger homes. I think we are maintaining our property value pretty well.

Since my house is small I don't want to double my size necessarily but I want to get the most bang for my buck. While I'm not going to sell anytime soon but I want to consider resale value. I definitely do not want to over-build for my existing footprint or my 'hood.

I would like to add approx 800 sq feet to include a master suite with bath and closet, a laundry room and a family room. Due to some structural constraints (roof, property, etc) I can only do so much.

It is currently just me and my tween child right now but what I have is getting smaller and smaller each year.

Do I build a great "glamor" bath and a small-ish closet or do I go with a decent master bath and get a bigger closet?

Also, would you rather have a separate shower and tub with a single sink vanity or a great shower, no tub and double vanity? Whichever I chose I can probably have at least a sink with a make up desk. Of course, there is the option of a shower/tub combo but I really don't think that's what I want. I'm not sure I would use a tub because I've never really had a tub so.....Maybe I'd like it?

I do have a full bath in the existing hall bath and have a small shower in my existing master bath so I have at least one full bath in this house.

I'm just having a tough time deciding which one I'd rather have. One one hand, a smaller bathroom = less to clean, but on the other, I might enjoy a tub bath and so might my kiddo.

I have a million and one redesign / remodeling questions! So many decisions....so little money!

thanks for any suggestions!

meredith

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (5)

GreenDesigns
12 years ago
A lot will depend on what you want to spend. National average costs for a master suite addition is 106K. For a family room addition is 83K. You could very very easily drop 200K on the project if you went with more upscale materials like natural stone, high quality windows, a fireplace, built in media shelving, etc. And it would be optimistic to think that you could get 60% back in increased value to your home. Is this a neighborhood that it would make sense to spend 200K on doing an addition?
weedyacres
12 years ago
What are the details about "how small is small" on the closet and bath? How much total square footage is the master suite?

Off the top of my head I'd probably opt for a medium bath and a medium closet over large of one and small of another. But that depends on the actual square footage numbers in the trade-offs.
Related Discussions
master suite vs. master bedroom
Q
Comments (17)
I was just talking with a realtor about this - in my area the enormous master suites (I've had smaller apartments than some of these suites!) with sitting areas and walk-in closets or dressing rooms, multiple bedrooms with private attached baths, and suchlike are pretty much confined to the high end of the spectrum, in either new construction or major renos. In ordinary middle-class houses (like mine), if there's one bedroom with a bath accessed only through that bedroom, even if it's not the largest bedroom, that's a master suite, and you're pretty dang lucky to get one. You might see a modest master suite and a Jack & Jill or hall-accessed second bath in a newer, nicer 3/2, maybe a powder room if you're lucky. Our house has a first floor master suite (I nicknamed it the suite-lette as it totals only about 225sf) and 3 upstairs bedrooms (two of which are almost 1/3 larger than the master bedroom, the third is the smallest of all and well suited to an office or playroom) sharing a bath accessed from the hallway, and a 1/2 bath in the laundry room to boot, and that's very nice for its market "niche". In working-class houses here (which is what we'll be shopping for), the master suite notion is almost nonexistent, and having even 1.5 baths is quite the luxury. "Master bedroom" by itself here means NO attached bath and is not necessarily the largest bedroom - it really means the "best bedroom". It might have the best view, better closets, access to a patio or deck, or a location in the house that gives more privacy.
...See More
Big master closet or create master en suite?
Q
Comments (1)
Call your trusted Realtor and ask them which way will be best for resale. They will know. Have them do a market analysis for with the master suite and with the huge closet. Which is best for your wallet and will also sell the house faster? The houses that have master bathrooms, what is their closet space like?
...See More
Help with Master suite addition
Q
Comments (20)
Hi, Mandy, While we don't have much information about your project, it may be useful to compare your cost and quality expectations against similar projects in your market area. I find the remodel cost vs. value report https://www.remodeling.hw.net/cost-vs-value/2020/ to be a good cost calibration tool. The 2020 Remodel Cost vs. Value Report suggests that in the South Atlantic market the cost for a 24' x 16' mid-range quality Master Suite addition averages $125,508 and a 10' x 20' treated wood deck (I'm assuming construction of that is included in your project scope, too) averages $12,700. That's a total of $138,208. Your budget of $80,000 is 57% of the estimated total cost in your market which implies a gross margin for a remodeler (the part your dad is not charging you for) would be around 43% That's a lot higher than typical margins for remodeling projects. Plus, the size of your master suite is 528 SF vs. 384 SF for the benchmark Master Suite addition. Plus, the cost of the benchmark projects don't include design fees. I think it's in everyone's best interest that you get a good line-item cost before you invest in detailed plans.
...See More
Help w/master suite layout after addition!
Q
Comments (8)
Is this plan more helpful? I wanted to have a tub because I love taking baths, and have been living in a house with no bathtubs for the past 10 years! My husband wants an additional closet because I am currently using up all the space in the master closet. We thought about just taking some bedroom space and expanding the bathroom and closet into the bedroom, but then thought that would make the bedroom kind of a long-and-narrow shape that’s a little weird. We also wondered if the bedroom would feel too small if we did that (or if future buyers would think it’s was too small for a master bedroom). I would also lose my little “corner” of the bedroom that currently serves as my “office” if we did that. But, that idea is still in consideration. The plus to expanding with an addition is that: #1: Since we are renovating the house at the same time, we could match floors etc easily. #2: I would definitely have enough space to give myself some kind of little office nook. #3: adding square footage should add value at resale. #4: We could probably even take some space from the old closet to build a hall closet and a place for the AC unit so we could move it down from the attic. Anyway, those are our thoughts, but we are not pros and don’t do this all the time. That’s why I’m reaching out to see if anyone had any advice or layout ideas. I’ve seen some people post really helpful ones on Houzz before. :)
...See More
phoggie
12 years ago
I would vote for a decent master bath and a larger closet.
Depending on your age and your gender...I am a woman and "getting up there"...my old joints won't bend to even get into a tub...so that would not be something that I would even want...I would much rather have a good-sized shower. And of course, your budget (and you say "so little money"), will help guide you also, especially if you already have a tub/shower in another bathroom.

It seems that women like their closets better than men...and like a tub better than men...if you are married, then I would rather have a double vanity than a single one.
hilltop_gw
12 years ago
Size is so personal, I suggest a medium size of both. My master bath is 9x12 and I love the size. A friend and I were both discussing renovating our approx 16 year old bathrooms. We both agreed we seldom use our tub/jacuzzis (maybe 3-4 times a year). We'd both like to get rid of those. Hubby would like to have a larger shower (ours is a standard pre-fab). From a resale stand, I'd think a double vanity would be a must.

Our walk-in closet is 6'deep x9 wide and I wish it were a little larger. We don't have a lot of clothes so it's OK, it's the shoes that take up space.
KeeperMom
Original Author
12 years ago
I'd say the cost of building is below the national average in my 'hood. To answer the question tho, I think this 'hood would support a $200k addition/remodel but my house probably would not. Vague, I know.

I had another builder come by a few days ago and he had some decent suggestions. I guess I'm just going to wait and see what the bids look like and go from there. I could be WAY off base with what I think it might cost and forget the whole thing.

I did forget to mention that my brother is a cabinet installer for a big-box home improvement store and he said he can install my kitchen and bath cabinets at no cost so that will save quite a bit. There are a couple of other minor areas or work that my dad and/or I can do too to save a few bucks. Ever penny counts, right!?

Master suite addition - bath vs closet

Comments (5)

GreenDesigns

weedyacres

Related Discussions

phoggie

hilltop_gw

KeeperMom
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Master suite addition - bath vs closet

Comments (5)

GreenDesigns

weedyacres

Related Discussions

phoggie

hilltop_gw

KeeperMomOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

KeeperMom
Original Author