Converting small laundry room to 3/4 bath

7 years ago

Hi All,

I usually hang out in the buying and selling real estate forum but *think* I may have finally found a home to buy---yay! It is small though and currently only has 1.5 baths. There is a small upstairs laundry room and I'm wondering how easy it would be to convert into a 3/4 bath. I would obviously take out the washer and dryer and maybe relocate them to the first floor (stackables in a closet---my mom did this and it worked out fine).

Any input on the feasability of this idea. The house has a well and holding tank (not city water and sewer) if that matters? Thanks for your ideas!

Featured Answer

Kati
Original Author

7 years ago

Thank you both for your input---very helpful!

The home is on a crawl space. The holding tank is 2500 gallons. The house is a 3 bedroom but only 1324 sq. ft. This is waterfront so I don't think there could be lechfield and the lot is pretty small too.

I've seen 3/4 baths in much smaller spaces than 5x7, but it was tight. Unfortunately, I don't know the room dimensions, but it was possibly 5 ft across ----the room was long and narrow though---there was a closet at the back of the room too.

What about if I put a stackable washer dryer in the laundry room and just tried to fit a small shower in the back part of the *room*. I just would really like to have some semblance of a 3/4 bath in the house vs. just a half, even if it was split up. Not sure what that would do for resale?

This isn't a dealbreaker or anything, more of a 1st world problem for me, I guess ;)

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Comments (17)

manhattan42
7 years ago
First of all. what are the physical dimensions of the existing laundry room?

Unless they are at least about 5 feet by 7 feet your hopes of fitting a toilet, vanity and shower in this area are practically nil.

Second, depending upon the size of the existing floor joists, and where your the existing soil stack is located relative to this laundry room, you may or may not be able to install the require 3" or 4" soil pipe required for the toilet...or require such costly structural alterations to make it possible...it might not be practical.
live_wire_oak
7 years ago
Adding a laundry stack on slab plumbing is no picnic. It involves jack hammering or concrete saws cutting into that slab. If you have a crawl space, it gets a bit easier. Do you know what foundation type the home has?

Then there's the septic issue. Septics are sized for the existing home, not one with more waste producing fixtures. You might not even be allowed to add a bath without replacing the septic to something with more capacity. Is there room on the lot for a new leach field? Do you know what size the tank is?

Your best bet is to contact a local plumbing firm that also deals with Septics and pay them to come out and do both a septic inspection and system evaluation for you. Write the right of refusal pending inspection into any offer you may be considering.
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PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
7 years ago
Adding only a shower can be much easier than a whole bath, but you really need a plumber familiar with local codes for information.
_sophiewheeler
7 years ago
Showering in the laundry room would be weird.
Kati
Original Author
7 years ago
Yea, it'd be kinda weird, but possibly worth it to me :) And, yes, I will definitely consult licensed plumber if I get the place and decide I want to do this--thanks again for the input
weedyacres
7 years ago
I've actually seen a couple houses where showers were added in the laundry room. In both cases they were older houses, and it was because there was a single bathroom that had only a tub, with a large window over it, and rather than convert the tub they added a shower elsewhere.

So while I wouldn't do it in a more expensive house, because it's odd, (I'd spring for a tub-to-shower remodel) for a more budget-friendly house it might be a good solution. And it would also depend on where that room was relative to the bedrooms. If it's upstairs, it would be less weird than having to walk through the kitchen to get to it, for example.
sjhockeyfan325
7 years ago
I wouldn't think it would help resale because it would be a little weird. For your own use, only you can decide.
Kati
Original Author
7 years ago
The laundry room is on the second floor but the half bath is on the first floor. The half bath is right next to the entry way with a large closet. I'm wondering if I could take some of that space and reconfigure the half bath? This house has no storage (it's over a crawl space) so closets are critical, so I don't know.

I think I need to live in the house awhile before I do anything major--thank you all for your input---it's been super helpful! :)
GreenDesigns
7 years ago
Sounds like this house may not fit your needs. Keep looking?
Kati
Original Author
7 years ago
For the most part, it fits my needs-----it's waterfront and that's my most important criteria, so I will make the house work :)
Vith
7 years ago
Not a big deal having shower in laundry room. Just have the door going into the laundry room lockable for privacy while showering. Ive seen toilet, shower, and utility sink in laundry room before.
Kati
Original Author
7 years ago
Yes, Vith, I've seen bathrooms that have the washer and dryer in them. I will need to live in the place a bit before I make any decisions
Marion Windham Richardson
5 years ago
Hi, we are in the process of adding a full bath to my laundry room. Mine is 8'X32', runs the length of the house. We decided to take up the concrete and tie in new plumbing. My home was built in 1929 as a community store so it has 1 tiny bath. We are doing all the work ourselves. Permit office gave us a copy of codes to meet for inspector. Good luck
PENNY HOECKER
3 years ago
Just wondering what it would cost to move half bathroom and laundry room move to the other side of the house. It would back up to the master closet and bathroom. Right now as the home is you have to go through the kitchen and laundry room just to get to the half bathroom. I want to convert an office into two separate rooms one side laundry the other h bathroom.
PRO
Joseph Corlett, LLC
3 years ago
It will be less expensive because it backs up to the master bath, but it's still going to be relatively expensive. I wouldn't believe any bids under 20K.
PENNY HOECKER
3 years ago
Thank you