Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

We are in the process of getting quotes to renovate our basement. We are getting quotes with and without adding a half bath.

We have an undormered cape, so there is 1 full bath on first floor (right at top of basement stairs) and 1 full bath on 2nd floor. The half bath would be added directly below the other bathrooms to avoid having to use a pump (or whatever) since the plumbing is right there already.

Thoughts? Yes, no, maybe? My husband is insisting and i'm wondering if its really worth the $ and loss of space.

TIA!

Message edited 7/13/2013 10:38:00 PM.

Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

What do you plan on using the basement for once it's finished?

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Halfish will be play space for DD and any future kiddos. Halfish will be adult space for TV etc. We plan on a little office alcove, so we can make our current office more of a casual den/playroom on first floor, and also laundry space and storage. It is a large basement (pics in my album) but its dated and the laundry room is WAY too large and is largely wasted space.

(I said halfish because otherwise my description adds up to way more than a whole )

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Our current living room is overrun with toys. Literally the entire room. And it's what you walk into when you walk in the front door. It makes me want to scream - hence this project getting pushed up to the top of the list.

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

I have two bathrooms upstairs and NEVER use my bathroom in my basement!

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Right now I would love a bathroom in our basement!!!! With 3 young kids it is a pia to bring everyone up when dd has to use the potty so my vote is yes!

Also my parents also have a finished basement and now that we are older if we sleep over the kids sleep in the bedrooms upstairs and we usually sleep in the basement and it would be nice if there was a bathroom.

Message edited 7/12/2013 12:47:00 PM.

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

With a bar downstairs I find it to be a big PITA to run up and down the stairs to take a piss. Get the bathroom

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Posted by MRsFaTThead

With a bar downstairs I find it to be a big PITA to run up and down the stairs to take a piss. Get the bathroom

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Your basement is massive. I would put a 1/2 bath in. I'm always a fan of having more bathroom if it's an option.

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Posted by Bearcat

Halfish will be play space for DD and any future kiddos. Halfish will be adult space for TV etc. We plan on a little office alcove, so we can make our current office more of a casual den/playroom on first floor, and also laundry space and storage. It is a large basement (pics in my album) but its dated and the laundry room is WAY too large and is largely wasted space.

(I said halfish because otherwise my description adds up to way more than a whole )

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

It's a convenience and almost a luxury. Especially if you already have 2 bathrooms in your house.

With little ones, it's so much easier to have a bathroom in the basement. Especially if it becomes their main play area. We do not have one, and potty training my son wasn't that fun. (well it never is regardless of how many bathrooms you have!).

If it's going to break the bank, then you can get away with not having the bathroom down there. But it sure is a nice convenience, and if the cost isn't that big of a deal, then go for it.

For us, it was too costly to install and we'd need a pump because of the location. The costs outweighed the benefits, so we opted not to do it.

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

if you have the room for it and it wont break the bank I would do it. It adds value, plus you can put a pull out couch down there and its an instant guest room (which is a ton nicer with a private bath). Not necessary but a luxury!

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Growing up we always had finished basements with bathrooms. The basement was always the playroom and/or media room. I'll be honest and say I HATED the basement bathrooms. I don't know why but they freaked me out. However, I had friends over a lot and it was way more convenient to have a bathroom right there. And it saved my mom the hassle of having kids and teens traipsing around the main floor to go to the bathroom.

If the guest room will be in the basement I think 100% go with a bathroom down there.

Just remember if you don't get a c/o for it, it may be troublesome when you decide to sell (if this is not your forever house).

Finally - when can Zebra and I come over and play in this fab new basement?

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

When we finished our basement the company we used insisted on having a permit for the work to be done. We were able to get the permit for "finished storage" because we were not putting a bathroom or any running water in. Addition of finished storage does not affect your taxes. If we were to put a bathroom or water source in the basement we would have had to get the permit as additional living space and my understanding (though I could be wrong - it was a while ago) was that it would have possibly caused an increase in our taxes. We chose to go without the bathroom, love having the extra playroom (money we feel was very well spent) and don't miss having one as there is a bathroom nearby on the main floor of the house. Good luck with whatever you decide - you are going to love having the basement finished no matter which you choose!

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Message edited 7/12/2013 8:03:04 PM.

Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

We are going to be re-doing our basement, and it is a must for us. I have 2 other bathrooms, but I rather have one down there too for entertaining, over night guests (will have a sleeper sofa), and my lazy A$$ hah

Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

I would def get the bathroom. We have two on the main and one in the basement. Good for the kids and also if you have parties and good for when you have company over. Our basement is large with play area, family area, laundry room and extra bedroom so it wasn't a question.

I honestly do not think you can have enough bathrooms. And it's a plus when you resell.

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

We put one in our basement and never regretted it. Granted we only had one in our ranch so the basement bathroom gave us 2 full bathrooms. My husband used that bathroom more than he used the one upstairs. It was nice when we entertained down there no one had to go upstairs to use the bathroom

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

thank you everyone for your input!

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

I can't imagine not having a bathroom in our basement. We have a 1 full bath and 1 half bath on the first floor alone and we still put a half bath in the basement.

I also think for resale down the road. If I saw a beautifully finished basement with not bath I would find it odd. To go and add a bath once the basement is finished is expensive.
At the very least, I would run all necessary plumping and electric to a location you would use as a bath and leave that there.

Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

Yes. Others have listed all the reasons already - ESPECIALLY if you're going to have the kids play down there, or have people hang out there - it's so much easier for them to not have to walk upstairs to use the bathroom!

Re: Basement remodel - bathroom? With poll.

I have a completely unfinished basement, and half of it is my workshop, and I wish I had a bathroom down there for when I'm working on projects. I have a laundry sink down there, so I'm very tempted to just install a urinal in a corner somewhere with a curtain around it or something...