Is It Time To Add A Bathroom
There are many reasons to add a bathroom, ranging from an elderly parent moving in, to your teenagers’
constant fights over the current bathroom, to wanting more space to accommodate guests.
Whatever your reasons, an additional bathroom will greatly magnify your home’s resale value
and provide extra comfort and convenience in the short term.
Finding Space in Your Existing Home
The good news is that most homes offer ample space to add a bathroom.
The first thing to do is scour your home for possible locations; Consider under the hallway stairs,
the attic, or basement. Look around and see what is available and what makes sense.
Planning the Room
Once you’ve taken the plunge and decided to add a bathroom, start by checking your local building codes to
determine minimum room size. You will need the proper permits from your city before you begin to build.
Get a feel for the bathroom by using masking tape to lay out where the fixtures will be located. Remember
to map out the shower, tub and sink area if that is in the plan, too.
If the space you have targeted to build the new bathroom shares a common wall with an existing bathroom or
kitchen, you will be able to save hundreds of dollars by not having to extend the plumbing. Plumbing will
also be less expensive if the area beneath the new bath is a basement or crawlspace without any obstructions.
Another money saving tip for keeping the plumbing costs low is to locate the room as close as possible to
the main waste drain, or the stack. Also be sure that drains are vented by routing them to an exterior
wall or the roof to prevent sewer gas from entering the house.
The most critical element is to ensure that the area is structurally sound, especially in an older home
where floor joists may need reinforcement in the process of adding the bathroom.
CPVC Pipe and Fittings
Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (or CPVC) which is used in FlowGuard Gold CPVC plumbing systems, offers a
number of benefits over pipes made of copper. It will never scale, corrode or pit, which eliminates the
risk of premature failures and costly re-piping.
FlowGuard Gold CPVC systems are also extensively energy efficient keeping cold water colder and hot water
hotter than metallic systems. And, it eliminates condensation, significantly reducing the risk of costly
drip damage to contents, walls and structure.
If you already have copper plumbing in the rest of your house, you can still easily add CPVC pipe using
simple transition fittings. And, since CPVC pipe is connected with a solvent cement joining system, there
wont be any risk of fire from a soldering torch which is a required for copper pipe installation.
Special Door Configurations
If you don't have alot of space for a new bathroom, consider using a pocket door which slides out of
the wall. Or, try a colonial-style door which swings outward rather than inward pattern this will save
additional bathroom space.
Soundproofing
If the space you have chosen to add a bathroom is in close proximity to another living area, you may want
to soundproof the room for the comfort of both the person using the bathroom and those outside.
If you don't have bathroom windows in your new bathroom, you must have an exhaust fan. It will prevent
moisture and condensation from building up in the room.
Corner Shower
To save space in a small bath, consider a corner shower stall. Although this type shower may be smaller
than a standard shower stall, it will increase the overall space in the room.
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