Whether you are shopping around for a new home and are trying to decode descriptions or you have started pondering bathroom renovations or remodeling, you will have come across terms like “full bath,” “¾ bath,” or even “1.25 bathrooms.” No doubt, these measurements can be confusing, as can planning for the renovation itself.

To make it easy, whenever you measure a fixture in a bathroom, it’s value is 0.25. That means that a home description that says “0.75 bath” means you have three fixtures.

Let’s break down the most common bathroom sizes and give you some tips for sizing and remodeling so that you can figure out which bathroom will be best for you and yours.

What Makes A Bathroom

Bathrooms come in all shapes and sizes, colors and textures. Usually, a bathroom has a sink and a toilet. Others have at least a shower or tub alongside the two basic fixtures. Aside from that, you need the appropriate plumbing, such as hot and cold water lines, and some ventilation. Anything else is considered an additional piece, including illumination and storage.

Now, you may have seen things like a full bath, half bath, and ¾ bath on real estate listings or on Airbnb. What does all that mean? We’ve decoded it below.

What Is A Full Bath?

A full bathroom is a space that has a sink, toilet, shower, and bathtub. In a full bath, you might actually have two of these things, such as a double sink or a double shower, if space allows. Additionally, since full bathrooms do require so much space, it can be rare in smaller homes and is usually attached to a master bedroom.

The layout of full baths follow a prescribed pattern. The tub and shower are located beside one another, usually away from the doorway and nearer to ventilation, a wall or window. Between the door and the tub and shower, you usually spot a vanity on one side and the toilet on the other. Another feature in full baths is usually ample storage space. You might have windows and a closet for storing items, like towels and other things, that wouldn’t be available in a smaller space.

Full Bathroom Sizes

There are three sizes for full bathrooms: small, average, and large. The minimum amount of square feet needed to fit everything safely inside a full bath is 40 square feet. Building codes require at least 32 square feet for the shower and 8 square feet for a tub. Therefore, a small full bathroom is between 40-45 square feet. An average-sized full bathroom runs around 45-60 square feet. This is dependent on the style of your bathroom.

If 50 square feet seems to small for the full bathroom you have in mind, don’t worry. If you plan on including double vanities, a spacious shower, a Jacuzzi tub, and other luxury features, your full bathroom might spread over 70-110 square feet or more. This is usually only possible, however, if you have a master bath already in place.

What Is A ¾ Bath?

A ¾ bathroom is one with a sink, toilet, and either a tub or shower. These ones are usually seen in apartments or smaller homes since they are more efficient. Since ¾ bathrooms are one step down from full bathrooms, they are usually narrower, and the layout changes quite a bit. Showers and tubs (sometimes a combined unit) are still by the window, but now the toilet is nestled up to it. The sink will be on the other side of the toilet, close to the doorway.

¾ Bathroom Sizes

Since any bathroom needs about 32 square feet to fit a shower, a decently sized ¾ bathroom needs about 35 square feet in total. If you plan on swapping a tub for a shower, though, that space requirement is boosted to 40 square feet. Therefore, smaller ¾ bathrooms will be around 32-40 square feet, while the average size is 40-45 square feet.

What Is A Half Bath?

Smaller than both a full and ¾ bath is a half bath, which contains half of what the others do. That means you get just the sink and the toilet. Half baths are meant for saving space while giving the option of additional bathrooms in larger homes.

Since space is meant to be saved, the layout of half baths is typically very similar. Either you have the toilet and the sink occupying the same wall with the door opposite to it, or you have the toilet farthest from the door while the sink is nearest to the door.

Half Bathroom Sizes

Although saving space is the main goal of half bathrooms, that doesn’t mean the sizing isn’t flexible. In fact, you will see half bathrooms both wide and narrow. On the small end of the scale, you have half baths that are a mere 11-12 square feet. The average half baths are about 18-20 square feet. Larger half baths can be around 20-30 square feet, which is just shy of the space needed for a shower stall.

Other Bathroom Sizes Available

Sometimes you might see house listings or descriptions that have measurements like a 1.75 bathroom or a 0.25 bathroom. How can that be you think? Here’s what these other bathroom sizes mean:

• 1.75 Bath: This is used to describe not one but two separate bathrooms—a full bath (1) and a ¾ bath (0.75). This means that you have one bath with a shower, tub, toilet, and sink, as well as a bath with either a tub or shower and 1 toilet and sink. Thus, 1.75 becomes an easy way for realtors to describe this.
• 0.25 Bath: This is a bathroom with only a single fixture—usually a toilet. Think of it as an outhouse or a room with a sink and mirror for freshening up. Sometimes, you will see these in houses that require more amenities but don’t have the space for a complete bathroom.

How Can I Make A Half Bath A Full Bathroom?

There are several ways to convert a smaller bath into a bigger unit. Sometimes, you will have closets near or in the bathroom that have access to plumbing, meaning you simply have to change that closet into a shower, for example. Other times, the process will be much more drawn out. You might have to knock down walls, rip up the floor, and rearrange the plumbing.

But can you make a half bathroom into a full one? With a little work, nothing is impossible.

Tips For Converting A Half Bath To Full

Looking at plumbing first, you are going to need additional pieces, such as a 2-inch vented drain line, a faucet valve for the tub or shower, a riser pipe, and hot and cold supply lines.

While this doesn’t sound like a lot, it will add to the overall cost of the project. Make sure that you have already drafted out a budget and timeline to keep you on track. Otherwise, you may end up overspending on the conversion or remodel, and that could set you up for failure.

You should also consult with a professional plumber to see where you can best place the addition to your bathroom. If you have a basement, then they may suggest positioning the new part in alignment to your plumbing lines. This will limit how much you need to tear up (or down). Even so, you will have to open up either the floor, the walls, or both.

Get the right permits. Most cities require a permit for bathroom remodels, and there are codes to follow. For example, if you have to add more electrical sockets for lighting, or if you plan on upgrading the ventilation, you will have to get a permit.

Next, consider the average spacing requirements for your bathroom. For instance, if you plan on adding a bathtub, you need about 32×60 inches for the tub itself along with an additional 30 inches along one side of the tub. However, this largely depends on local codes and regulations. Do some research or discuss with your contractor.

What Size Bath Has The Most Value?

As you probably have already guessed, adding a bathroom to your house has a number of advantages. You cut down both on the morning wait time in a fuller house, and you also see a boost in overall property value. Depending on how much space your home has already, as well as what additions you make, the amount of money you spend on the investment could be very well worth it.

According to the National Association of Home Builders, adding a half bathroom to your home will increase its value by 10.5 percent. Adding a full bathroom will raise the value by 20 percent. This is when you keep the amount of beds and baths the same. So if you decide to transform a ¾ bathroom into a full bathroom, you see a spike. Increasing the amount of baths you have in your home may have the same effect.

In fact, if you have more beds than bathrooms in your home, then making an additional bathroom will give the value of your home an even bigger boost. Adding a half bathroom when you already have one will bring the value up by 11.5 percent; for a three-bedroom home, 12 percent; four-bedroom homes, 12.5 percent.

However, you should keep in mind that if you do put money into this investment, you probably won’t make much of a profit in the end. Bathroom renovations and additions are costly, so you have to need the additional space and convenience and careless for increasing the overall value of your home.

Takeaway

Hopefully, you now know that a full bath means you are getting a bathroom with at least 1 sink, 1 toilet, 1 shower, and 1 tub. Anything smaller than that, such as a half or ¾ bath, will have less fixtures. Depending on the size of the home and space available, you might see multiple bathrooms listed as 1.75 or more. Additionally, if you are planning on renovating your home, adding a bathroom for convenience can also increase the overall value—which is nice to know when you are making such a large investment!

Have more questions about bathroom renovations and additions? Wondering how much space you need for your project? We’re happy to answer all your questions. Just fill out the contact form, and we’ll be in touch!

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