What Is a Half Bath and Is It Right for Your Home?
This small but mighty bathroom may be perfect for your home
Highlights
A half bath has a toilet and sink, but no shower or tub.
On average, a half bath costs between $5,000 and $15,000.
A half bath can make your home more accessible when on the first floor.
Adding a bathroom to your home can increase resale value—and it’s just plain convenient. Giving kids, guests, and family members another option for handwashing or when nature calls is a big upgrade, but figuring out what type of bathroom you want to add can be confusing. A half bath may be just what you need to boost your bathroom count without breaking the bank.
What Is a Half Bath?
A half bath is a bathroom with two of the four features constituting a full bath, almost always consisting of a toilet and a sink. This type of bathroom, also called a powder room, is a convenient feature that adds value to a home with multiple occupants and frequent guests. In many cases, a half bath is placed near common spaces on the ground floor of a home where it is accessible for guests who may not be able to use the stairs to get to the primary bathroom.
Pros and Cons of Adding a Half Bath
Adding a half bath can increase your home’s resale value and improve your home’s livability. A half bath allows multiple family members to get ready in the morning simultaneously, and it provides privacy when you are entertaining guests.
However, a half bath can be expensive and is less functional than a three quarter or full bath. Cost, space, and architectural considerations can affect the feasibility of adding a half bath to your home.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Convenience | Added cost |
| Capacity | Limited function |
| Accessibility | Limited space |
| Resale value | Added maintenance |
Best for: Homes with frequent guests or more than one full or three quarter bath existing
Other Bathroom Types
Not sure if a half bath is right for your space? Here are a few other bathroom layouts to consider.
Quarter Bath
A quarter bath is a rarity because it refers to a bathroom with just one of the four “full bath” features. In most cases, this is a toilet. However, having a toilet in an area with no sink isn’t a very attractive feature for most homes, so this quarter bath style is relatively rare. A more popular style of quarter bath is a room with just a shower, like in a pool or spa area.
Three Quarter Bath
A three quarter bath has three of the four features that define a full bath: a sink, toilet, and shower or bathtub. You’ll see this type of bathroom when there’s not enough space for a tub or in situations where a soaking tub is prioritized over a shower.
Full Bath
A full bath has a toilet, sink, shower, and tub, providing all four features that a modern bathroom can offer. This type of bathroom is usually the main bathroom in a home and can also be the ensuite bathroom for a primary bedroom.
What to Consider When Adding a Half Bath
When choosing a bathroom type, it’s important to consider the desired functionality of your new bathroom and the spatial factors that influence the kind of bathroom you can accommodate.
Intended Use
If you have guests over frequently or are planning to expand your family, adding a half bath can be a major upgrade for convenience and privacy. Adding a half bath may be the right choice on floor that has no existing bathroom or near your home’s entrance for easy access to a handwashing station right when you walk in the door.
However, those who live alone and don’t entertain much might not find adding a half bath to be worth the cost, and homes with only one existing shower and multiple people may require the functionality of a three quarter or full bath instead.
Architecture
Adding a half bath is more difficult in an attic space with no existing plumbing than in a basement where plumbing can be run from an exposed ceiling. There might be other barriers like existing HVAC, electrical, and architectural features, so consulting with your designer or architect before choosing a location for your new half bath can save you some headaches down the road.
Accessibility
If your home has stairs, adding a half bath to the first floor allows guests with limited mobility to access the restroom easily. If you have long-term guests or family members with limited mobility, a three quarter or full bath on the ground floor is the best option.
Cost to Add a Half Bath
The average cost to add a half bath to your home is $4,000 to $12,000. If you need to build a bathroom from the ground up and add square footage to the house, then the cost increases to $30,000 or more.
If you already have a half-bath and want to renovate it, you can expect small bathroom remodel costs to fall between $1,500 and $15,000, depending on the features and finishes you choose. It’s a lot to shell out, but the good news is that a bathroom remodel will increase the value of your home.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Adding a half bath yourself isn’t a feasible option unless you happen to be a licensed plumber. The potential savings from DIYing this project rather than hiring a local plumber are outstripped by the possible damage that can be done from leaks as well as the need for permitting and knowledge of building codes. You can, however, have the plumbing and electrical systems installed by professionals and DIY the small stuff, like painting or installing trim.
Frequently Asked Questions
By code, the smallest a bathroom can be is 60 inches wide by 56 inches deep to be considered accessible. An area of 16 to 20 square feet is enough to accommodate a toilet and sink with sufficient clearance. Usually, a space that’s three or four feet by six to eight feet is big enough for a half bath to be added.
In general, the term powder room refers to the same thing as the term half bath and describes a bathroom with a toilet and a sink. Usually, the official term used in real estate listings is a powder room, but the two terms are interchangeable.