What is the Cost to Add a Half Bathroom in 2024

Looking to add a new extension to your home but don’t know where to start? A half bathroom provides a great starting point for any homeowner looking for a great long term investment while adding a highly versatile bathroom for their home.

Bathroom renovations are among the most common and popular ways to add value to your home.

In 2023, the average cost to add a half bathroom can be between $7,000 to $25,000. Today we will discuss the cost of adding a half bathroom to your home, the multiple factors to consider and look into some of the best locations you can install one.  

What is a Half Bathroom? 

A half bathroom, otherwise known as a powder room, is a bathroom that contains the minimum amenities, namely a toilet and a sink. These bathrooms are typically located near the front of the house for guests or near a common area.

A half bath is usually limited in space, so minimal designs such as floating vanities, freestanding sinks, and wall-mounted sinks are highly recommended. A half bath’s average size is around 18-20 square feet, which can be extended to a larger size around 20-32 square feet, which generally does not allow for a tub or a shower. 

What are the Benefits of adding a Half Bathroom? 

Installing a half bathroom in your home will ultimately increase the value of your home. On average, installing a half bath will add 10% to your home’s value.

This bathroom also provides a convenient and easy to access bathroom for guests and family members. Since it is a half bath, it is much easier to clean and maintain than a larger bathroom as there is only a toilet and a sink. 

What is the Cost to Add a Half Bathroom? 

The cost of adding a half bathroom will ultimately depend on a few different factors, namely:

• location
• adding a bathroom from scratch
• your city’s code requirements
• plumbing costs
• quality of materials

Each of these factors will increase your bathroom cost so you must determine whether you want a more affordable bathroom or a more luxurious bath space. 

Location, Location, Location: 

The location of your bathroom will establish how much you are spending on your bathroom. If you are looking to expand on an existing area, your price will fluctuate between $5000-15,000. If you add an entirely new space, you will need to install new plumbing and electrical systems from scratch, running between $10,000-30,000.

A larger bathroom will provide more storage space with vanity and other aesthically pleasing elements but will ultimately be much more expensive. A smaller bathroom means less space for other decorative elements, but is ultimately much more affordable.

A small half bath will generally fit a pedestal or wall-mounted sink, toilet and a mirror.  It is highly recommended for a half bath installation that you find an existing room to convert as it will save you from the headache of a more expensive and time-consuming installation. 

Largest Cost to Consider: Plumbing

 Aside from location, plumbing will be the largest cost to consider. Adding new plumbing and piping lines can run anywhere from $10,000-25,000. However, if you can run your lines from an existing network such as a connecting pipe to another bathroom, you can cut back significantly on this cost.

Remember that to install new plumbing, a plumber needs to add a new line through the foundation. The more difficulty the plumber faces when cutting through the foundation and the larger the distance of the pipes, the greater the cost in terms of both money and time. In many cases, a jackhammer is necessary to cut through and establish a new piping network. 

Additional Bathroom Costs to Consider:

Ventilation Requirements 

Every home has ventilation requirements to ensure that your home is properly ventilated to ensure good health. Current codes require either an operable window or an exhaust vent for every bathroom to circulate the air properly.

The national average to install a bathroom fan is anywhere between $300-400, which involves installing new fans and the ducts that run through to the exterior. 

Electrical Requirements

Electrical outlets will need to be installed on a GCFI circuit or ground fault circuit interrupter which provides additional protection against shock in wet areas. These outlets will be standard in modern homes but might be missing in older homes, so it is important to ensure you have a GCFI circuit available.

The average cost to install an electrical outlet ranges anywhere between $130-300 depending on the complexity of the job, the location of house and any special features that are asked for. Keep in mind that much of the cost of installing an outlet will be labor costs. It is recommended that you hire a skilled and experienced electrician to ensure the job is completed safely. 

Quality of Materials

The last factor to consider would be the quality of materials. Depending on the types of material you want for your bathroom, the greater the expense will be.

To that end, you want to ensure that the materials you choose will be in your budget. Try to strike a balance between luxury and affordability when choosing the materials for your bathroom. 

Areas in your home that you can add a half bathroom

An important consideration when installing a new bathroom is where to place it. The beauty of a half bath is that it is much smaller than a traditional bathroom, giving you a greater deal of flexibility.

Here are some common areas in your home where you can add a half bath. A half bathroom adds a great deal of versatility to your home. Depending on where you install a half bath

Basement

A half bath is a great addition to a basement home office or child playroom. A half bath installed in the basement provides a more conveniently located bathroom out of the usual foot traffic. Also, the average cost to add a basement is around $10,000-15,000.

However, if you add the basement under an existing bathroom, you can save anywhere between $1-2,000 in plumbing expenses. The only drawback to a basement half bath would be the ventilation and sewage-ejector system of your home.

Ensure that this system is properly routed through your home so that your wastewater can effectively travel up and out of your basement area to the proper channels. 

Closet 

A closet bath provides a great choice as it remodels a small storage space and repurposes it. This cuts back on installation costs as you are adding to an existing space. Additionally, closets are conveniently placed in many homes, providing a natural recess to install a bath.

Keep in mind that the average cost to install a closet bath is anywhere from $5,000-15,000. Depending on the size of the existing closet and proper ventilation, it will be necessary, especially given the smaller space. 

Under a Staircase 

Similar to closet space, the storage area under a staircase is another good choice for a half bath as it repurposes an existing space. Many staircases have an empty space that many homes use for storage or a pantry, which makes it a logical area for a small bathroom.

Before installing in this area, ensure that space is around 25 square feet with a minimum height of 5 ft to keep with local building codes.

Additionally, ensure that proper ventilation can reach this bathroom through either a window or fan. The average cost for a stair installation starts around $3,000. 

Convert Laundry Room to a Half Bathroom

A laundry room can also provide a great location for a half bath. Many laundry rooms tend to have a large amount of space available, with existing plumbing already installed.

With plumbing costs lowered and the laundry room’s location typically out of the way of heavy foot traffic in your home, a laundry bathroom is a logical place to install a bathroom. The laundry room bathroom’s average cost would be anywhere from $5,000-12,000 depending on size and materials.  

Hallway 

A popular location, the long hallway in many homes provides a great deal of space for a bathroom to be installed. Windows can easily be added to this location, providing great ventilation compared to other areas.

The hallway also provides a convenient location that allows guests to enter and exit discreetly when using the bathroom. Depending on the location and materials, a hallway bathroom will run anywhere between $5000-15,000.

A half bathroom provides your home with a great value-increasing your home’s price while offering a very versatile bathroom for you and your guests. But before you install one, remember to be cost-effective. Consider your existing water lines, drains, and electrical circuits to determine the best location for this bathroom.

Lastly, remember to strike a balance between luxury and budget so you can find the right look for your bathroom without breaking the bank. 

Eric Jensen

Eric is the founder and president of Badeloft USA. He has been the president of Badeloft’s US division for over ten years and oversees all marketing and branding aspects of Badeloftusa.com.
His expertise lies in small business development, sales, and home and bathroom industry trends and information.

Contact us with any business related inquiries.