Remodeled Master Baths Make a Big Splash in Older Homes
Written by Sam Portis for the Dunwoody Crier Newspaper

Once an afterthought, bathrooms have gained in stature. Homeowners around the country are expending more thought—and money—to creating a space that is both attractive and comfortable, and may include such amenities as saunas, steam showers, separate changing areas and workout rooms. Locally, in the Dunwoody area, this means turning 30- to 40-year-old small baths into larger, luxury master baths.

Owners of older homes can feel more confident about jumping on the remodeling bandwagon. If you live in an older home and add or expand a bathroom with the aim of creating a master suite, not only do you get to enjoy the space, but you also help your house become just as desirable to buyers as newer homes along with increasing the value of your home.

In the list of most popular remodeling projects, a new bathroom takes second place, according to the Alexander, Va.-based National Association of the Remodeling Industry, NARI (the kitchen, as you might expect, consistently ranks No.1).

Obviously you can't fill all the components of a remodeled luxury bath into the small space allotted for the original bathroom in many older homes. Be creative and look elsewhere for the space.

That's exactly what Portis Building and Interiors accomplished for a recently completed master bath remodel of a typical five-over-four traditional Dunwoody two-story home.

Picture this. The old master bath was nearly doubled into a 12-ft. x 14-ft. space by moving the adjacent children's bathroom into a formerly poorly utilized space in the nearby bonus room. The new, roomy 168-sq. ft. master bath now accommodates large dual walk-in showers, an expanded vanity with dual sinks and a garden tub. Vaulted ceilings with skylights and the latest in down lighting fixtures were two more features used to enhance the feeling of spaciousness.

With the movement of the children's bathroom down the hall and into the bonus room, the traffic flow was changed dramatically. Along with more privacy for the entire family, the kids now have their own entrances into their new, larger bathroom with new separate vanities.

While undertaking this remodel, the owners also decided to improve the use of their master bedroom by reversing the location of an exercise room and walk-in closet, previously a nursery. The result was an exercise room directly attached to the master bedroom, providing a more convenient, user-friendly environment. And, of course, everyone's dream of extra closet space was realized with a larger walk-in closet.

It would be unrealistic to say that a bathroom remodel is an easy undertaking, but it can be executed with a minimum of fuss when working with a qualified, experienced builder. The biggest secret to a successful remodel is a daily conference between the owners and the builder to ensure that both visions of the project match.

What will it cost to have all of this newfound luxury? The exact price is hard to pin down because you can install an $80 faucet or a $2,000 faucet, a $400 or $4,000 tub. But it isn't unusual to spend $25,000 to $50,000 depending on materials and the scope of structural and plumbing work necessary. As a rule of thumb, plan to spend 2-1/2 times the cost of the products you choose for construction.

With careful planning and a willingness to "borrow" space, older homes with Plain-Jane master bathrooms like so many in Dunwoody can become an oasis of relaxation and luxury, and more marketable for future resale.

Sam Portis, owner and president of Portis Building & Interiors, has over 25 years building experience and is a second-generation builder with offices in Dunwoody; 770-455-4319.