Direct Line Home Insurance

Estate agents reveal bathroom ratio to maximise home sales



A property should have two bathrooms for every three bedrooms in order to maximise its value and desirability, according to new research from Direct Line Home Insurance.


A survey of estate agents – conducted by Direct Line – found that a three-bedroom home would ideally have an average of 1.8 bathrooms, a four-bedroom house would have 2.6 and a five-bedroom property would have 3.5.

Estate agents estimated that an extra bathroom would add 6.8% (£12,000) to the value of a standard three-bedroom property, and  increase the value of a four-bedroom property by 6.2% (£17,000).

Rebecca Clapham, head of household products at Direct Line, felt it was interesting to find out what homeowners could do to add value to their property.  

“A new bathroom can add around £12,000 to the value of a home, which compared to the cost of fitting one, is a significant return and may be a good option for people wishing to improve their home but without the space to add an extra bedroom or improve their kitchen.”

Almost three quarters (70%) of estate agents reported that a three-bedroom home should have two or more bathrooms.

The majority (95%) of estate agents said that four- and five-bedroom properties need to have more than one bathroom, and more than two-fifths (43%) stated that a five-bedroom property should have at least three bathrooms.

For those looking to fit an extra bathroom, Rebecca added that it was important to use a qualified plumber.

“It can be tempting to try and do things yourself to save money but if you get it wrong, a dodgy plumbing job could end up costing much more if pipes burst and cause damage to your home.”



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