In a household with different age children under 10 years old to teenagers and two adults home amenities such as the toilet and shower are used frequently everyday.
A flat or house with 4/5 bedrooms with more than on bathroom is ideal, although many families in UK & USA towns, cities and rural areas share only one.
House or apartment ensuite bedrooms provide benefits of privacy & convenience to an adult couple or child. A household bathroom that’s shared is easily accessible to family members or guests, although a major disadvantage is if occupied a family member needs to wait for their turn to use the toilet or bathe.
Importance of an en suite bathroom in a family home
An ensuite in a parent’s room provides separation away from children where the facilities can be designed & tailored to their requirements. Located tucked away in a master bedroom there’s also no need for house guests to use the toilet, as they can access the family bathroom.
Some kids and teenagers in UK houses also have private connected bathrooms or partitioned bedroom providing more privacy and independence.
Disadvantages of ensuites include additional daily cleaning, maintenance & repair and possible lack of care taken by younger kids & teenagers leading to damage.
Parents or a child doesn’t require to get dressed to go wash themselves in the middle of the night they only require walking a few steps and back. Size of a bedroom ensuite room or partition is generally smaller compared to the main household bathroom, although this is second to the convenience it provides.
In modern times people lead busy lives where convenience is important, as well as quick access where a private bathroom in a bedroom is useful.
Indeed estate agents in the UK regularly state families are looking for at least one ensuite in addition to the main bathroom, especially in 4/5 bedroom homes. Flats & houses become more desirable as they provide additional toilet and wash facilities in a multiple household with children.
Does a house or flat need an ensuite
An ensuite provides a benefit of flexibility for family members in all sizes of household, especially with 3-5 bedrooms and 4 to 9 people living in the same house.
You don’t need an ensuite in a house with 2-4 people as they can use one. Five or more people yes, as it provides another toilet & shower, and more harmony with family members interacting with each other.
Extended family with 3 generations from children, parents and grandparents living in the home a separate bedroom ensuite for one or more adult couples is very beneficial.
An elderly couple or parents don’t require walking around the house to wash or the toilet, leaving the shared bathroom to children.
Less queuing and rushing at busy times of the morning before school is a benefit of 2 or more bathrooms in a home, although a negative is parents require cleaning both daily.
Each wash & toilet facility can have adoptions and features for different family requirements. You can personalise the ensuite area to suit your needs, functional use and design preferences.
A private bathroom in a boys or girls room means individual design features from themed wall tiling; mural or child friendly features can be added. Lower a mirror, add an additional towel rail or a stepping stool for you’re young son or daughter to step and reach the toilet or sink easily. Disadvantage is children specific ensuite tiles or bathroom themes could put off future prospective buyers.
- Adapt a bathroom for elderly or disabled people living in or frequently staying in the family home.
- Change the floor tiles to non slip for younger children or teenagers always in a rush reducing bathroom safety concerns.
- Parents can have his & hers hand basins, specific fixed accessories and luxury features which the shared house bathroom doesn’t have that can be a separate or bedroom partition.
En suite bathroom are not always shared in a home
Homes around the UK and USA have different rules and conditions for who gets to use parents, sister or their brothers bedroom ensuite. Some family members do use another sibling’s when the main bathroom is occupied or out of order, such as redecoration.
Children in some families get to use their parent’s bedroom bathroom if it makes life easier, although other parents don’t share, saying “it’s my private space”.
A private connecting bathroom in a person’s bedroom provides uninterrupted private grooming, washing and toilet facilities to access when you want. You also don’t feel the need to rush as it’s your own amenities, and you can stand in the shower, or soak in the bath as long as you wish.
5 other non shared ensuite benefits & disadvantages
- Children don’t get to choice fixtures & bathroom fittings, although they can ask they’re parents for additional accessories that are functions or of benefit.
- Quiet space to relax as long as you wish.
- Clean the toilet, bath and room yourself.
- You can leave personal grooming & toiletries out on display other family members or visitors won’t see or touch.
- You’ll have shelves and storage cupboards to yourself.
Shared bathroom is accessible
The whole family household including children and parents, as well as all visitors can use a shared bathroom as it’s accessed from a hallway, and not through another room.
Advantage is that a shared toilet, shower and bath in a home don’t intrude or invaded a person’s personal space unlike a parents or siblings ensuite causing potential animosity and family conflicts.
Shared amenities are a convenience for family members and visitors, although not if the bathroom is already occupied with a sister or brother taking a bath.
You’ll also notice in UK & USA houses and apartments family shared bathrooms sizes are generally larger that privately connected in a bedroom. In addition, shared toilet rooms usually have a bath with shower where an ensuite in a small room might not have a bath.
Disadvantages of a shared bathroom included waiting in line for the person using it to finish, less time in the shower, and all teenage children and parents take turn with cleaning.
An ensuite can increase the houses value
A UK house or flat that installs a good functional ensuite in a bedroom can increase the market value of the property up to 5%, according to surveys by Direct Line (cited here) and Nationwide Building Society.
The survey stated the up front costs of thousands of pounds to install an ensuite provides benefits for the property if finished good, has a shower, ideally bath and the room is not too small.
Better quality bathroom with functional accessories in neutral design & colours, with a larger room space adds more appeal to buyers, and increases a homes worth.
Property owners require thinking about
- Is the bedroom proportion size big enough after installing a private connected bathroom in the bedroom?
- Larger bedrooms are more suited for adoptions, as more likely it will be used by parents or a teenage child, instead of a small room for a young child.
- Check the street ceiling price for the property.