Why do big houses have more bathrooms than bedrooms?

If you’ve ever visited a mansion, chances are you were blown away by the number of rooms and the luxuries homes of that stature have. A common feature in mansions, and even in newer single-family homes nowadays, is that they tend to have more bathrooms than bedrooms. 

Why do you suppose that is the case? What is the ideal number of bathrooms a home should have? We’ll answer those questions and more in this short read.

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A quick peek into bathroom history

Let’s begin with taking a quick peek into bathroom history so we can understand how the trend of having multiple bathrooms in a home began.

The world of indoor plumbing was very different prior to World War II. The pipes were all made of cast iron or copper. The bathtubs were made of cast iron. Simply put, everything was extremely heavy and difficult to haul around.

Bathrooms were limited to a single bathroom in a home, and their purpose was limited to being bathing spaces. Toilets were often found outside of homes. And even after the war, only the rich had the luxury of having more than one bathroom in the house.

Things, however, changed for the better when PVC pipes came into use during the 1960s and 1970s. Lighter bathtubs with attached showers became commonplace, and it became more affordable for middle-class home builders to have more than one bathroom in their homes.

As the 1980s and 1990s progressed, the number of bathrooms in a home had become a deal breaker when it came to the sale of homes. So much so that real estate agents publicized the number of bathrooms a home had in advertisements.

Why do big houses have more bathrooms than bedrooms?

Let’s now get to answering our primary question. Why do big houses have more bathrooms than bedrooms? Well, the reason is quite simple. 

Mansions are where the rich live, and the rich tend to entertain guests more often than the regular Joe does. This is why mansions often have multiple entertainment areas. They also have more bathrooms than bedrooms for the same reason.

The extra bathrooms are convenient to make sure guests have access to powder rooms close to these entertainment areas. Otherwise, they’d have to run to the master bedroom to use the en suite bathroom every time they wanted to use the toilet, and no one really likes to share their bathroom.

Then, there is also the fact that bathrooms have evolved from purely functional places to private and luxurious experiences. The modern bathroom now has his and her wash basins, cabinets to stow away shampoos, conditioners, moisturizers, makeup, and more, shower stalls, bathtubs, and saunas. They have become places where people like to spend quality time alone.

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How many bathrooms should a home have?

There is no correct answer to this question. However, here are some things worth pondering about that might help you decide.

Do you have children in your family? If you do, you’d appreciate the value of an additional bathroom on weekdays when the kids need to get ready for school and you need to get to work on time.

Then, there is the question of how often you entertain guests. An extra bathroom, even if it is just a powder room, in a common area not only makes it convenient for the guests to use when they need to, but it also means you have privacy every time someone needs to use the toilet. 

Experts suggest that a good rule of thumb to use is to account for at least two bathrooms for every three bedrooms in the house. Also, keep in mind that an extra bathroom will make it easier to sell your house when the time comes. This is why a lot of home builders make provisions for an extra bathroom in places like the basement or the garage. 

And it doesn’t really mean adding an extra bathroom is going to make a difference to the amount of space you have available. The average American family home now measures a whopping 2,493 square feet, much bigger than the 1,600 square feet average that homes used to be in the 1970s.

The convenience makes it worth it

The cost of adding a half bathroom to your home could vary from $5,000 to $30,000, depending on whether you intend to utilize existing space for the project or add space to make it happen. While that may not seem particularly cheap, the convenience of an added bathroom simply means you do not need to share yours, and that alone makes it worth the cost. And considering your house will appreciate by at least 5.7% because of it, it seems like a worthwhile investment to make.

Read more: Guest bathroom floor plans architect

Written by Narayan Shrouthy. September 14, 2022

Narayan is a content writer for Kukun. With experience in both content writing and editing, Narayan mixes his writing and love for reading with his passion for music. As an active musician, He aims to be a key player in Kukun's content experience.