Thinking of installing a new bathroom in your property?
It’s certainly no small feat, and you’ll have several factors to consider before choosing the right bathroom.
Remember: not all bathrooms need to contain a bathtub, a shower, a toilet, and a sink.
If you live in a small property, trying to find a way to squeeze all of these appliances in can seem overwhelming, impractical, or just outright impossible.
That’s where the concept of a 3/4 bathroom or a half bathroom comes into play.
Whether you need some extra space for your guests or you want an extra bathroom for your busy household, you can choose any of these designs to make your property more practical and even add more value to your home!
Ready to find out more?
Keep reading to learn more about 3/4 bathrooms and how these differ from full baths and half baths.
3/4 Bathrooms Explained
A bathroom can be defined as any room that has a bathtub or shower in it, which includes the area around them.
The term “bathroom” usually refers to a single room with a tub or shower, but sometimes also includes other facilities such as sinks and toilets.
In some countries, including Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, bathrooms are often referred to as washrooms or lavatories.
A 3/4 bathroom will typically contain a toilet (see also our guide on how to make your new toilet fit perfectly‘), shower, stall, and sink.
It’s rare for a 3/4 bathroom to have a toilet, bathtub, and sink. A full bathroom contains all of these items, while a half-bath only contains a toilet and sink.
If you have a smaller bathroom space, a 3/4 bathroom is the ideal way to make the most of your space and make your bathroom a functional and inviting space for you and your guests.
The only downside? No tub!
The Design Concept Of A 3/4 Bathroom
If you’re considering installing a 3/4 bathroom in your home, you’ll need to take the time to consider your space carefully.
Larger bathrooms will give you much more room to play with, but smaller ones may leave you feeling a bit limited to what you can achieve.
However, there are still ways to make the most of your space.
Although you won’t have a tub, there are still plenty of things you do with a 3/4 bathroom.
Depending on the space you have to hand, you could always add in additional cabinets, or if you really want to push the boat out, you could factor in some his and hers sinks!
However, most 3/4 bathrooms are there to serve other bedrooms in the house or guest spaces. They don’t need to be too lavish (unless you really want them to).
A shower, toilet, stall, sink, and a cabinet (if you have the space) will work just as well.
Remember: a 3/4 bathroom will have three out of four major appliances.
This is what gives it the name!
Things To Consider Before Installing A 3/4 Bathroom
Before you think about installing a 3/4 bathroom in your home, there are a few factors you should be considering first.
These are:
Cost
The first thing to consider is the cost.
Obviously, this will depend on how big your bathroom is, but generally speaking, a bigger bathroom will cost more than a smaller one.
Suppose you’re looking at adding a 3/4 bathroom into an existing space.
In that case, you might find that the costs associated with building a new bathroom are significantly higher than those involved with renovating an old one.
Purpose
You’ll also need to consider the purpose of your 3/4 bathroom. For example, where is your 3/4 bathroom going to be situated?
Will it serve a particular guest bedroom, or will it serve several rooms on a specific floor?
Color Theme
Another critical factor to think about is the color theme.
Do you have a specific color theme in mind? Will this complement the materials you intend to use?
Space
The last thing you’ll need to think about is space. How much space do you have to hand?
If you have a small space, you may need to think about which utilities you need to prioritize and where to position them to get the most out of your bathroom.
The Pros Of A 3/4 Bathroom
Now, let’s take a look at the pros of installing a 3/4 bathroom in your home.
Privacy
A 3/4 bathroom offers your guests an extra degree of privacy.
Some guests feel too shy to use family bathrooms, so offering them their own 3/4 bathroom is a great way to make them feel more relaxed in your home.
This also has benefits for you, especially at night time – if your family bathroom is close to the bedroom, installing a 3/4 bathroom away from the room is a great way to ensure your guests more privacy and guarantee you a better night’s sleep.
Extra Bathroom
You’ll get another bathroom – what’s not to love? Even if yours is fully functional, it doesn’t hurt to have another.
Easy To Clean
If guests only use your 3/4 bathroom, it’ll also be easier to clean, and will require minimal maintenance.
Extra Value To Your Home
Another pro is that a 3/4 bathroom can add extra value to your home.
These bathrooms are a great characteristic that can make your property more appealing to potential buyers.
More Utilities
If you install a 3/4 bathroom, you’ll also get more utilities. Even if you don’t have the tub, you’ll still have an extra toilet, shower, and sink.
The Cons Of A 3/4 Bathroom
Are there any drawbacks to installing a 3/4 bathroom? Let’s take a look below.
Requires Lots of Space
Unfortunately, most 3/4 bathrooms will require a lot of space.
So even though some designs work in smaller spaces, you might not have enough room to move around once all the utilities are in.
Expensive
Installing a 3/4 bathroom can also be a costly addition to your home.
You should take the time to consider whether the installation is essential or if you can get by with the bathrooms you already have.
No Bath Tub
One of the most significant drawbacks is that you’ll have no tub!
However, if you have a bathtub elsewhere in the home (or you and your guests simply prefer showers), this doesn’t have to be a drawback.
What Is A Half Bath? Explained
If you’ve heard of a 3/4 bathroom, you’ve probably also heard of a half bath. What exactly is it?
Well, a half bath is just like a regular bathroom, except it’s smaller than a full bathroom. It usually just has two appliances: a sink and a toilet.
However, some half baths can have showers and sinks instead.
These bathrooms are designed to take up minimal space, and they serve as a perfect day bathroom for guests on a flying visit.
Half baths are a popular feature in many modern homes.
Why? Well, half baths offer a unique solution for people who want a bathroom but don’t necessarily need a large one.
They’re perfect for those who live alone or for families with children who share the same bathroom.
Plus, if you have guests stay at your property regularly, installing a half bath can be a great way to alleviate the demand for your family bathroom and give your guests their own designated space to use.
Factors To Consider When Installing A Half Bath
Like the sound of a half bath? Here’s what you should be considering first:
Cost
Like all remodels and renovations, installing a half bath isn’t cheap.
So take some time to think about how much cash you’re willing to put by for the investment.
Space
Arguably, the most important thing you need to think about is space.
Do you have enough space to install a half bath (see also ‘ Is A Bath Fitter Really Worth It? ‘), or will you need to make some extra room?
Pros Of Having A Half Bath
Now, let’s look at some of the pros of installing a half bath in your home.
Easy Access
One of the biggest benefits of having a half bath is easy access for your guests.
This will avoid the need for them to venture into the family bathroom if they feel uncomfortable.
Extra Toilet
Another benefit of having a half bath is having an additional toilet.
Even though you’ll already have a toilet, it never hurts to have another to hand!
Extra Value To Your House
Like another renovation or addition to your property, adding a half bath to your home will increase property value.
Cons Of Having A Half Bath
What about the cons? Here are the drawbacks of installing a half bath that you need to know.
Extra Cost
Unfortunately, adding a half bath to your property can be expensive.
Frequent Use
This toilet may be used more often than others in the home. This means it may require more regular maintenance – can you keep up with it?
What Is A Full Tub? Explained
If a 3/4 or half bath doesn’t appeal to you, there’s always the option of installing a full tub.
Let’s find out what exactly a full tub is and whether or not you should consider one.
Unlike a half bath or a 3/4 bathroom, a full tub is a large, standalone bathroom.
They come in various sizes, but generally speaking, they’re quite big.
A full bath will usually contain everything you’d expect from a bathroom, including a shower, toilet, bath, cabinets, and other appliances.
Today, most homes will have at least one full bath, but multiple full baths in the same household are a rarity.
A full bathroom must contain four major appliances to be complete.
This means most full baths will always include a shower, tub and a sink, and a toilet.
Things To Consider Before Installing A Full Tub
Before you think about adding a full tub to your property, let’s take a look at the most critical factors you’ll need to consider first.
Size
This is a big one. A full tub will be a much larger installation than a half bath or a 3/4 bathroom – do you have the space?
Chances are, you’ll need a lot of it!
Style
Because full baths are much larger than 3/4 bathrooms or half baths, you have more creative freedom to choose your designs.
Do you have a particular style of bathroom in mind, and how do you plan to execute it?
Will it complement the rest of the house? These are all critical things to consider.
Storage
As well as needing extra space to install all of the necessary utilities, do you have enough extra space for storage?
Full baths will require more storage than smaller bathrooms, so factor this in before you decide.
Layout
You also need to plan your layout carefully. You’ll have a lot of features to fit into your full bath, so how do you plan to have them laid out?
For example, if you have a smaller space for your full bath, you’ll need to consider how to fit everything together while leaving visitors enough room to move around.
The Pros Of A Full Bath
There are many pros to installing another full bath in your property. So let’s take a look at them below.
Bath Tub
One of the biggest benefits of installing another full bath is that you get an extra tub!
If everyone in your household enjoys a soak in the bath, this can eliminate any arguments about who’s taking a dip and when.
However, if you’re installing another full bath for guest use, this feature will also be greatly appreciated.
Fits With The Style Of The House
It’s much easier to make a full bath compliment the style of your house than a 3/4 bathroom or half-bath because you’ll have a lot more space to work with.
However, if you want this full bath to stand out, you can use that space to your advantage and use the freedom to select a different design.
Helps Use Free Space
If you have a large property, installing another full bath can be a functional way to use up any free space.
If you’re fed up with staring at empty rooms or storage spaces and feeling like your property is incomplete, why not install a full bath instead?
Cons Of A Full Bath
Like any new installation, a full bath doesn’t come without its cons. You can find some of the most common drawbacks below.
Lack Of Privacy
Unfortunately, if you install another full bath, you risk sacrificing your privacy.
With extra utilities in the house, you may find that the extra tub or shower (see also ‘Pebble Shower Floor Pros and Cons You Should Know Before Buying It‘) is more in demand, especially if you live with a large household.
So if you’re hoping for some more privacy in your new full bath, you need to consider this.
Uses A Lot Of Space
Another big downside to installing a new full bath is that they take up a LOT of space. Much more space than a 3/4 bathroom or half bathroom.
This isn’t much of an issue if you have the free space to hand.
However, if you need to bash through a few walls to make the bathroom fit, you may need to consider whether or not it’s really a necessity.
Expensive
Cost is another big drawback.
You can expect to pay out a lot more to install a new full bath than you would for a 3/4 bathroom or half bathroom, mainly because you’ll have that extra tub and storage space to consider!
So take the time to work out your budget, and think about what is financially realistic before committing.
Final Thoughts
A full bath is a great addition to any home. It gives you a second chance to enjoy soaking in a nice warm tub, but it also comes with a few downsides.
Although most people are tempted to opt for a new full bath when installing a new bathroom in their home, try to weigh up all the pros and cons before making the commitment.
As we’ve seen, 3/4 bathrooms are a trendy addition to most modern homes, and they may be able to provide you with the practical solutions you need without eating away at all of the free space in your property.
If you want to opt for the middle ground, why not install a half bath?
These bathrooms can be a great bit of extra space for your guests or household members, and because they’re more minor renovations, you may not need to pay as much to install one.
Whatever your reasons are for installing a new bathroom, you’ll find that you have plenty of options to choose from – even if you’re working with a small space and a tight budget.
Just remember to consider the layout of your property carefully before installing a new bathroom, and think carefully about its purpose.
These steps will help you choose the right bathroom for you!
