By Daniel C. Brown
If you have a client who wants to add a bathroom but has a limited budget, head for the basement, says Fred Freer, a Cleveland-area remodeler. That is, head for the client's basement and check it out as a likely place to add a bathroom at minimal expense.
"A bath can be put in the basement without adding square footage to the exterior footprint of the home," says Fred, who owns Four Square Restorations Inc., Mayfield Village, Ohio. "Adding a bath with a new foundation and footer or slab, new siding and roofing would easily cost one-third more than a basement bath."
Sacrificing otherwise valued space from a bedroom or other living space is generally not an accepted alternative, Fred says. And building in the basement means that at least one wall–two in the case of a corner–may already exist, which also reduces the cost. (If the existing walls need to be refinished, though, it increases the cost.)
Fred works closely with the homeowner to select plumbing fixtures and products for the bathroom. First of all, though, he asks the homeowners for their budget. Then, Fred says, "We can either show them product in that price range, or we can encourage them to visit showrooms and choose products likely to be in their price range."
Protecting your profits
While the homeowner can save some money by choosing and supplying his own fixtures, it's a new twist on "Buyer, beware," Fred says. For example, the owner must assume the risk that the product is installable. If it isn't, the owner must return the product and buy usable fixtures.
And if the remodeler will not make a markup on owner-supplied products, the remodeler may boost his markup on labor to compensate, Fred says.
"There's a savings in a remodeler's time if the owner selects his own products, then has the contractor approve them," Fred says. "But it's debatable whether the owner actually saves any money."
A basement bathroom can be built for about $15,200, Fred estimates. Of that, plumbing is the largest component--at $9,988. These prices are based on costs for a small bath measuring about 6 by 8 feet, with 8-foot ceilings. However, many basements are limited to a 7-foot ceiling.
Another potential cost-saving location for a new bathroom is the attic. "We've done some third-floor baths, but those can be complicated from a plumbing standpoint," says Fred. "You need a minimum 3-inch-diameter sanitary drain, and you have to tie that in below any other vent in the house, in order for the venting system to work properly." Plus, low ceilings in the third floor might limit successful installation of a shower stall, Fred points out.
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