Get matched with top kitchen and bathroom remodelers in Windham, VT

A steam shower is a modern luxury that can be quite attractive to potential buyers. According to Zillow, listings with a steam shower fetched a 29% higher sale price than those without it. It all comes down to the market, and ROI is never guaranteed. Consider the value along with how much you’ll enjoy a steam shower, and weigh that against the price tag.

Adding a bedroom or a second bathroom typically has the biggest positive effect on a home's value. These additions can increase your home's square footage and move it into a new category (e.g., from a two-bedroom to a three-bedroom), which is highly attractive to many families looking to upsize. On a larger scale, adding a second floor can also significantly increase a home's value by creating new possibilities for living and storage space. However, there is an upper limit where adding more bedrooms, such as in a nine-bedroom home, may not proportionally increase value.

Yes, most bathrooms can be converted into a wet room, but the process often involves extensive renovations. Key requirements include having proper plumbing and the ability to slope the floor slightly for drainage. The conversion process typically requires removing the existing floors to install drainage, replacing drywall with waterproofed cement backer board, waterproofing the walls, and installing new fixtures to create an open, curbless shower space. A skilled home renovation professional can evaluate your bathroom to determine if it's a suitable candidate. It's also worth considering resale value; if you only have one bathroom, converting it to a wet room might not be ideal as many homebuyers prefer to have at least one bathtub.

There are several ways to save money on a bathroom remodel through proper planning and savvy design strategies. To reduce costs, consider the following:

• Purchase your own materials: Buy your own bathroom fixtures, hardware, and other materials to avoid contractor upcharges and delivery fees.

• Shop smart for big-ticket items: Save on pricey items like tiles and tubs by shopping sales and at discount stores.

• Avoid major layout changes: Keep plumbing in its current location. Opt to replace fixtures rather than moving them to avoid significant renovation work.

• Focus on high-impact, low-cost updates: Make affordable but impactful smaller changes, such as upgrading hardware, installing new lighting, and adding stylish but economical accessories.

• DIY where possible: Handle easier parts of the remodel yourself, like painting or installing light fixtures, to save on labor costs.

• Time your remodel strategically: Consider remodeling in the spring, which tends to be a lower-demand time of year and may result in lower costs.