One in ten homebuyers are prepared to pay £10k+ for an extra bathroom

The UK property market is booming, and British house hunters are prioritising properties with additional bathrooms and are willing to pay extra for the privilege, according to new research1 by The Bathroom Showroom.

The vast majority (86%) of those surveyed would be willing to pay more if the property in question came with at least two bathrooms, with one in ten (10%) happy to pay £10K+ per extra bathroom.

Men are particularly keen on having an extra ‘small room’. On average, men would be happy to pay 60% more than women when it comes to securing a new home with multiple bathrooms, with male respondents paying up to £4,400 per additional bathroom while female respondents said they are only willing to pay up to £2,750.

Extra bathrooms are also more sought-after by younger generations, with the vast majority (95%) of 25-34s willing to pay more for an extra bathroom (£4,850), versus 77% of over 65s (£2,670).

Residents of Liverpool would pay the most (£5,530), followed by those living in Bristol (£5,105). In contrast, residents of Belfast would pay the least for an extra bathroom (£2,025), followed by those living in Newcastle (£2,050).

According to Peter Elson of the Tamworth branch of YOPA Estate Agents, a second and even third bathroom is becoming a necessity for those looking to move to a new house. He said:

“You can add up to 5% value to your property by adding a second bathroom, more so even in the current market.

“A lot of second-steppers I see have a second bathroom right near the top of their wishlist.

“An en-suite is no longer a luxury – it’s a must have – and a four-bedroom home should have a minimum of two bathrooms, ideally three.”

When it comes to specific features, an en-suite bathroom off the master bedroom is the most popular choice, with almost half of house hunters involved in the research (42%) selecting this as one of their key requirements when choosing a new home.

In second place was a separate bath and shower, with 41.5% stating this is a priority when searching for a new home.

The research also indicates that there is a clear split in priorities between the younger and older generations when it comes to their bathroom choices, with those aged 45 and older prioritising an en-suite in the master bedroom (51%), while 18–44-year-olds prefer a separate bath and shower (43%).

Interestingly, twice as many men (10%) than women (5%) are happy to pay extra for a bidet, while more women (13% versus 6.5% of men) will pay more for double sinks.

Having a bathroom with the latest technology is also of interest for some house hunters, with 12% are looking for a TV in the bathroom and one in ten hoping for an electric smart toilet in their new home. These features were particularly popular with buyers aged 25-34

Designers at The Bathroom Showroom reported that incorporating technology into a bathroom is currently a rising trend, with many customers installing smart mirrors, digital showers, touchless values and eco-friendly solutions.