The Top Reason Homeowners Remodel a Bathroom?

It’s not for resale value – it’s simply outdated. Many also want to change the things that irritate them, like a lack of storage space, bad lighting and tight spaces.

NEW YORK – A top pet peeve of homeowners: an old or outdated space in the owner’s suite bathroom – and it’s sparked a wave of renovations, according to the 2020 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study.

The study reflects opinions of almost 1,600 homeowners in some phase of a remodeling project on an owner’s suite bathroom, and nearly 90% of homeowners say they’re changing the style as a way to bring it up to date. Insufficient storage, small showers, poor lighting and limited counter space were their chief complaints.

The main areas upgraded in an owner’s suite bathroom tend to be showers, light fixtures, countertops and vanity cabinets, the Houzz survey find. However, owners also want more space. They’re increasing the size of their showers (54%) and 20% are increasing their bathroom’s overall size.

“We’re seeing that spending so much time at home is bringing a functional, beautiful bathroom to the top of the priority list for many homeowners,” says Liza Hausman, Houzz’s vice president of industry marketing. “They’re enlisting home professionals to bring bathrooms up to date with more current styles and upgraded features like storage and lighting.”

Bathroom renovations aren’t cheap. The national median spend on a remodel is $8,000. Homeowners undergoing a major remodel of the space – including a shower update – are spending three times more than those doing minor remodels and leaving the shower as is, according to Houzz. (Median spend: $14,000 versus $4,500.)

A bathroom size upgrade also affects the cost. An owner’s suite bathroom larger than 100 square feet has a median spend of $7,000 more than a bathroom smaller than 100 square feet ($17,000 versus $10,000).

Overall bathroom remodel trends

• White continues to be the top choice in bathroom colors, complete with white countertops and white walls.

• Wall lights and recessed lights remain favorite lighting choices.

• New mirrors are a popular upgrade for remodeling homeowners, and most homeowners installing two or more. One in five homeowners also installed LED lighting in the mirrors – a growing trend over the past year.

• More than a third of homeowners added or upgraded an accent wall during their bathroom renovation. The top colors include white, gray and blue, and 51% use surface material to distinguish the accent walls.

• Nearly half of all new faucets include high-tech features, with a growing percentage offering one-touch-only or touch-free activation.

Source: “2020 U.S. Houzz Bathroom Trends Study,” Houzz (Oct. 13, 2020)

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