Greenery has become a popular wellness feature for primary bathroom updates.
Jessica Cain © Houzz
Wellness features are trending in bathroom projects, according to Houzz.com’s latest study. National median spending for primary bathroom projects has increased 13% to $9,000, while luxury projects jumped 17% to $35,000 plus. (Many homeowners spend considerably more at the luxury tend.)
Reno Rationales
Almost half of homeowners (48%) renovated because they got tired of their bathroom’s dated styles. The second most common reason for redoing a bathroom is deterioration of the existing space. That’s often both unsightly and unsafe. Others renovate because they finally can. (Two years of eschewing travel and summer camp, as well as lack of availability in the new car market has likely impacted this.) “Many homeowners patiently wait for the right time to renovate; 28% cite ‘Finally have the means’ and 21% cite ‘Finally have the time’ as a trigger,” the study authors say.
Some homeowners also upgrade the bathroom to be more accommodating or to address a safety or health risk, including removing toxic materials and clearing mold.
Pro Trend
While most handy homeowners can change a bathroom light bar or sink faucet, many other updates are more complex and require professional skills. More than four in five homeowners (85%) called on professionals for their projects. These pros break out into general contractors (48%), bathroom remodelers (23%) and designers (13%). Some clients hire multiple professionals to work together. (Designers or GCs partnering with smart home technology integrators is an example of this phenomenon.) What are these pros working on?
Enhanced Systems
The most frequent upgrades covered home systems, including ventilation (59%); heating systems (14%, including radiant floor heat), and tankless water heaters (9%).
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Shower Updates
Shower upgrades are a common component (84%) to primary bathroom remodels, the study reports. When removing a bathtub, nearly four in five homeowners (78%) enlarge the shower, with 40% of those making it at least 25% larger. Popular features for bathroom redos include rain-shower heads (52%), dual heads (19%) and body sprayers (16%).
Investment Goals
Homeowners really want to be able to relax in their primary bathrooms after investing the time and money in renovating them. For 78% of them, cleanliness is a desired attribute; 65% want to declutter; 58% want to soak in a tub, and an equal number want to take long showers.
Tranquility is a desired feature for homeowner upgrades, Houzz reports. Natural light (49%), dimmable lighting (45%) and greenery (23%) were sought in an increased number of projects compared to last year.
Plant Paradise
Plants are a continuing trend, including in primary bathroom spaces. “Homeowners are increasingly adding greenery while renovating their bathrooms (35%),” Houzz shares. Their primary reasons are aesthetic enhancement (88%), creating a calming environment (64%) and air purification (34%).
Floor and Wall Choices
Nearly three in 10 renovators choose a material that is waterproof (29%) or nonslip (27%) for bathroom floors. A similar share (27%) also install heating in the bathroom flooring outside of the shower. Ceramic or porcelain tiles are still the top choice for flooring in the main area of the bathroom. These durable, low maintenance materials are a smart wellness design choice.
Vanity Upgrades
Soft-close features are disproportionately popular among renovating homeowners; drawers (82%) and doors (73%) that close softly are the top priority for upgraded vanities. (This has been an increasingly popular feature that’s now available in more price points.) Nearly a third of renovators opt for built-in functional and organizational features, such as electrical outlets (30%) and drawer organizers (27%).
Enhanced Mirrors
Nearly three-quarters of homeowners (73%) install mirrors while upgrading their bathrooms. The majority (59%) install at least two mirrors, and nearly one in 10 installs three or more. Some mirrors are enhanced with LED lighting (21%) and/or an anti-fog system (21%).