Expand existing bathroom or leave as is

[Bryan M.]

I'm working on designing my next project and need some advice on the configuration. It is currently a 4/2 Cape Cod style home built in the 1940's. There are 2 bedrooms and a bathroom on the main level and 2 bedrooms and a bath on the upper level. The main level bath is adjacent to the smaller of the 2 bedrooms. The bathroom is VERY small. Barely enough room to turn around with a small vanity that only allows for a sink. The bathroom on the upper level is also very small and due to the roof line you are not able to have a shower, only a tub. 

This project is a flip so I'm looking for marketability and top dollar. What's your opinion on blowing out the wall between the 2 bedrooms on the main level and making one large master suite with a decent size bathroom? I'm also looking for a way to bring the laundry from the basement to the main level. This bathroom could also have laundry. 

The basement is unfinished and could potentially be semi finished by adding a bedroom but now we are pushing the budget too far I think.

All thoughts welcome.

Thanks.

[Justin R.]

You really have to look at the comps and see what your market is demanding. Just this year we took a 4 bed/ 2 bath and turned it into a 3/3 enlarging the master suite. This was because we looked at what "WE" wanted more so than what our market wanted. In doing this we sold it for (maybe) slightly more than if we would have just left it alone, and spent an extra 10k in rehab and moving walls.