Investor Tip: Bathrooms: Total Rehab or Touch Up?

[Alan Walker]

One question I'm often asked by sellers and fellow investors is, "should I rehab the bathroom". And while I'm not a lawyer, I'll give you the standard lawyer response: it depends.

As with most things related to an investment, you have to start with the goal in mind. Here are some questions I ask myself when making this type of decision.

Is this a rental or a flip?
If its a flip, what do other bathrooms in the neighborhood look like? Look at the MLS and see what houses are for sale within a 1 mile radius. Are those homes refreshing bathrooms or remodeling them?
Am I changing the configuration in any way? (Moving a toilet, installing a double-sink vanity, etc...)
Do I have to tear it all out of can I use any of the existing fixtures?

One mistake I've made in the past is just calculating the cost of materials when considering a replacement (bathtub, vanity, etc..). It isn't just materials, its the labor to install the materials and its an ancillary repair you need to do. I once swapped out a vanity without realizing that the new vanity was slightly smaller than the one I took out, so the wall had to be patched around the entire thing. Don't forget labor costs when calculating your estimates!

[Kristie Giles]

I, personally, am obsessed with old house details and hate all the flips where people tear out original 1920s bathrooms and replace them with particle board vanities, builder grade fixtures, and cheap Home Depot tile. As a buyer, I'd almost always prefer the "touch up" or "just replace the plumbing with pex" treatment, especially if it's a pre-war home.

My renters (single guys) care way more about things like the height of the shower head and how loud the ceiling fan is than what anything looks like.