Should I Keep My Bathroom Layout or Change It?

One of the first decisions you’ll make when planning a bathroom renovation is whether to work with the layout you already have or completely rethink the space.

It sounds like a simple decision, but it can have a major impact on both the finished bathroom and the overall cost of the renovation.

Over the years, I’ve seen plenty of bathrooms where keeping the existing layout made perfect sense. I’ve also seen bathrooms where changing the layout was the single biggest improvement we could make.

So how do you know which is right for your bathroom?

Start With One Question: What’s Wrong With the Bathroom You Have?

Before choosing tile, vanities, faucets or colors, think about what you actually dislike about your current bathroom.

Is it simply outdated?

Or does the bathroom not function well?

Those are two very different problems.

If your toilet, vanity and tub or shower are already in good locations and the bathroom functions well, there may be very little reason to start moving plumbing around. You can completely transform the appearance of a bathroom while leaving the major fixtures in essentially the same locations.

On the other hand, if you’ve spent the last 15 years walking around a giant bathtub that nobody uses to get into a shower that’s too small, replacing everything in exactly the same locations doesn’t solve the real problem.

You’re essentially building a brand-new version of a layout you already don’t like.

Keeping the Existing Layout Usually Saves Money

There is a financial advantage to keeping a bathroom’s basic layout.

Moving a vanity a few inches is one thing. Relocating a toilet, shower drain or bathtub to the opposite side of the room is something completely different.

Depending on the construction of the house, moving fixtures can involve opening floors and walls, relocating supply and drain lines, modifying framing and completing additional plumbing work.

That doesn’t mean plumbing should never be moved.

It simply means there should be a good reason for spending the additional money.

If moving a fixture $2,000 or $3,000 worth of plumbing work only makes the bathroom marginally better, I would question whether that’s the best place to spend the renovation budget.

But if that same change allows you to create the large walk-in shower you’ve wanted for years, improve traffic flow and make the bathroom substantially more functional, it may be money very well spent.

The Big Soaking Tub Question

One situation I see frequently in older suburban homes is the large soaking or corner bathtub.

These were extremely popular in master bathrooms for years. The problem is that many homeowners rarely use them.

Meanwhile, the shower next to that enormous bathtub may be surprisingly small.

If you use your soaking tub regularly and enjoy it, there’s nothing wrong with keeping it.

But if it’s basically become a very large place to collect towels and dust, it’s worth asking whether that square footage could be put to better use.

Removing an unused tub can sometimes provide enough room for a substantially larger shower, a bench, additional storage or even a different vanity configuration.

That’s an example of a layout change that can completely change how the bathroom is used every day.

Moving the Toilet Can Be More Complicated

Of all the fixtures in a bathroom, the toilet is usually one of the items I am least interested in moving unless there’s a good reason.

A sink has relatively small supply and drain lines. A toilet requires a much larger waste line, and relocating it can become considerably more involved depending on joist direction and the plumbing below the bathroom.

Sometimes moving the toilet makes an enormous difference and is absolutely worth doing.

Other times, moving it twelve inches accomplishes very little while adding unnecessary expense.

This is why bathroom layout decisions should be made before purchasing fixtures and finishes.

Think About How You’ll Use the Bathroom 10 Years From Now

A bathroom remodel should solve today’s problems, but it’s worth thinking ahead as well.

For homeowners who plan to remain in their homes long-term, a renovation is a great opportunity to make the bathroom easier to use as they get older.

That doesn’t mean your bathroom needs to look institutional.

A larger shower, lower curb, built-in bench, handheld shower wand, properly positioned blocking for future grab bars and good lighting can all be incorporated into a beautiful bathroom.

Some of these features are much easier to plan during a renovation than to add five or ten years later.

Don’t Change a Layout Just Because You Can

One mistake homeowners can make is assuming that a more expensive or extensive renovation automatically produces a better bathroom.

It doesn’t.

Sometimes the original builder actually got the layout right.

If the bathroom has good traffic flow, sufficient storage and appropriately sized fixtures, leaving the plumbing where it is can allow more of the budget to go toward the things you’ll actually see and use.

That could mean better tile, a higher-quality vanity, upgraded plumbing fixtures, custom shower glass, improved lighting or other features.

There’s nothing wrong with spending money on a layout change when it improves the bathroom.

There’s also nothing wrong with saying, “This layout works. Let’s spend the money somewhere else.

Don’t Keep a Bad Layout Just to Save Money

The opposite mistake can be even more expensive.

A quality bathroom renovation should last many years.

If you’re already investing significant money into removing the old bathroom, waterproofing the shower, installing tile, replacing fixtures and finishing the space, this may be the best opportunity you’ll ever have to correct a layout you don’t like.

Saving money today isn’t much of a bargain if you finish the renovation and immediately wish you’d made the shower larger or moved the vanity.

That’s why I encourage homeowners to look at the possibilities before automatically rebuilding what’s already there.

So, Should You Keep Your Bathroom Layout?

There isn’t one answer that applies to every bathroom.

If the existing layout functions well, keeping it can save money and allow you to put more of your budget into finishes and upgrades.

If the layout wastes space, has an undersized shower, lacks storage or simply doesn’t work for the way you live, changing it may be one of the best investments you make in the entire project.

The important thing is to make that decision based on function—not just appearance.

Before you start choosing tile and fixtures, take a good look at the room you already have and ask yourself:

If everything in this bathroom were brand new tomorrow, but it was all in exactly the same place, would I be happy with it?

If the answer is yes, you probably have a good layout to work with.

If the answer is no, now is the time to figure out why.

Next week we’ll answer another question homeowners ask all the time:

How long does a bathroom remodel really take?