6 Compelling Reasons to Combine Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling Projects
In the remodeling industry, particularly around Geneva, IL, professionals with decades of experience frequently encounter a common question from homeowners contemplating kitchen renovations: “Should the bathroom be remodeled simultaneously with the kitchen?”
The answer is typically affirmative, and not because contractors aim to unnecessarily expand project scopes. While incorporating a bathroom renovation into a kitchen remodel does increase immediate expenses and short-term inconvenience, the advantages of combining these projects generally outweigh the disadvantages for most homeowners.
For those skeptical about taking on an additional project when their focus is solely on obtaining a new kitchen, it’s understandable. However, considering these six reasons before making a final decision could prove valuable.
Reason #1: Lower Long-Term Costs
Adding a bathroom remodel to a kitchen renovation project undoubtedly increases the initial price tag compared to renovating just the kitchen. However, the total expense of completing kitchen and bathroom renovations separately at different times would significantly exceed the cost of executing them as a single project.
Not everyone requires a bathroom update. If a powder room has been renovated recently, or if it features high-quality materials and a layout that remains satisfactory despite its age, then maintaining the status quo makes sense.
However, if the bathroom appears dated and shows signs of wear, combining both renovations could result in substantial savings.
Economies of scale emerge when merging multiple smaller remodeling projects. Kitchens and bathrooms share common elements including plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets and fixtures, drywall, cabinetry, and tile work. When kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects are combined, subcontractors can work on both spaces concurrently, ultimately reducing costs compared to making separate visits under different contracts.
Reason #2: Enhanced Kitchen Layout Flexibility Through Powder Room Relocation
Many kitchen renovations extend beyond simply replacing cabinets and surfaces. When contemplating major layout modifications, such as removing walls or creating an open floor plan, designers gain significantly more flexibility when homeowners consider relocating the powder room as part of the project.
Transforming a poorly configured main floor into an ideal space can dramatically improve lifestyle quality and home enjoyment.
Reason #3: Complementary Design Integration
Most people have visited homes with disjointed atmospheres, where each room appears disconnected from others in terms of style and materials. Different spaces feature varying flooring, trim, paint colors, and fixtures clearly from different eras.
Creating a cohesive home environment requires designing each area in harmony with others.
When homeowners choose to update individual rooms over extended periods, they often end up with disparate styles that don’t blend well together.
Conversely, engaging a skilled designer or quality design-build firm to redesign multiple rooms simultaneously, while integrating them with the rest of the home’s aesthetic, helps ensure cohesive design and seamless spatial flow.
Since kitchens and bathrooms tend to be the most intricately designed rooms in a home, typically featuring finishes and details that connect them to particular trends or eras (even when aiming for timeless design), renovating both rooms concurrently makes logical sense.
Same designer, same era, and a unified vision for both spaces creates harmony throughout the home.
Reason #4: Reduced Overall Disruption with a Single Remodeling Project
Horror stories about endless home remodeling projects that completely disrupt homeowners’ lives are commonplace.
Initially, it might seem preferable to limit the scope to just the kitchen, postponing bathroom renovations for later.
However, experience shows that tackling kitchen and bathroom remodeling simultaneously results in far less disruption.
While professional contractors strive to minimize inconvenience through dust protection, tidy worksites, and clear communication, remodeling is never truly hassle-free. Clients often remark that construction staff begin to feel like family members, partly because they spend so much time in the home.
Consider this perspective: Combining kitchen and bathroom overhauls means approximately half the instances where workers enter the home, half the meetings with designers, and half the days when portions of the home remain inaccessible.
Without portraying the remodeling process negatively, most homeowners, even those completely satisfied with the process, welcome its conclusion and rarely rush to begin another project immediately.
Design-build contractors acknowledge that custom remodeling projects ultimately prove worthwhile, but they temporarily disrupt daily life. Experiencing this disruption once instead of twice benefits most homeowners.
Reason #5: More Efficient Resource and Material Utilization
Ordering all materials simultaneously—from cabinets to tile to countertops—reduces waste and minimizes delays caused by backorders or material shortages.
Additionally, designers and remodeling contractors can better plan and manage construction timelines, avoiding repeated setup and teardown of workspaces, which aligns with sustainable practices. This approach accelerates project completion while reducing overall material and labor costs.
Similarly, certain materials, such as custom-tinted paint, can be ordered once and applied in both the kitchen and bathroom spaces.
Reason #6: Increased Home Value from Multiple Renovation Upgrades
Remodeling professionals typically advise clients to consider renovation projects with their family’s enjoyment in mind rather than focusing solely on resale value.
Nevertheless, simultaneously remodeling both kitchen and bathroom can significantly enhance overall home value. Since kitchens and bathrooms represent the two areas prospective buyers scrutinize most, renovating both concurrently may maximize financial return on investment. Homes featuring updated, cohesive spaces typically sell faster and command higher prices than properties with piecemeal renovations. By remodeling both kitchen and bathroom, homeowners create more appealing environments for future buyers, facilitating easier sales when the time comes.
Furthermore, if a bathroom requires updating and homeowners contemplate selling within the next few years, combining both remodeling projects now allows them to enjoy the upgraded spaces themselves. There’s no reason to postpone bathroom renovations solely for future buyers when current residents can benefit from the improvements meanwhile.
Other Rooms to Consider Combining with a Kitchen Remodel
While combining bathroom and kitchen remodeling offers numerous advantages, homeowners might consider incorporating other rooms into their renovation plans. Any “kitchen-plus” renovation provides similar benefits: cohesive design throughout the home and avoidance of separate remodeling disruptions.
Kitchen Plus Living Room
Also known as a main-floor remodel, this combination occurs naturally and represents a frequent client request. When refinishing or replacing flooring, paint, and other surfaces in the kitchen, extending these updates to adjoining areas of the home creates a more cohesive look. Often, redesigns involve opening up the kitchen by removing walls between kitchen and living areas, necessitating living room renovation in the process.
Kitchen Plus Laundry Room
This represents another common request, especially in homes with main-floor laundry facilities. Many benefits of kitchen-plus-bathroom remodeling apply here as well, including combining cabinetry, flooring, countertop, and appliance orders.
Kitchen Plus Bedroom(s)
Like complementary flavors, this classic combination often incorporates small additions. For instance, a primary suite (bedroom and bathroom) might be added to a home’s main floor as part of kitchen and first-floor reconfiguration.
Kitchen Plus Mudroom/Entryway
In some homes, the most frequently used exterior door opens directly into the kitchen. People entering from the garage or side yard track dirt into the kitchen without dedicated space for coats and backpacks. Often, designers create small additions or reconfigure existing layouts to incorporate dedicated mudrooms adjacent to kitchens, resolving these issues.
Whole-Home Remodeling
Homeowners needing renovations across multiple rooms might consider whole-home remodeling. Specialized contractors completely redesign homes, reconfigure floor plans, and replace nearly every surface. While representing a major undertaking, this approach allows residents to remain in beloved neighborhoods while enjoying what feels like an entirely new home, custom-designed to the smallest detail for their preferred lifestyle.
Whole-Home Remodel Example: “Holidays on Heather”
In this comprehensive remodel, homeowners sought to transform their entire residence, which suffered from limited natural light and enclosed spaces. The renovation began by removing enclosed basement stairs to create an expansive entryway. Walls separating the kitchen from sitting and family rooms were eliminated to establish a more open, connected floor plan featuring a wrap-around fireplace. Beyond the kitchen, updates included a new bookcase and wallpaper in the front office, renovations to all three bathrooms, new windows, flooring, and exterior paint. The results proved remarkable—the entire house became bright, open, and elegant.
The Value of Customized Remodeling Solutions
Every home possesses unique characteristics, requiring customized remodeling solutions. Professional design-build processes typically begin with in-house designers listening carefully to homeowners’ needs and collaborating to design dream spaces within budget constraints. Comprehensive remodeling design processes include master planning—working with clients to address current remodeling needs while developing strategies for future updates. The challenge of creating perfect home renovation plans, from kitchens to bathrooms to whole-home transformations, whether implemented simultaneously or gradually over time, represents the essence of professional remodeling services.
Renovating multiple spaces simultaneously offers numerous advantages, from cost savings to design cohesion to minimized disruption. While the initial investment may be higher, the long-term benefits—both financial and lifestyle-related—make combined kitchen and bathroom remodeling projects worthy of serious consideration for most homeowners.
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