What to Know About an En Suite Bathroom
Have you heard the term en suite bath or en suite bedroom and wondered what it meant? When you are buying a home, many real estate terms will be new to you.
Sometimes real estate terminology can get confusing that could lead to misunderstandings when you are looking at listings of homes for sale.
Real Estate lingo can be confusing when you’re not buying houses every day or are part of the business.
You might have heard of an ensuite bathroom but not fully understood what it means. The meaning of ensuite rooms escapes many people, so you are certainly not alone. The term ensuite is likely to come up, so it’s worth knowing the definition.
Let’s look at the en suite meaning and some of the advantages and disadvantages of ensuite bathrooms/bedrooms.
By the time you’re done reading, you’ll clearly understand exactly what an en suite bathroom is.
En Suite Definition
“En suite” is a French term that translates as “following” or “afterward,” but what it means in English is slightly different. Though the phrase has been taken from French, the definition in English has become something else over time.
En suite meaning in English has changed and moved away from the original French word translation.
The English word en suite means a connected room or in the room. For the most part, this now means one particular type of room in the home.
In the world of real estate, an en suite is used to describe a bedroom to which a bathroom is directly adjoined. So a bedroom with a bath is an ensuite. An en suite without a window cannot be considered a bedroom.
What is an En Suite Room?
While the mention of an en suite room in a property listing might seem posh or pretentious, it isn’t really anything too out of the ordinary. Whenever the phrase is being used, it refers to a bathroom attached to a bedroom and is only accessible from that room.
An excellent Real Estate agent will often mention en suite rooms in real estate listings because of how important a feature they are in most houses.
The listing might mention an ensuite bath instead of a bathroom, but it will mean the same thing most of the time. If a home is listed as having two bathrooms on the same floor, one bathroom will likely be an ensuite.
This shouldn’t be confused with a bathroom that is accessible from two bedrooms. That type of room is often referred to as a Jack and Jill bathroom, shared between two bedrooms. Most of the time, a shared bathroom has less appeal. Having your own private bathroom is an appealing feature not only in the United States but worldwide.
Ensuites are most commonly attached to the master bedroom of the home. But they can be attached to additional bathrooms in the home as well.
Typically, an ensuite bathroom will contain a shower or a bath, which is considered a full bath. Sometimes, there may only be a half bath in smaller homes or for ensuites not attached to the master bedroom.
Half-bath ensuites will not contain either a bath or a shower, instead only having a toilet and basin. Having an ensuite room in a house is quite commonplace.
What Is The Difference Between an Ensuite Bath and a Private Bath?
With an en suite bath, you will enjoy the privilege of having your own shower and toilet accessible from within your own private room. On the other hand, a private bath is having your own shower and toilet, but they are outside your room.
For example, the private bath could be accessed from a hallway and not inside the room.
What Is The Difference Between an Ensuite Bath and a Master Bathroom?
En-suite used to mean strictly within the room, but over time, the use of the word has changed. When people use the word today, they mean a bathroom that is directly connected. So, today an ensuite bath and master bath have the same meaning.
If there are two bathrooms on the second floor, almost always one of them is an en-suite bathroom part of a master suite.
What is a Master Bedroom?
The master bedroom is typically the largest sleeping space in a home. The bedroom occupant is typically reserved for the heads of the household or husband and wife.
A master bedroom is a single room that offers the most square feet when compared to other bedrooms. There is almost always enough space to hold a king-size bed and other expected furniture such as a dresser and armoire.
A master bedroom can be located on the first floor or second floor in a home. Having a ground-floor bedroom is usually preferred for folks entering the latter stages of their life. However, when there are young children, first-floor master bedrooms can be problematic given the separation from their kids.
There is usually a large closet which is quite often a walk-in. It is not unusual for the master bedroom not to have a full bathroom in an older home.
In some floor plans, there will be split bedrooms. Split bedroom floor plans are often seen in ranch-style homes or other one-level living plans. In these homes, the master bedroom is on one side of the home, and the remaining bedrooms are located on the other side of the house. The general living area is in the middle separating these two bedroom areas.
For example, the kitchen, living room, and dining room would separate the master from the kid’s bedrooms or a guest room. Split bedroom plans offer maximum privacy space for the master bedroom.
A master bedroom can also be referred to as a primary bedroom.
A primary component of all extraordinary master suites is a luxury en suite bath with all the bells and whistles.Click To TweetA Master Bedroom Becomes a Master Suite
A master bedroom turns into a master suite when there is a bathroom en suite. It is the largest bedroom living space, and it really shows. Having your own private bathroom is the hallmark of any master suite.
In luxury homes, it is not uncommon to have other perks as well, such as a dressing room and sitting area. There is always a large closet, and in some instances, you will see “his” and “her” closets. In real high-end homes, you can expect to see other perks such as built-ins, fireplaces, and extensive woodwork.
Many master suites will have other en-suite rooms as well. Because they are large bedrooms, you can easily fit double rooms. These extra set of rooms can be any number of things, from something simple like a sitting room to something more elaborate such as a handsome library.
The en-suite facilities are really where you can see some spectacular living space. The ensuite baths found in expensive homes often include custom tile showers, marble flooring, high-end cabinetry with granite or quartz counters, and lavish plumbing fixtures.
The Benefits of an En Suite Bathroom
When looking for your new home, a listing with an en suite bathroom offers privacy and convenience. This will help you avoid having to stumble around in the night, trying not to wake up people sleeping in other bedrooms for a night-time trip to the bathroom.
There will be no trip down a long dark hallway.
Homes with ensuite bathrooms are valued by buyers thanks to the easy access they offer to bathroom facilities and the privacy they provide. This means not sharing your bathroom with guests staying in your home, so you can avoid potentially embarrassing issues or having to wait for someone to finish using the bathroom.
Parents often prefer the benefit of not having to share their bathroom with their children. It is quite common for luxury homes to have multiple en suite bathrooms.
In fact, buyers expect them to when you get to the upper-end price points in the real estate market.
Expensive homes that don’t have ensuite baths won’t be looked at as favorably. Having a second bedroom with en suite facilities becomes expected at certain price points.
A significant number of new homes with finished basements will offer ensuite baths off a game room or guest bedrooms.
A few years ago selling a high-end home in Milford Massachusetts, there was no en suite bath. The home was gorgeous but was lacking this important feature.
More Pros and Some Cons of Ensuite Bathrooms
As we have already shown, there are good reasons why an ensuite bathroom is advantageous for any property. But there are still some reasons why that might not be the case all of the time.
The Pros of an En Suite
Convenience and Safety
The convenience of an ensuite bath gives you less distance to travel in the middle of the night should you need to get up. And since a surprising number of people have accidents at night, like falling down a staircase, this is actually a safety feature as well.
As you might want to avoid turning the light on not to disturb other people in the home, and because you might be half asleep, having fewer steps to take is an advantage.
Speeding up Your Morning Routine
The ease of getting out of bed in the morning and being able to jump straight in the shower should save you some time. With the time you save, perhaps you could even set your alarm for 5-minutes later.
Private washrooms are something people often miss dearly if they happen to stay in a home without one. There is something to be said for having your own toilet.
Helping You When You’re Sick
With a bathroom close to your bed, you won’t have far to go should you need to use these facilities in a hurry. When you are unwell, particularly when you get older, making your way to the bathroom isn’t always easy.
You almost always see en suite bathrooms in homes built within over 55 retirement communities for this very reason. In new construction homes being built today, it is nearly impossible to find a property without an en suite bath.
Privacy
If you have your own bathroom that can only be accessed from your bedroom, all your medications and grooming products can be stored separately from the main bathroom. You don’t have to worry about carrying things to the bathroom, and you can leave items out as you have more space to yourself.
You might still have to share the ensuite with your partner, but it offers you more privacy from the rest of the family.
The Cons of an En Suite
Maintenance
With an extra bathroom, you have more potential problems to worry about. There will be more faucets that can leak and shower units that can break.
If the ensuite is in a guest bedroom that doesn’t get used all that often, it could be a while before a leak is discovered. This could increase the damage that is done to your property if you only discover a leak when it drips through the ceiling from above.
Extra Cleaning
More bathrooms will require more work to keep them clean. Whether you do it yourself or hire a cleaner, it’s going to be a little more work and expense.
Frankly, the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to having an ensuite bath. A little extra cleaning and maintenance are expected when you have multiple bathrooms.
Ensuite Bathrooms in Apartments or Condos
If you live in an apartment or condominium, and the ensuite is the only bathroom, you’ll have to give up some privacy.
If you have guests or a handyman in your apartment, they will need to go through your bedroom if they need to use the bathroom.
This can potentially hurt the resale value of the condo as well, with buyers offering less because of this issue.
Even if the ensuite isn’t the only bathroom in the condominium, having this extra room will eat into the available overall space. This might mean the master bedroom will be a small room, with less space in what might already be a small home.
Where Else Do You Find En Suite Rooms?
Some of the other common places you will find an ensuite room are a studio apartment, a fancy hotel, and a cruise ship. In all of these situations, you will find an ensuite bath joining another room. However, it is set up for single accommodation with not much privacy in the case of a studio apartment.
Ensuite facilities, of course, are standard features with cruise ships and hotels. It is not uncommon for a hotel room description to pump up the rooms as being ensuite. They will often have their marketing describe a private ensuite bathroom as a significant feature. Sometimes in large suites, there will be double bedrooms.
When you think about it, visiting common areas to go to the bathroom when staying in a hotel would not be appealing for most people.
Where You Might Not Find an En Suite Bedroom
There are some situations where you will not find ensuite rooms. In many antique homes, small houses, smaller or older townhomes, container houses, and tiny homes. In these kinds of properties, there is a strong possibility there won’t be an en-suite bathroom or bedroom.
Many prospective buyers find the lack of an ensuite to be a disappointing situation. In smaller homes and condos you will usually find one bath and possibly a half bath.
How to Find Homes With an Ensuite Bath
The best way of finding a home that has ensuite rooms is to find a local buyer’s agent you can trust. They will be able to find properties that match your search criteria.
It is also possible to do your own online searches in popular real estate sites and look for homes that describe having this amenity.
You might also try doing a Google search for homes with an en suite near me. If you’re looking for rentals searching for something like rentals with an en suite near me should work. Renting a house with this bathroom set up is also preferred for all the reasons mentioned.
En Suite vs. Ensuite
If you are wondering if this bedroom/bathroom phrase is a single word or two, it can go both ways. You will see people using this real estate terminology as both en suite and ensuite. The choice is up to you.
Final Thoughts
You may be wondering why it matters what an ensuite is? If you are buying a home, a property with an ensuite bath, all other things being equal, is worth more than a property that does not have one. Buyers will pay more money to have their own private bathroom in a master bedroom.
When there are multiple ensuite rooms, buyers will pay even more, as this is a very appealing property characteristic. This is also true when you rent a room in your house.
If you are selling, it is essential to know your home will be worth more. When real estate agents or appraisers pull comparable sales, this will give a significant bump to those homes that have an en-suite bathroom.
You will see online valuation tools like a Zillow home value also giving a significant bump to those properties that have multiple en suite baths.
Hopefully, by now, you have a much better handle on the definition of en suite.
About the author: The above Real Estate information about what is an en suite was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-625-0191. Bill has helped people move in and out of many Metrowest towns for the last 35+ years.
Are you thinking of selling your home? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!
I service Real Estate Sales in the following Metrowest MA towns: Ashland, Bellingham, Douglas, Framingham, Franklin, Grafton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hopedale, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, Natick, Northborough, Northbridge, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Sutton, Wayland, Westborough, Whitinsville, Worcester, Upton, and Uxbridge MA.
