If you’ve been researching improvements for your humble Seattle home, you might have heard of the term “Jack and Jill bathroom.” What exactly is it, and could it be the perfect solution for your home improvement and your family’s requirements? What Does “Jack and Jill Bathroom” Mean? A Jack and Jill bathroom is a bathroom shared by two bedrooms. Each bedroom is connected to the bathroom by way of a single door. As there is not much space to swing two doors, most Jack and Jill bathrooms use sliding or pocket doors. In terms of layout, the bathroom is usually a single space that contains the vanity, toilet, and shower. There may be one or two vanity sinks, depending on the requirements of the users and availability of space. However, the shower and toilet are almost always shared. A tub may also be present if the square footage permits. So why is it called a “Jack and Jill bathroom,” you ask? It certainly has a lot to do with that familiar children’s rhyme. This type of bathroom is usually shared by two siblings’ bedrooms. That makes them inseparable, just like our favorite ill-fated, hill-climbing water-fetchers, Jack and Jill.  Jack and Jill bathrooms are usually found in houses with multiple children. They also feature in homes with guest bedrooms. Builders love this type of bathroom for the fact that they share fixtures and plumbing, minimizing construction costs and saving floor space that would otherwise be used for separate in-bedroom bathrooms.  What Is the Difference Between a Jack and Jill Bathroom and a Hollywood Bathroom? Jack and Jill and Hollywood bathrooms are usually confused with each other, but they are distinctly different. As mentioned earlier, Jack and Jill bathrooms house the bath, toilet, and vanity in a single, continuous space. Meanwhile, Hollywood bathrooms are composed of at least two separate rooms—a common area with a double vanity and mirrors, and one or separate partitioned spaces for the toilet and the shower. Additionally, this type of bathroom does not necessarily have to connect to two adjacent rooms.  Indeed, the similarities end with the two doors leading to the bedrooms that share the bathroom. However, the term “Hollywood bathroom” is now commonly used to refer to Jack and Jill bathrooms. This further blurs the distinction, treating the two bathroom types as mere varieties of the same design.  Whatever you may want to call it, any homeowner needs to understand the functions and implications of such shared spaces. The true value of any shared bathroom configuration lies in how well it integrates with the residents’ daily life. Needless to say, let us now examine its practical considerations. What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of a Jack and Jill Bathroom? Building a Jack and Jill bathroom into your Seattle home may sound like an attractive prospect. However, it’s worth considering the design’s benefits and drawbacks before you sit in front of the drawing board.  Pros There are plenty of reasons why many Seattle homeowners love the Jack and Jill bathroom. These typically include the following: Cons However, Jack and Jill bathrooms also come with some disadvantages that might just make you think twice. The main problems people have with this type of bathroom include: What is the point of a Jack and Jill bathroom? Now, you may be asking, why would someone share a single bathroom with the person in the next room? For sure, the hygienic prospects of sharing the same space are less than ideal. The potential privacy issues should also be enough to turn some people off from the idea.  However, the main point of a Jack and Jill bathroom is purely a matter of function and efficiency. Essentially, it combines two otherwise separate bathrooms into a single space, making it easier to build, upgrade, and maintain than two baths. It is practically a cost-efficient, space-saving, home improvement hack.  In Summary A Jack and Jill bathroom certainly has compelling advantages along the lines of space optimization, cost-efficiency, and convenience. It’s crucial to weigh these benefits against the design’s natural limitations and potential privacy concerns. In the end, the decision to incorporate this type of bathroom into your Seattle home lies on your specific needs and priorities.

Bathroom remodeling is expensive. So, you might want to know how to get homeowners insurance to pay for bathroom remodel projects. However, the truth is that it is not designed to directly cover any renovation work. Now, what does this mean, and what are your alternatives? Does Homeowners Insurance Cover a Bathroom Remodel? A homeowners insurance does not usually cover the costs of any renovation work, including bathroom remodels. It is primarily designed to protect your finances should any unforeseen event cause damage to your home and property. More specifically, it covers the costs of restoring your home to its pre-damaged state.  However, there may be exceptions where you can get your homeowners insurance to cover the renovation costs. This could be true in cases where the only way to repair the damage to your home caused by a covered event is a bathroom remodel. Here are some examples: Based on these examples, a remodel can only be covered by your homeowners insurance requires an unexpected event to cause significant damage to your bathroom. In other words, the remodel should not be deliberate. It has to be driven by the need to repair or rebuild your home after an unforeseen, destructive event. On the other hand, a planned bathroom remodel is not covered by your homeowners insurance. Instead, it will possibly increase your home’s rebuild value beyond what your insurance covers. The adjustment may involve the following factors: If your home’s rebuild value is higher than your insurance cover, you may need to increase your insurance coverage. This ensures that your entire property is protected adequately. For this, you may need to review and update your insurance policy. Note that you may need to pay higher premiums once your policy was updated to cover your remodel’s added rebuild value.  How to Determine Rebuild Cost For Home Insurance? To understand the rebuild value of your home after your bathroom remodel, you will have to estimate the costs of rebuilding the entire house after a total loss. In case of a bathroom remodel, you only need to take the costs involved in this project into account. This includes the new materials used, the labor expenses involved, and the cost incurred by any upgrades done to the bathroom. Add your estimate to the previous rebuild value of your home minus that of your previous bathroom construction.  If this sounds complicated, that’s because it is indeed complicated. Your best alternative to this DIY approach is to get professional valuation through a home survey performed by a qualified contractor. You can also use an online building replacement calculator, such as this one from Allianz. Note that your home’s rebuild value is different from its market value. We’ve already defined the former as the estimated cost of rebuilding your property following its complete destruction. Meanwhile, the latter is the estimated selling price of your home based on various factors, including the house’s condition, size, and proximity to local conveniences and services. The market value can be lower or higher than the property’s rebuild value and original purchase cost.  Do I Need to Tell My Insurance Company About Renovations? Insurance companies usually require and encourage their clients to report any and all renovation projects, including bathroom remodels. It is in the best interest of the homeowner to do so, mainly for the following reasons: Increase in rebuild value Your bathroom remodel may inadvertently increase your home’s rebuild value. This increase may go above your insurance’s coverage. Reporting your renovation informs your insurance company of this change, allowing them to adjust your policy limits to maintain adequate protection in case of loss or damage due to a covered event.  Potential change in risks Certain upgrades to your bathroom may change your home’s risk profile. This will either increase or decrease the likelihood and severity of certain claims.  Possible policy violations Some insurance providers require homeowners to inform them of any renovation done to their property. Failing to do so constitutes a breach in the terms of your policy. This could lead to potential issues with your coverage or possible denial of future claims.  Avoidance of future issues Being transparent with your insurance company gives them a clear understanding of any updates you’ve made to your property. This could help you avoid disputes when you need to file a claim.  To Sum Up You can only get your homeowners insurance to pay for your bathroom remodel if renovation is the only way to restore your bathroom following substantial damage from an unforeseen, destructive event. The opposite is true for deliberately planned bathroom remodel projects. In both cases, the remodel could adjust your home’s rebuild value—a fact that you need to report to your insurance company for transparency and policy coverage adjustment. 

Bathroom remodeling can be complex. You may not be able to do all the work on your own, especially since specialized tasks like plumbing require licenses and permits. Hiring a contractor would always be your most convenient option. Now, if you want to know how to hire a contractor for bathroom remodel projects, here’s what you should know.  How to Hire Someone to Redo a Bathroom? Finding the best contractor to renovate your bathroom is no walk in the park. It’s not easy to choose one in a sea of builders, all of which claim to be the best at what they do. Of course, you can’t just trust their opinion, so here’s a handy step-by-step guide to hiring a bathroom remodel contractor: 1. Plan your bathroom remodel. Start by defining the requirements of your remodel. Set the scope of the renovation work as well as your expected results. Consider the changes that you want, the functionalities that you wish to add, and the issues that you need to resolve. You don’t need a comprehensive renovation plan at this stage, but having one helps.  You should then be able to come up with a budget plan. This does not have to be very detailed; you only need to establish a working budget for your contractor. The initial budget should guide your contractor in suggesting solutions that align with your financial constraints. Be realistic in setting your estimates, considering the cost of materials, labor, and a contingency fund for potential unforeseen issues and emergency expenses.  2. Do research on local contractors. Use the Internet to quickly find bathroom remodeling contractors in your area. Look them up in search engines, online directories, and social networking sites. Alternatively, you can ask your friends, neighbors, or relatives for their recommendations. Checking the morning paper’s classified ads can be quite helpful, too. Take note of your prospects’ names and contact information, including their phone numbers and email addresses. Look up their websites and social media pages to get a glimpse of their work. See if the style and finish of at least one of their previous projects align with your vision, narrowing down your list in the process. 3. Check the credentials and quality of work. Take a look at the reviews and client testimonials in your candidate contractor’s website or social media page. This lets you gauge their professionalism, communication skills, and overall customer satisfaction. The feedback from their previous clients should reveal a pattern that tells you of the work ethic and reliability.  You should also check if the contractor has the proper licenses and permits to operate in your area and perform the necessary tasks. First, review your state’s licensing and registration requirements. Next, contact the contractor and ask for their licensing information. Cross-check the information they provide with government records. State government websites usually have online search portals that lets you check for registered contractors’ licenses.  See if the contractor’s license is still active, or if they’re licensed for the type of work required by your bathroom remodel. Note the address in their registration and compare it with the one they provided; a mismatch is usually a red flag for fraud and illegal operations. You should also look out for complaints and records of disciplinary actions against the contractor. 4. Discuss estimates, warranties, and project timelines. Once you’ve singled out the legitimate and reliable contractors from your list, ask these lucky candidates for their estimates for your planned remodel. Remember to present your budget plan so the contractor has an idea how much you’re willing to spend, what compromises should be made, and if your expectations work with your financial limitations.  Don’t forget to talk about warranties as well. Reputable, experienced contractors take pride with the quality of their work and are happy to offer a refund for issues that may occur within a certain amount of time after the remodel’s completion. The lack of a warranty indicates low confidence and should be considered a dealbreaker.  Once you’ve taken note of the estimates and warranties, ask each contractor for a realistic timeline to complete your bathroom remodel. Discuss the factors that may affect the project’s duration, including material availability and local bureaucratic requirements. It’s also important to get insights on their approach to the project and how they communicate with their clientele.  From here, you can further thin your list. Note the contractors that can work within your financial constraints and are able to deliver at the best possible date. Don’t just go for the cheapest and fastest—the quality of the call and the contractor’s willingness to provide detailed explanations should be strong indicators of the caliber of service.  5. Select the contractor.  Take time to review the top contenders for your bathroom remodel project. Compare the quality of their work and how well they can bring your vision to life given your limited budget. Again, don’t just settle for the cheapest offer. Choose the contractor with the highest potential to deliver based on their portfolio, reputation, and price that aligns with the value they provide.  6. Sign the contract.  Before work starts on your bathroom remodel, you and your contractor should have a legal contract that clearly outlines all aspects of the project, including the scope of the work, payment schedules, and the professional services involved. Together with your contractor, review this thoroughly and make amendments, if necessary. Once you have come up with a contract that all parties can agree with, you may now sign the document and the renovation will begin. How Much Should It Cost to Renovate a Bathroom? Bathroom remodels cost around $12,000 on average across the United States. A low end makeover may be as cheap as $2,500, while top-of-the-line remodels can set you back by as much as $30,000. The actual cost depends on the size of the bathroom and the extent of the renovation. How Long Should It Take a Contractor to Remodel a Bathroom? A bathroom remodel in the hands of