An updated bathroom can give your house an all over fresher appearance. Click here to learn more about bringing in a good ROI for your home.

Are you getting ready to sell your house soon? Are you wondering what improvements you can make to it that will help you maximize its total value? 

One of the best home improvement projects you can take on is remodeling your bathroom. Some experts estimate that you can see an ROI of approximately 70 percent when you update this part of your house.

Read on to learn more about the benefits of investing in an updated bathroom. You'll also learn how you can maximize your ROI when taking on this project.

Benefits of Updating Your Bathroom

An updated bathroom has a lot to offer you as a homeowner who's prepping for a sale. The following are some of the greatest advantages that come with remodeling or renovating your bathroom:

Increase Appeal to Buyers

In many cases, buyers want to live in the most modern, up-to-date house they can afford. They're especially particular when it comes to bathrooms and kitchens.

Buyers are more likely to be enticed by your house if these areas have been renovated recently. They might even be willing to overlook other, potential downsides if frequently used areas like the bathroom and kitchen are in good shape.

Correct Potential Problems

When you remodel your bathroom, you have an opportunity to correct potential problems (old plumbing, leaks, etc.) before you put your house on the market. This, in turn, gives you peace of mind knowing that nothing problematic will show up during the inspection.

When you learn about problems at the last minute, that can result in you spending a lot of extra money to get them fixed so your house can sell. On the flip side, you might also have to reduce the price of your house to make up for them. That's not going to work in your favor if you're trying to maximize the ROI, is it?

Increase Energy Efficiency

In addition to being willing to pay more for houses that have been updated recently, buyers are also often willing to pay more for houses that are more energy-efficient. If you've taken steps to reduce energy usage and minimize your carbon footprint, you can attract more buyers and sell your house at a higher price.

When you're updating your bathroom, be sure to look for ways to make it more eco-friendly. This might mean replacing the toilet with a water-saving model or changing up the lighting.

Reduce Clutter

Buyers are going to be much more interested in purchasing (and paying top dollar) for a house that feels open and free of clutter. The less clutter there is in a home, the easier it is for them to imaging themselves living in it (and filling it with all of their stuff). If your bathroom feels open and clutter-free, even if it's not particularly spacious, this can help you see a greater return on your investment and greater profits for your house.

Tips for Updating Your Bathroom

The idea of updating the bathroom in your house can be daunting, especially if you're planning on taking on do it yourself bathroom remodels instead of hiring a crew to do it for you. If you follow these guidelines, though, you'll be able to get more bang for your buck and see great results from the finished project:

Address Ventilation

One of your top priorities when updating your bathroom ought to be addressing the ventilation. Some kind of ventilation (either an exhaust fan or a window) is required in all houses.

If a window's not an option, consider an exhaust fan, and pay special attention to its exhaust capacity and the amount of noise it produces. An extra-noisy fan can be a deal-breaker for some buyers.

Add Recessed Lighting

A good way to increase space and help a bathroom feel more open is to add recessed lighting. Recessed lighting flattens out the ceiling and creates a more spacious environment.

While you're looking into recessed lighting, consider other recessed features as well. For example, you can add recessed soap dispensers or a recessed toilet paper holder.

Choose the Right Flooring

New flooring is another effective strategy for sprucing up your bathroom. Remember, something like solid wood is not ideal for a bathroom. You're better off choosing a more waterproof option like porcelain tiles or (if you're on a budget) vinyl flooring.

Use Color to Increase Room Size

The right colors can help a bathroom (or any room, for that matter) to feel a lot larger. Use white and light colors for the fixtures and stick to the same color palette for the room. Colors like white, cream, light grey, and light blue are all good choices that will create the illusion of a larger room. 

Include More Mirrors

Speaking of illusions, you can also use mirrors to help a bathroom feel bigger. In addition to the primary mirror above the sink, consider hanging an additional mirror to easily expand the room.

Update the Fixtures

If it's been a long time since the fixtures got updated in your bathroom, now is the time to switch them up. Even if you don't have the budget to replace big fixtures like the sink and bathtub, at least replace the faucet and hardware. These simple changes can have a big impact on the look and feel of the bathroom and will turn it into a cleaner, more modern space.

Start Working on Your Updated Bathroom Today

As you can see, there's a lot you can do to get an updated bathroom that adds to the resale value of your house. Now that you know the benefits of updating your bathroom, as well as what you can do to maximize the ROI on the project, it's time to get to work. Keep this information in mind and you'll be sure to see great results once the remodel is complete.

Do you want to learn more about improving your home, either for yourself or for future buyers? If so, visit some of the other home improvement and remodeling resources on our site today.