Pros and Cons of Jack and Jill Bathrooms
July 15, 2014When you have the opportunity to design and build a custom home, it means you get to work with your custom home builder to choose the layout and details that fit your needs. Every room in the home and how they are structured can be customized to you. When it comes to the bathrooms in your custom home, you have a lot of options. If you’re considering a shared bathroom, here are some pros and cons of Jack and Jill bathrooms to help you determine if it’s the right choice for you:
What is a Jack and Jill Bathroom?
A Jack and Jill bathroom is a shared bathroom with two or more entrances. Generally, there are separate sinks or a dual vanity, but the bath and/or the shower and the toilet area are shared. Sometimes, there are separate compartments or rooms within the bathroom to provide privacy for the bath/shower and toilet while keeping the sinks accessible.
What distinguishes a Jack and Jill layout from another shared bathroom is that it has at least two separate entrances into the bathroom. More commonly, this bathroom is situated between two bedrooms and there are doors that connect to each bedroom. But, a Jack and Jill bathroom can also have a door that connects to a bedroom and a hallway.
Generally speaking, you won’t have a Jack and Jill bathroom adjoining a master bedroom and another bedroom. The master bedroom usually has its own bathroom. But, it may make sense for a pair of other bedrooms in the home to have a Jack and Jill bathroom between them. It all depends on your needs.
3 Pros of Jack and Jill Bathrooms
This type of bathroom can provide some benefits. Here are some pros of Jack and Jill bathrooms:
1. Jack and Jill Bathrooms Can Save Space
Bathrooms can take up a lot of space in your home, especially if each bedroom has its own private bathroom. Having a connected bathroom that serves two bedrooms can help you use available square footage more efficiently and could free up space in your layout for bigger rooms, more storage, another room, etc.
2. They Can be Helpful for Large Families
A Jack and Jill bathroom can be helpful for large families and also people who regularly have guests visiting. Although the people sharing the bathroom may need to work out who gets the bathroom when to get ready, a shared bathroom like this can help your household handle multiple people more efficiently.
3. Jack and Jill Bathrooms Still Provide Privacy
Although a Jack and Jill bathroom is a shared bathroom, it still allows people to have privacy. Because the bathroom locks from either side, the bedrooms connected to it still remain separate and maintain privacy.
And, since both doors can be locked, the bathroom can provide still provide privacy when needed. You can also design the bathroom layout to include an extra separation between the sink area and the bath/shower and toilet to provide more privacy if needed.
3 Cons of Jack and Jill Bathrooms
As with anything, there are drawbacks to this type of bathroom as well. Here are some cons of Jack and Jill bathrooms:
1. Jack and Jill Bathrooms Can be Isolated
When a Jack and Jill bathroom is located between two bedrooms, it becomes a landlocked and isolated room. This can mean that it is not as available or accessible to the rest of the house. Most of the time, this is not an issue as there are other bathrooms available in the home. Also, this is not an issue if it connects to a hallway.
2. They Can Create Conflict
As with any shared bathroom, a Jack and Jill bathroom can create conflict. Because more than one person needs to use it, the people who share it will need to compromise and will inevitably be in each other’s way at some point, especially if the layout isn’t right.
One of the most common bathroom design mistakes to avoid is ignoring or failing to plan for proper flow and function. The right flow and function is essential to any bathroom and especially a Jack and Jill bathroom or any bathroom that will be shared.
When schedules get hectic and people get stubborn, a bathroom like this can become a point of contention. The other side of that is the people who share it need to learn how to share, compromise, and communicate to each get what they need.
3. Jack and Jill Bathrooms May Not Remain Useful Long-Term
Because these bathrooms are connected to specific bedrooms and can become landlocked in some ways, they can also become less useful and efficient over time.
For example, if you decided on a Jack and Jill bathroom for specific family members, is that bathroom layout still going to make sense as those family members grow and eventually move out?
Depending on the area and potential buyers, a bathroom like this could be more or less appealing should you decide to sell the home in the future.
These are just some pros and cons of jack and jill bathrooms to help you decide if it makes sense to include one in your custom home design. When thinking about a custom home, the bathrooms are just one part of it and it can be overwhelming to try to work through all of the options alone.
Instead of taking it all on by yourself, partner with a custom home builder with a design/build process who can help you handle all of the details and keep the process stress-free. If you’re ready to bring your dream home to life, contact Custom Home Group at 717-284-4090!