This forum has always given me lots of great assistance so here I am again in need of some sage advice. I have a two bedroom apartment with 1 full bathroom (with tub) that I list on Airbnb and HomeAway and it has been pretty successful. The bathroom is in the common area between the two bedrooms. We can host 6 guests at a time and I am thinking of adding a second bathroom off the blue bedroom ( en suite). Here’s what I do not know is whether it will make it more attractive for 2 couples to visit and/or families and if I can charge more to cover the cost of another bathroom which is probably $4,000.00 or more since it will be tiled and the like. Here is my listing on Airbnb https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/2220660
Any thoughts and ideas would be most appreciated and welcome. Warmly, Helen
Your place looks beautiful!
I don’t know if adding a bathroom is necessary. How many people usually book? If you often get 6 it might be worth it but I don’t know how much more you can charge as I wonder if guests would value a second bathroom.
Also, I think your estimate is very low unless you are planning to do the work yourself. Could be as much as 8-10K for a complete bathroom. You need new plumbing, electrical work. Also what space will you lose?.
I would be very cautious. We had a VERY successful season on Air last summer. This year the market has been flooded with new hosts. We appear on page 6 or 8 sometimes page 17. I think we are at 3 short bookings since June.Thankfully VRBO has filled the gaps for this year but unless a new bathroom will definitely improve your resale value or give you pleasure in a post STR world, save your money.
I put in a date range of 3 nights in August and came up with a cost of $918 for 6 people which would be ok if it was shared by 3 couples. For a family paying it might get too steep if you need to add more $. I think it will depend on your market.
Thanks so much for your thoughts - we do the work ourselves but will hire out the plumbing and electrical and we have those already. My rentals vary - occasionally 6 people like today but generally 2 to 4 people - some couples and some families.
Yes I have bookings right now at that rate so am not inclined to change but I do get your point about whether my market can tolerate a higher rate - maybe but not sure. Caution may be advisable. Thanks again for your thoughts.
Yes this vacation rental business can be quite fickle. Last year I had almost no bookings on Home Away/VRBO and this year I am 50% VRBO, go figure. We do have some 6 person bookings but that is certainly not my majority of bookings since I am an apartment and not a single family house.
We would do most of the work ourselves except the plumbing and electrical.
You are also correct about the market and I am getting slightly more competition but have a bit of an advantage of having great reviews for many years - really helps. Thanks so much for your thoughts and they were very helpful.
I don’t think you can go wrong here. Travelers will appreciate it. If you take it off air and rent it then it will definitely be more appealing to renters and if you ever want to sell it you will have increased your value.
You also might consider a 3/4 bath en suite, or a common half bath. The number of toilets can be an issue with a larger group.
Where would you take the space from?
One other thing to consider is the hot water supply capacity. Two showers running at once can deplete the hw supply quickly unless you have the instant hw system or a really large tank. Guests on vacation tend not to conserve water. You could end up getting dinged in a review. No good deed goes unpunished!
This is the first level of our three level home so there is an area behind the blue bedroom which is a hallway where I can put the bathroom without reducing the bedroom space at all though it is very large. I really do need to think the big picture here since it does have to do with the whole value of our home. I believe extra bathrooms always increase the value of your home. Thanks so much for your comment.
Good point - we do have a large water heater which has served us well but will convert to a hot water on demand system when this heater dies.Also we are on geothermal heating and cooling which in the summer also takes care of our hot water.
@HelenSpinelli. I am a great believer in more bathrooms in general, if it doesn’t make the other rooms feel too small. No question, you have already thought this through comprehensively. Another consideration, since there is increased competition in your area, is not just the ROI, but also how you will now compare to that new competition. Even two couples, a group of just 4, would appreciate each having their own bath, I would think. So even, if you don’t get a higher price, you might find that you have a higher occupancy.
Lots of things to consider!
Of course taking into consideration the unknown future of HA and Air, I think another bathroom would def. attract more couples. And two couples likely have more $$ to spend than a family with small kids.
If you NEED to earn back that $4,000 then I’d be a bit hesitant since any one listing site you depend on can make drastic search result changes overnight. If I were traveling with another couple I likely would only search for a place with two bathrooms.
Thanks so much for your comments and I think you are correct- unless you are related, two couples would probably want separate bathrooms. I now have to convince my husband but when things are very slow in January & February I am sure it would be a worthwhile project.
Take into consideration the ages of couples that come to your area too. When I was in my early twenties I would have sacrificed comfort for a cheaper price. A couple of decades later, I prefer comfort for just a little more money. I want to poop in private - dammit! 
Yes I am into comfort as well and am willing to pay for it and privacy!
If you ever fancy a working holiday in Ireland, let me know, I will put you up and feed you and you can do a bathroom for me !!!
But will you include the airfare as well? 
Hmmm sounds like “such a deal” as my Mom would say with her palms turned up! But this may be a New York thing,