Powder Room Conversion to Storage Closet

Vision20

New member
Hi all,

I am purchasing a new construction home that is 4 bedrooms with 4.5 baths with 1.5 baths on the bottom floor.  There is no storage areas on the first floor and since there are 1.5 bathrooms downstairs, we're thinking of converting the powder room to a storage closet as that makes more sense for us, we don't need the powder room.  But we intend to keep the plumbing for the powder room in case we ever want to convert it back before selling the home.

The builder does not want to help with the conversion, however, I was thinking the conversion should be fairly easy to do it.  We would just need to remove the fixtures then plug up the toilet hole + pipes, then just store things around it.  Are there any other considerations?  Any advice/feedback would be greatly appreciate, thanks!
 
Bad idea, when you have guests/party/bbq, they will walk through someone's bedroom to use a bathroom instead of the powder?  Most homes have a coat closet for storage or use part of the pantry, cabinets etc.  Send the link to your floor plan.
 
A seldom powder room has much more value and utility to me than a coat closet. There are many ways you can solve a lack of storage but you can't easily get a sink and toilet into your home anywhere you please.

You can get garage storage racks. Outdoor shed. Heck you can even rent storage space.
 
I?m with Akkord and Cares, if the 1st floor is actually the main gathering area, I.e. Kitchen, family room, etc where when guests are over that is where you go, a very bad idea.  If the 1 ba that is there is an en Suite, then converting the 1/2 is even worse of an idea.
 
Should have added more information to the original post.

The full bathroom is not ensuite and it's separate from the guest bedroom downstairs.  They're actually quite close to each other also.  We probably won't have large gatherings or have long-term guests over often (maybe a 3-4 times a year?) so the powder room and full bathroom becomes redundant hence why we're thinking about converting it.  Also one less bathroom to clean for only a minor benefit a few times a year.

Appreciate all the feedback and comments!  I understand it's not typical but the storage closet fits our needs a lot more than an extra toilet/sink.  And if we thing ever change, I figured by leaving the plumbing, converting it back to a powder room wouldn't be difficult.  Does anyone have any advice on the actual conversion process? Also considered just hiring a plumber to do it but just wanted to gauge if anyone else has experience on this to see if this is a better DIY project.
 
Can you just use the powder room as a storage room without converting it? Add shelving, store your bulky items (vacuum, etc). I'm surprised there's zero other storage space on the first floor given the house is 4/4.5.

ETA: I think this is a plumber job. They can cap all the lines.
 
Are you on a slab?  Where do the drain lines and supply lines enter the room from?  The sink drain might go into the wall, but you'll probably find that flooring and a toilet flange are not that easily interchangeable if you're working on concrete.  Maybe you can cap things off and cover up the warts with cabinets.
 
Vision20 said:
Should have added more information to the original post.

The full bathroom is not ensuite and it's separate from the guest bedroom downstairs.  They're actually quite close to each other also.  We probably won't have large gatherings or have long-term guests over often (maybe a 3-4 times a year?) so the powder room and full bathroom becomes redundant hence why we're thinking about converting it.  Also one less bathroom to clean for only a minor benefit a few times a year.

Appreciate all the feedback and comments!  I understand it's not typical but the storage closet fits our needs a lot more than an extra toilet/sink.  And if we thing ever change, I figured by leaving the plumbing, converting it back to a powder room wouldn't be difficult.  Does anyone have any advice on the actual conversion process? Also considered just hiring a plumber to do it but just wanted to gauge if anyone else has experience on this to see if this is a better DIY project.

Something like this to plug the toilet.

3-in x 3-in Dia Schedule 40 Plughttps://www.lowes.com/pd/Charlotte-...chedule-40-Male-Cleanout-Plug-Fitting/3132723

Cost a fortune!



 
You may want to ask your builder for the contact details of their plumbing company, by being familiar with the build they should be able to give you a quick estimate. It may not look pretty but you can certainly hide the terminated pipes behind shelving or furniture.

I would plan to convert back the closet to a powder room before selling the house, you would avoid a lot of headaches. Just make sure the plumber know it may be converted back.

Edit: it doesn%u2019t hurt to check with the builder how it may hurt your home warranty.
 
Bathrooms add a lot of value to a house due the utility, probably second only to the 3rd car garage, all else being equal. I would keep the powder with some temporary solution so you can use the powder as storage and very easy to convert them back.
 
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