Jack & Jill Bathroom Conversion: Turning One Bathroom Into 1.5 Baths
This was one of my personal value-add renovation projects.
When I purchased this property, it had a Jack & Jill style bathroom. One door connected to the primary bedroom, and the other door connected to the hallway. The layout worked, but I saw an opportunity to create more value.
In that price range, properties with 1.5 bathrooms were selling for more. Even a half bathroom can make a big difference in how buyers, tenants, and appraisers view a property. In forced appreciation, one of the best ways to add value is by adding functional space — especially an extra room or an extra bathroom.
Instead of keeping the original Jack & Jill layout, I decided to split the bathroom into one full bathroom and one half bathroom. The full bathroom now leads to the hallway, and the half bathroom gives the property extra functionality.
Jack & Jill bathroom conversion project by Homes By Tarun.
🔨 What We Changed
To make this conversion work, we had to take everything down and rebuild the space with a new layout.
✅ Converted the Jack & Jill bathroom into 1 full bathroom + 1 half bathroom
✅ Changed the layout to improve functionality
✅ Added a new toilet in the half bathroom
✅ Added new vanities
✅ Added new toilet seats
✅ Reworked the plumbing lines
✅ Connected the new toilet drainage to the existing plumbing stack
✅ Replaced older copper plumbing with PEX where possible
✅ Used a good quality toilet with strong flushing performance
✅ Completely refreshed the bathroom space
The biggest challenge was adding the toilet drainage to the existing stack. Because plumbing is one of the most important parts of this type of renovation, I hired a licensed plumber for that work.
Layout plan showing how the original bathroom was converted into 1 full bathroom and 1 half bathroom.
🚿 Why I Replaced the Copper Plumbing With PEX
Once the walls were open, I noticed the older plumbing was copper and there were signs of previous leakage.
As a landlord and homeowner, this is the kind of issue I like to deal with during renovation instead of waiting for a future problem. Copper pipe leakage can become a headache, especially when the property is rented and you have to go back later to open walls and fix plumbing issues.
Since everything was already opened up, I decided to replace the older copper lines with PEX wherever possible. Around half of the PEX conversion was done by the plumber, and the rest I handled myself.
This was not only about making the bathroom look better. It was also about reducing future maintenance concerns and making the property more reliable long term.
💰 Project Cost Breakdown
🚿 Licensed Plumber
Approx. $900
🧱 Materials
Approx. $5,100
🧱 Total Project Cost
Approx. $6,000
🛠️ Labour
DIY + licensed plumber for plumbing work
👷 If Hired Out
Approx. $8,000–$10,000 extra in labour
⏳ Timeline
Approx. 4 weeks while balancing other jobs
📈 Estimated Appraised Value Increase
Approx. $25,000
I received quotes from multiple plumbers, and the lowest quote I found for the main plumbing work was approximately $900. The total project cost was around $6,000, and the estimated appraised value increase
was approximately $25,000.
🏡 Why This Project Made Sense
In a BRRRR or value-add strategy, the goal is to find opportunities where the property can be improved in a way that creates more value than the cost of the renovation.
In this case, the opportunity was the bathroom layout. The property already had the space, but the layout was not being used to its full potential.
By converting one Jack & Jill bathroom into 1.5 bathrooms, the property became more functional and more attractive. An extra half bathroom can be a strong selling feature, especially for families, tenants, and future buyers.
🚀 This Renovation Helped Improve
🏠 Property functionality
🚽 Bathroom count
🔑 Tenant and buyer appeal
📊 Appraised value
🛠️ Long-term maintenance peace of mind
💵 Forced appreciation
🏡 Overall property value
A smart renovation is not always about doing something fancy.
Sometimes the best value comes from improving the layout, adding function, and fixing hidden issues while the walls are already open.
🧠 The Investor Lesson
The lesson from this project is simple: layout changes can create serious value.
Adding a bathroom or even a half bathroom can make a property more useful and more desirable. In many cases, this type of improvement can support forced appreciation because it changes how the property functions, not just how it looks.
This project cost approximately $6,000 and had an estimated appraised value increase of around $25,000. If the full project had been hired out, labour could have added another $8,000–$10,000.
By doing part of the work myself and hiring a licensed plumber for the important plumbing work, I was able to control the cost while still completing a high-impact renovation.
✅ Final Thoughts
This Jack & Jill bathroom conversion is a good example of how a smart renovation can add value without needing a luxury finish.
The project improved the layout, added an extra half bathroom, updated the plumbing, reduced future maintenance concerns, and increased the estimated appraised value of the property.
For BRRRR clients, investors, and first-time buyers, this is the kind of opportunity I like to look for — a property where the layout has hidden potential and the numbers make sense.
📞 Thinking About Buying a Value-Add Property?
If you are looking to buy a home or investment property in Calgary or Airdrie, I can help you look at the property from both
a Realtor and investor perspective.
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