We’ve come a long way since the days of an outhouse behind every barn. Today, even a house having one complete bathroom is considered old-fashioned.

It’s tempting to trade away the relatively high cost of bathroom construction and the space bathrooms require for more living and work space. But as it is, to ensure a good market value for your house, you should seriously consider at least two bathrooms, and possibly more if you have a large family.

Bathrooms come in both full and half sizes. A full bath includes a toilet, hand sink, bathtub, and/or shower. Most modern premolded units combine a bathtub and shower in the same piece. A half bath consists of a toilet and hand sink.

To begin with, one full bathroom should be designated for general use, close to the bedrooms. It should be accessible from most areas of the house and should not be reached by traveling through other rooms. A second bath, often directly adjacent to or back-to-back with the main bath so plumbing fixtures can be shared, is usually located next to a master bedroom. A third bath, or at least a half bath, can be a great convenience, especially when positioned near the living room, family room, and kitchen.

With the exception of single-level ranch houses, it is definitely a plus to locate a bathroom on each living level. This results in time and energy savings over the short and long runs. If there’s one thing that can make a house feel too small, it’s standing in line in the morning, waiting to use the only bathroom.