What Is a 1/4 Bath?

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A toilet may be all you will find inside a 1/4 bath.
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Homeowners love full and 3/4 bathrooms because full baths are spacious and a great addition to master bedrooms, while 3/4 baths give the feel of a full bathroom without taking up a lot of space. The next time you're shopping for a new home or remodeling your space, however, keep an open mind about the 1/4 bathroom. Even though full bathrooms are more appealing and 1/2 bathrooms may make more sense, 1/4 baths can actually be a nice feature if you have additional space.

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1/4 Bath vs. 1/2 Bath

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A 1/4 bathroom has either a sink, shower, toilet or bathtub. This type of bath layout differs from a 1/2 bath because there is only one fixture in a 1/4 bath, whereas 1/2 baths have two. Homeowners who build 1/4 bathrooms typically build a bathroom with a sink and mirror combination or a hallway shower. This is ideal if you need more showers but don't have the space to build a full bathroom.

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One-half baths usually have a toilet and a sink. They're perfect for homeowners who don't want visitors using the main bathroom.

Full Bath vs. 3/4 Bath

A full bathroom has a sink, bathtub, shower and toilet. You can have more fixtures in a full bathroom, but to make it a full bath, it has to have at least one sink, one bathtub, one shower and one toilet. Full bathrooms are typically located in the master bedroom of a home because these areas have the space to accommodate all four fixtures.

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Although full bath layouts can differ, depending on style and taste, the standard full bathroom design has the bathtub and shower located close to each other, close to a wall or window, and away from the door. You'll typically see a toilet placed opposite the sinks and situated in its own recess or corner. A 3/4 bath can have either a shower or a tub with one sink and one toilet. Homeowners love 3/4 bathrooms because they save space when there's insufficient room for a full bathroom, and they serve as extra bathrooms for midsized houses.

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Because 3/4 bathrooms are smaller than full bathrooms, the layout needs to be more compact. Typically, you'll find the shower or bathtub near a wall or window as in a full bath. But, in contrast to a full bath, the toilet in a 3/4 bath is usually placed next to the shower or bathtub, which saves space. Sinks are typically placed closer to the bathroom door or entrance.

1 3/4 Bath Explanation

If you ever see a 1 3/4 bath, known as a 1.75 bath in a listing, this means that there should be two separate bathrooms in the home. Usually, you'll see a full bath with one shower, one bathtub, one sink and one toilet and a 3/4 bath with one shower or a bathtub, one sink and one toilet. The next time you see 1.75 bath in a listing, the real estate agency really means that there are two different bathrooms in the home.

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