Do you feel like your home is short one bedroom? Maybe you have two kids who share a bedroom, and you wish they could each have their own. Or perhaps you would like to be able to have friends visit without having to have someone sleep on the couch. It may be possible for a remodeling contractor to renovate part of your home in a way that adds an extra bedroom. But whether you can and should do this really depends on a few factors.

How spacious is your current layout?

If you have two large bedrooms down a single hallway and want to add a third one, it may just be a matter of moving a few walls to divide the space into three smaller bedrooms, rather than two large ones. Make sure, however, that the space left for each room will be sufficient. To accommodate beds and dressers, you really need an area that is at least 8 x 8 feet. If dividing your space results in one or more rooms being smaller than this, it's not a smart move.

Will you need to move any plumbing?

If there are pipes that come down behind any of the walls that would need to be moved to create an extra bedroom, adding an extra room might not be worth it. Moving pipes can be very costly, and in some cases, it is not even possible. Do, however, ask your remodeling contractor if there is a way to re-organize the rooms without disturbing the plumbing. They may have an alternative layout idea you have not thought of yet.

Where will the new room be located?

You do not necessarily need to place the new bedroom right by the others. You could instead designate some space for the bedroom off the living room or even the dining room. Whether or not this is a good idea depends on how badly you need the room. Placing a room in a strange location may impact your home value when you eventually sell, but if you really need the extra bedroom and plan on remaining in the home for the next 20 years, it may not be a bad idea.

Keep the factors above in mind as you decide whether adding another bedroom to your home truly is a good choice. Your home remodeling contractor can show you specific layout options to help you make a more informed decision, too.