Consider a house built in 1900 did not have interior bathrooms, no concept of a refrigerator or dishwasher, little if any closets, inadequate power, and no horseless carriage storage. But your exact house has evolved through many changes. If it didn't in some ways, though, like a Master Ensuite, I'd bet you could adapt to living there just fine. But if you were to spend gazillions of dollars and go through the hassle and stress of a remodel that continues the house's journey in meeting chosen first-world necessities, would you regret it that you didn't include a Master Ensuite?

I grew up in a house built in 1918. We were a 4-person household. The bathroom was a decent size, but there was only one. Mornings were on a schedule. Everyone got clean, fed and out the door at the required times without conflict. But that's because no one was allowed to disrupt the morning routine. Even when we were teenagers, no one lived in the bathroom-- and by that time, we'd expanded the basement powder room to a full bath. (that was mainly because it was less expensive to put a shower downstairs than to gut the fragile plumbing upstairs).

The house I own now has no en suite. But since only 2 people live here, that's not an issue at all.

All this to say that extra bathrooms are a convenience and a luxury, not a necessity. Nice to have, sure. But only you can weigh the cost/benefit. For myself, I'd rather have one generous bathroom than multiple cramped ones.

We're a couple without children or relatives living with us so an en suite bathroom isn't a big issue for us. In fact, we made the master bedroom with en suite our office and switched to a smaller bedroom with a bathroom off the hallway.

However, if we had kids or relatives living sharing the house then I'd really want an en suite. Would it be a deal breaker though? Unlikely if there were other great perks to the house that we liked (location, architecture style or features, layout, price, etc).

If adding an ensuite will ruin the character of the house and cause it to be a remuddle, then no it's not worth it.

The house my 2 kids grew up in was built in 1898 and had one large bathroom on the second floor, similar to yours. It had a large tub and a separate shower. The only remodeling we did to that almost original bath, (including pink and black original tile from the 1920's) was to redo the bathroom floor because the tile on the floor was cracked. Like Jennifer mentioned, we kept to a schedule and it worked. We did have 2 half baths downstairs but the only tub and shower were in that upstairs bath.

We sold that house in 2010 during the height of the recession for what was then an excellent price. It was the only house in our zip code that had sold over a 9 month period. I know the new owners didn't remove one of the 4 bedrooms and kept that one upstairs bathroom. That house is now worth 7 figures.

On a house that old, I don't think an ensuite is that necessary.

I would pass on a house like yours, no question. A private master bath is a requirement for me; if all houses of a certain era were master-bath-free, I would look for a newer house.

I would (and have) buy a house like that. I wouldn't build one like that though. :)

If the original interior has already been muddled, I guess I might "upgrade" for resale. But if it still had original (or well-done early) features that would be gutted, I wouldn't do it.

I added added a master bath( above the sunroom adjacent to my bedroom where historically a sleeping porch or dressing room would be) to my house and have zero regrets. Although expensive the ROI was higher than doing a kitchen since the house did not already have one and in my neighborhood houses sell for over 50k more than similar age houses without a master bath.

My addition changed no floor plans and used orginal alternative plans to my house design. My kit home came with different priced options and one included a dressing room off the master bedroom. That is now my closet and full bath. It can be sensitively done if you use a architect familiar with older houses.

So you need to compare the cost of renovating to make a en-suite bathroom, and how much more money you will receive when you eventually sell, to what you would earn if you invested that money

Our current house has one bathroom on the 2nd floor (no en-suite). We are currently building a new house and will have an en-suite in the primary bedroom. Sharing a bathroom hasn’t been a huge issue for our family (we also have a full bath on the first floor), but I look forward to having our own space.

Think about your routines and how reserved you and your family are. I know families where the parents won’t leave the bathroom/bedroom without being fully dressed. Other families feel comfortable walking around in a wrapped towel.

Since you are a young family and plan to stay in this home, I would absolutely consider adding the ensuite.

We own two homes. Up north, my master bathroom is very small, but I very much appreciate having it.

My Florida home has a very large master bathroom, I very much enjoy the extra space, but the it not a deal breaker. Not having one be for me.

It is a personal thing.

The house that I spent most of my childhood in, built in 1914, actually did have a roomy bath attached to the master bedroom. That had only a shower, toilet and sink (but the shower was built with high curbs so that my mother could and did bathe the two youngest in it). It also had the stairway up to the attic. There was a full bath in between the two other large bedrooms, and the little bedroom (might have been a maid's room originally) had a toilet and sink in the closet.

There was also a toilet and sink on the first floor.

Seven people in the house, 3 of them teenagers, so I am sure my parents were grateful for the master bath.

I've never had more than 3 people in my adult homes, or more than 1 bathroom, and wouldn't miss a master (2nd) bath at all - but a half bath would have been useful at times.

I would add the extra bathroom. Not just because it would be an en suite, but because you have 4 bedrooms and only one bathroom for them to share. I grew up in a 4 bedroom, 1 very small full and very small 1/2 bath house. It wasn't enough for the 8 of us. The more bathrooms the batter in that size house.

Would you pass on a house that does not have a primary bedroom suite?

In the right area, "no"...so long as I could find a way to fit one in.

As a family of six, we always had 4.5-5.5 baths and 5-7 bedrooms, so we may be residential outliers here.

Thanks for all the feedback so far! I guess it’s no susprise that most people wold prefer an ensuite bath :)

Of course, I would prefer that as well, but we have lived happily in this home for 8 years now and it feels like a silly dilemma since, prior to this house, we had (gasp) a one bedroom house for over a decade. Plus we could always use the bedroom on the 3rd floor as the ”primary suite”. So, as others have said, it largely depends on ROI.

Our architect gave an off-the-cuff estimate of $100k to reconfigure the upstairs for a primary bedroom with ensuite. I’m not confident that we could recoup much of that cost, but would need to check with some realtors.

Even though the house is old, the previous owners remodeled and added a TV room upstairs, so we’d mostly be using this new space rather than modifying the original areas of the house.

That said, you have all given me much to think about and I appreciate the different perspectives!

My friend lives in an old town where most of the houses are from the 1920's and don't have an ensuite. It's a very NJ desireable town (walk to train, 25 minutes from NYC). What I'm getting at is that it would be more important to add the master bath if most everyone else in the neighborhood had one, IMO.

I inherited my grandparents 1919 house. It has generous closets and one of the closets was turned into a small ensuite bath. That bedroom is now considered the primary bedroom, although it is smaller than one of the other bedrooms. We rent the house out and the ensuite has been a plus in attracting long term renters.

Personally, I would not want a house without a primary ensuite if I had a family. For just my husband and I, we would require a private bath, either ensuite or adjacent to our bedroom.

IMO what's important is a good size extra room and private bath on the first floor. You can use it as a master suite at some point, or an office or extra t v room, and, if and when you sell, the listing can include first floor master ensuite. I wouldn't look at any house without space for bedroom and bath on first floor.

You never know when you may not be able to get up the stairs...at any age.

(Think torn Achilles and wearing a non-weight bearing boot...that's how my husband spent 8 weeks last winter.). What is so important...he won the point. :>}

I lived in a nice house without one but there were only two of us so it was fine. We have one now and I appreciate having it. If I had a larger family it would be more important to have one. At least you do have a second bath on the third floor that could be shared by the family - much better than just one bath on the second floor. If your historic home hasn't already been mucked up with modifications that don't fit with the character of the house, I'd want to be very careful to make sure a major remodel was consistent with the period of the home.