A Jack and Jill ensuite is a great way to make your home more functional with minimal cost and effort.
Learn how to create a Jack and Jill ensuite and find out why it could be the perfect solution to your bathroom conundrum.
What is a Jack and Jill Ensuite?
A Jack and Jill ensuite is a unique shared bathroom connecting two separate bedrooms with lockable doors on each entrance for privacy. It is also known as a ‘shared ensuite’ or ‘dual access bathroom’.
You can access a Jack and Jill ensuite from both bedrooms, and layouts typically include a toilet, sink and bathtub. However, due to their space-saving and practical benefits, many follow a bespoke wetroom design instead.
A Jack and Jill ensuite may also include separate vanities for the occupants of each bedroom. The toilet or shower areas may be made more private with extra walls or doors. You could even add another door leading from the shared ensuite out to a hallway.
The shared ensuite setup is ideal for busy households and families requiring added convenience while maximising space efficiency. Not only does this reduce the need for multiple bathrooms, but it also saves on plumbing costs and makes morning routines smoother.
Yet perhaps the biggest advantage of Jack and Jill ensuites is that they can potentially add value to your home by making your interconnected bathroom or wetroom more private and functional without requiring extra floor space.
How Do You Create a Jack and Jill Ensuite?
You don’t always need an additional ensuite to make your home more functional. A simple redesign of an existing bathroom or ensuite can turn it into a Jack and Jill room.
Essentially, all you need to do is install an additional door and maybe tinker with the layout, so the ensuite is accessible from the two adjoining bedrooms. When planned correctly, this approach is often much cheaper than installing a new bathroom or ensuite, with quicker completion times.
Whether you’re doing the work yourself or using a professional wetroom design and installation service, there are several things to consider when creating a dual-access bathroom:
1. Design your Jack and Jill ensuite
It’s important to get the layout of your shared ensuite right from the very outset. If you don’t have any experience with this, it’s probably wise to leave it to the professionals in wetroom and bathroom design to manage the project from start to finish.
Whether you’re converting an existing ensuite into a luxury Jack and Jill wetroom, or squeezing a small ensuite wetroom into a tight space, the functionality of your dual-access bathroom is paramount.
2. Install your Jack and Jill ensuite
Once you’re happy with the design, you’re ready to install your shared ensuite. A bathroom and wetroom installation company will include this in their overall service so that you don’t have to manage and communicate with a bunch of different trades.
Creating a typical Jack and Jill ensuite usually involves the following processes:
- Building work: You’ll need to knock through a wall in your current ensuite to create a new doorway into the second bedroom. This should also involve inserting a concrete lintel to support the wall above the doorway itself. Depending on the layout, you could also add a new Velux window at this stage to bring in extra light.
- Joinery: Your dual-access bathroom may require new stud walls to match the new layout, which could make the bathroom space bigger. You could also add new storage areas, skirting boards, architrave and other features to maximise the room available.
- Plumbing: If you’re going for a complete revamp, you may be looking to install a doorless walk-in shower or a full wetroom. Then there’s the toilet, basin, radiator and wetroom drain to factor in. All this can be planned into the plumbing process, including hiding your wate and water pipes.
- Electrics: When creating a Jack and Jill ensuite, installing new lighting will ensure the room can be easily illuminated from both entrance doors. Electrical work may also include adding a ceiling fan, electric towel rail, and other practical features. As always, all electrical work should be carried out by an accredited electrician and comply with current regulations.
- Plastering: Your shared ensuite walls need boarding and insulating. This should occur before any plastering takes place.
- Flooring: New flooring can be fitted while the ensuite is being plastered. Whether you’re installing a wetroom on a timber floor or a solid floor, there are plenty of flooring solutions to consider. For instance, vinyl is a great ensuite flooring option as it’s waterproof, easy to clean, and affordable. It can also be incorporated into the design of a wetroom shower tray.
- Painting, decorating and tiling: The finishing touches to your Jack and Jill ensuite could include tiling the shower area and behind the basin before painting the walls, ceiling, woodwork, doors, door frames, skirting board and more.
What are the Benefits of a Jack and Jill Ensuite?
Shared ensuites have numerous benefits, especially for family homes. From enhanced space efficiency to improved functionality, these advantages include:
Reduced costs
If you’re remodelling your bedrooms and want to include ensuite facilities, Jack and Jill bathrooms are a cost-effective option as you’re only creating one space to serve both rooms, keeping plumbing and installation costs to a minimum.
Maximised space
Dual access ensuites combine two separate bathroom areas into one space. By freeing up square footage, you won’t need to add an extra bathroom to your property and can use this for other features like a walk-in wardrobe.
Double luxury
While a Jack and Jill ensuite isn’t quite the same as having your own bathroom connected to your bedroom, it’s the next-best thing. It also means that both connecting bedrooms can enjoy the luxury of a linked ensuite without needing to walk down the hallway to use the facilities.
Family friendly
Large families with limited space can really benefit from a shared ensuite. Depending on the size of your home, you may even be able to have shared access to more than two bedrooms.
Adds value
Adding a new bathroom or ensuite can add value to a property and make it more appealing to potential buyers. This also rings true of Jack and Jill ensuites as two bedrooms enjoy access to the connected bathroom or wetroom facilities.
What are the Drawbacks of a Jack and Jill Ensuite?
A Jack and Jill ensuite may not be for everyone, especially those with privacy concerns. These drawbacks include:
Potential inconvenience
Shared ensuite facilities can mean multiple people needing to use it all at once. This can lead to potential conflicts when busy family members are scrambling to get ready in the morning, or an army of guests are having a sleepover. Either way, you may not appreciate the extra wait to use the ensuite facilities.
Lack of privacy
By definition, Jack and Jill ensuites aren’t very private. Even though each connecting bedroom door will have a lock on it, it can still be irritating when your bathroom time is rudely interrupted by someone trying to get in to use the loo. In worst cases, you may even accidentally walk in on someone else using the room.
Not really an ensuite
Let’s face it, a shared ensuite isn’t the same as having your own private bathroom connected to your bedroom. However, it’s not a bad substitute and, if you can put up with sharing, it’s a great idea for many households.
Sharing with others
Sharing a bathroom or ensuite involves embracing other people’s bathroom habits. While some household members are ultra-organised, others may be less so and leave their clothes and toiletries strewn across the room. Similarly, someone may have a very different attitude towards bathroom cleanliness than the person they’re sharing with, leading to conflict.
Is a Jack and Jill Ensuite Bathroom Right for You?
Whether a Jack and Jill ensuite suits your home setup ultimately boils down to who will be using it. If you think this option provides cost and space-saving benefits, contact us today to discuss your wetroom and bathroom requirements.
