What's the Difference Between a Half Bathroom and a Powder Room?

Powder room or half bath, what do you call it? Tomayto, tomahto. They both mean the same thing — a small bathroom with just a toilet and sink. But the origin of the names is where the difference lies.

What are Powder Rooms and Half Baths?

A powder room or half bathroom is a small bathroom with only a toilet and a sink — no bathtub or shower. If a home has one of these small bathrooms, it’s usually located near the foyer, mudroom or living area. It’s designed for guests to use, but most homeowners will agree that it’s convenient to have a potty near common areas of the home and close to outdoor spaces.

Why Is It Called a Powder Room?

It’s not totally clear how the term powder room came about. Some sources say it dates back to the 18th century when men wore white powdered wigs — a powder room was where they stored and powdered their wigs. Other theories say powder rooms came about in the 20th century when women would politely say they had to “powder their nose” as a euphemism for going to the bathroom. Either way, the name has stuck, and today it is more commonly used than a half bath or half bathroom.

Why Is It Called a Half Bathroom?

A half bathroom is real estate jargon. Realtors have a very practical way of counting bathrooms:

• A quarter bathroom has just a toilet.
• A half bathroom has a toilet and sink.
• A three-quarter bathroom has a toilet, sink(s) and either a shower or tub, not both.
• A full bathroom or often called a four-piece bathroom has a toilet, sink(s) and both a shower and bathtub, the latter two can be combined.

One of the first things a real estate listing includes is the number of bathrooms. Having an extra half bathroom is a desirable selling feature, so it’s common to see a listing include the number of full bathrooms followed by the number of half bathrooms.

What’s a Water Closet?

The history of the term water closet (often called WC) dates back to the 1800s when toilets were first added to high-end homes and luxury hotels. Toilets were kept in their own room, not in the same space as bathtubs and wash basins, which were referred to as bathrooms. It wasn’t until the 1900s when toilets in homes became commonplace that the two spaces were combined. Today, a water closet usually refers to a toilet room that is part of a full bathroom — most often seen in main bathrooms. The water-closet in-a-bathroom trend started years ago and has now become standard in new home building.

What is a 3/4 Bathroom?

A three-quarters bathroom is a toilet, sink(s) and either a shower or bathtub, not both. Realtors will refer to these as full bathrooms in their listings, but in technical terms, a full bathroom has all four elements — a toilet, sink(s) a shower and a tub. A tub/shower combo is also considered a full bathroom.

If you’re tight on space, a 3/4 bathroom with a walk-in shower stall instead of a combo shower and tub, can save some precious square footage. It’s also a practical idea if you have a full bathroom elsewhere in the house with a tub. When it comes to resale, most homebuyers want at least one bathtub in the house, especially if they have small children.

How Much Does It Cost to Remodel a Powder Room?

Powder room remodels, according to HomeGuide data, cost an average of $2,500 to $5,000, including materials and labor. Much about that average cost is dependent upon whether you are choosing luxury or more middle-of-the-road fixtures, where you live and a host of other factors. High-end remodels can be closer to $15,000. But as a rule, powder room remodels are generally less expensive than other bathroom remodels because they have less square footage and are spared the cost of a shower or bath.