Have you been thinking about remodeling or updating your bathroom? Whether you’re looking to raise the resale price of your home or turning your old, outdated bathroom into a newly renovated bath and spa that you’ve always dreamed of, make sure you take a look at these 6 great tips that every homeowner should know prior to diving in and getting started on their bathroom remodel.
Establish a budget and stick to it
Decide what all you need done in your bathroom and make a budget that you know you can stick to throughout the remodeling process. Consider what you need to change vs. what you want to change. For example, keeping the toilet and shower in the same location and avoiding having to relocate plumbing lines could save you thousands of dollars. Make sure to include some extra money for unexpected expenses you may run into, such as mold, mildew, water damage, etc.
The quality of materials you choose, the size of your bathroom, how much you want to change, and how much labor you will need to pay for will all make a big impact on how much your project will cost.
The toilet should NOT be the first thing you see
Your bathroom door will likely be left open much of the time, and peering in and seeing the toilet as the main staple of attraction probably isn’t what you want. When coming up with a design for your new bathroom, try to hide your toilet around a corner, behind a wall, or even strategically behind a vanity or other piece of furniture so it’s not the focal point of your beautiful new bathroom.
Don’t forget about ventilation
Make sure you include an adequate ventilation system in your design, or your brand new renovation could turn into a nightmare. Bathrooms need to be able to deal with heat, humidity, and lots of moisture without succumbing to damage. You don’t want your brand new bathroom to become a breeding ground for mold and mildew. Install a ventilation fan. Some fans are designed with humidity sensors that power on and off automatically. Make sure your exhaust fan expels to the outdoors and not into another room in your house or the attic.
Take lighting into account
You’ll probably want a lighting fixture on the ceiling to provide general lighting but also think about adding sconces or other types of fixtures around the vanity area to light up your face so you can see well when getting ready. Carefully map out what types of lighting you want and where you want it. Take windows into consideration also. Skylights are great for letting natural light into the bathroom, especially if yours is located in a central area of the house with no windows.
Don’t cut corners
Don’t rush the remodeling process. A renovation done well will take time. Be patient. If you try to rush through the process, including hiring the cheapest remodeler you can find who can fit you into his schedule quickly, may end up being a terrible decision. The work may look cheap in return and you might need to redo parts of it, forcing you to spend extra money that pushes you outside of your established budget.
It’s better to do your research, meet with up to three separate contractors, and hire the best one you can find who will meet your budget and do high-quality work. Choose quality materials along the way, and talk with your contractor to see what they recommend as well.
Designing for YOU vs. Designing for Resale: Which is Better?
If you’re remodeling your bathroom to prepare your home for resale, design it to provide you with the best return on investment as possible. On the other hand, if you’re moving into a new home or building a new home that you’re planning on living in for over five years, design it for you! Chances are, 5-10 years or more down the road when you might consider moving, whatever design you choose will be out of date anyway, so you might as well design it just the way you like it to suit your preferences.
If you have any questions about how to get started on the remodeling process, give us a call or schedule an appointment! We will start the process by setting up a 60-90 minute consultation session where we will come out to your house and give you a free initial estimate of what we predict the project will cost. If you’re interested in pursuing the project after receiving this initial estimate, we’ll create a formal proposal with a quote of the cost of the actual job that will qualify you to go through with your intended project. Once this is signed and you’re qualified for your project, we’ll begin remodeling your home!