Want a more streamlined bathroom renovation?
The key is to be more prepared.
Bathrooms are often the last places we renovate because they can be so costly. So often I see clients living with a less than optimal bathroom, often waiting till the very last moment to fix it because for such a small room in your home, it’s often one of the most expensive to tackle.
So, when you finally decide you are ready to renovate your bathroom, you want to do it right! You want to know your options and have lots of knowledge up your sleeve so you can make the best choices possible.
Today I wanted to give you some basic tips to help you if you’re about to tackle updating your bathroom. These general tips will hopefully give you a bit of a launch pad in your decision making. They will likely highlight many of the smaller decisions (and there are lots) you will need to make under the umbrella of the broader ones I’ll cover as a starting point. Don’t get overwhelmed with all the details, but let these tips guide you. Let’s dive in..
1. Deciding on a layout is key before starting a bathroom renovation.
I find that it’s best to have a firm idea on layout before the pressures of a renovation begins. Once trade people are involved in your project you will be expected to make decisions quickly, so take some of the pressure off upfront and decide on as many details as you can early. Here’s some specific tips to consider:
Are you working within the current footprint of your bathroom, or are you going to enlarge the space?
Consider what you want your bathroom to deliver for you, and plan what key items need to be included in the space. (e.g. do you want a bath, double shower, double vanity, lots of storage?)
Are you planning to keep the plumbing in the same place for your new bathroom? If yes, you will need to measure out the sizes of new fixtures and fittings you are dreaming about, so you know they won’t be too big compared to what you have currently.
Think about the position of the toilet. If you are moving the plumbing it’s good to ensure that the toilet has ample privacy in your new layout. Consider either having the toilet behind the door (as you enter), or out of eye sight as you enter the bathroom. If this can’t be possible then placing the vanity in front of the toilet (to hide it a little, especially when you’re using it and someone accidently enters the room) is best.
2. Deciding on the function of your new bathroom before renovation begins saves headaches.
I’ve touched on this briefly in my first tip but wanted to flesh this out a little more as it’s so important. As bathrooms are one of the most expensive areas to renovate in our homes, it’s key that you ask yourself some hard questions before any physical changes are made to the space. Here’s some things to consider..
What are the current needs you have for your bathroom and what are your future needs for the space? Here’s some specific things I want you to think through…
Do you need a bath for your children?
Do you have space for a freestanding bath, or is a built-in bath more practical for cleaning?
Is a double vanity necessary as you only have one bathroom in your home? Do you need to plan for a separate vanity space outside the bathroom for future teenagers, to avoid long wait times?
Is a shower seat or ledge helpful for you as you age and plan to spend many years in your home?
How big does your shower cubicle need to be for access?
How much time do you want to spend cleaning your bathroom as this will determine the amount of shower screen, size of tiles etc. you choose). I told you there were a lot of things to consider!
3. Deciding on your budget is key before starting a bathroom renovation.
This one is obvious and yet it can be hard to determine a budget when you’re not really sure how much things will cost. If nothing else it will help you get an idea of cost by doing some research and understanding the price point of fixtures and fittings you are desperate to include.
There is a big price difference between most of the fittings and fixtures that go into a bathroom, so spending some time researching costs of vanities, baths, shower screens, toilets, feature lighting, exhaust fans, towel rails, tapware, floor and wall tile will help you be much more prepared when putting quotes together.
Measuring up the space (or future space) and calculating some potential tile costs can be very helpful to help you budget for your renovation. With these approximate costs you can decide how much tiling you want in your bathroom, as less tiling can help to reduce your costs overall.
Sometimes after spending lots of time gathering all the potential costs for your bathroom renovation, you realise it’s going to cost more than expected. This is not uncommon, but it doesn’t always mean you can’t move forward with your project. This is where an interior designer or bathroom renovation company can help you decide what items you can save on, and what is worth splurging on. Often bathroom wish lists need to be tweaked, but more often than not a better bathroom design is the result. Remember less is more, and more basic finishes allow those hero pieces to really take pride of place!
I really hope these 3 broad tips help you if you are contemplating a bathroom renovation in the near future. Even if you have begun the process these tips can help you stay on track and nail down the most important decisions you need to make to create the best possible bathroom for you and your needs.
If these tips leave you feeling just as confused and overwhelmed as you did to begin with, then you’re not alone. Bathroom renovations are challenging so no shame if you are struggling to get your head about all the details. If you’d find some design assistance helpful to share the load with all the decisions, or to guide you through the process of your renovation, reach out for a design consultation as I’d be happy to help!
What other tips do you think need to be on this list? What you have found to be most helpful as you have prepared for a bathroom renovation? I’d love to hear.
Happy bathroom renovating!