Bathrooms are the number one place that homeowners love to remodel, even more than kitchens. Due to their smaller size and the prospect of a more affordable and faster project, homeowners are more likely to renovate bathrooms! Here are some tips for planning your next bathroom remodel.
Determine Project Scope
Your vision is the key to a successful bathroom remodeling project. Is your bathroom so outdated and requiring a high level of updating that means the entire room will need to be gutted and replaced? Or is this an easy cosmetic update? New fixtures and updated tiles are easier to install than a complete layout redesign, changing pipes, adding heated floors, and other amenities requiring new plumbing or electrical systems to be installed. Many of the bathroom items that are removed are difficult to replace. The towel bars, toilet, and bathroom vanity can usually be cleaned up or refurbished. But the flooring, bathtub, and shower often are too badly damaged during the removal process to be re-installed. This means a complete rework makes it more difficult to save money repurposing some of the old materials and if any of the tiles or materials hold sentimental value, it may extend the project deadline or risk the materials being damaged.
The Bathroom Remodel Process
Once you’ve settled on a general strategy, consider the timetable for the bathroom remodeling project. First, the bathroom floor plan needs to be set in a way that is both budget-friendly and in line with the project. Usually, this crucial step is best assisted by an expert contractor to guarantee there is no risk for future complications like water damage, inefficient use of space, and other details homeowners may not be aware of in a do-it-yourself project. Then, the project must secure building permits if electrical and plumbing work is involved. Finally, it’s time for demolition and hard-tack improvements if the project involves a complete rework. The largest sub-project within the larger bathroom remodeling project is to install the shower or bathtub or shower-tub combination. If a prefabricated shower or tub is being installed, installation is usually complete within a couple of days, but tile installation and fine details like niches for extra storage will require extra time.
Now that the end is in sight, it’s time for cosmetics and fixtures such as paint, sink and toilet installation, flooring installation, countertops, vanities, and more. Excluding the later installation of a bathroom fan, these are the elements most homeowners would probably be able to do themselves despite still requiring a certain level of craftsmanship and expertise for a quality job. Don’t worry! Decorating is a difficult job in its own respect and your choice of accessories, tile, paint, plants, and other pieces can make or break the facade of the bathroom remodel once all the construction work is safely done and up to code!
Whatever your bathroom remodel needs from a complete gut job to a simple cosmetic renovation of new paint and countertops, New England Kitchens and Bath can help.
