There are some areas in the home where we rarely venture, and then there are those which see a steady flow of traffic day in and day out from everyone in the home. The kitchen is one, the bathroom is another. Here we’re going to focus our attention on the latter. With so many people using the bathroom throughout the day, it’s not uncommon for this room to feel disproportionately lived in after a while. A bathroom renovation can help to breathe new life into one of the most vital rooms in the home, while also adding value to your property. Yet, while bathroom renovations can be accomplished by anyone, the right planning is absolutely crucial. For a bathroom that gives you happy days without headaches, avoid these common bathrooms remodel no-nos…
Image by Christian Heilmann via Flickr
Going ahead without knowing your budget
Costs can easily spiral out of control when you don’t have your bathroom budget locked down. Get your priorities in order and establish your “must-haves”, “would be great ifs” and “can take or leaves”. Once you go in with a really clear idea of where your money’s going to go, you’re less easily swayed by impulse purchases and your project won’t run away from you. It’s also a good idea to plan a 10% safety margin into your budget should anything go awry.
Attempting to make plumbing changes by yourself
Decorating your bathroom, tiling and even installing a new shower are fairly easy to accomplish for DIY veterans. Even if you’re less than confident in your DIY abilities, the wealth of information and tutorials on YouTube make it easy to teach yourself virtually any skill when it comes to home improvement. However, even accomplished DIYers should avoid interfering with their plumbing infrastructure and enlist the aid of a trusted local plumbing contractor. Even a DIY job that looks perfect at first glance can develop pinhole leaks which may go unnoticed for months and do serious damage to your property over time.
Failing to consider the logistics of your space
Even if your bathroom looks fairly spacious, it’s in your best interest to think long and hard about what you can do with your available space. Make sure you check and double-check your measurements when planning. Ensure that you’ll be able to fully open your door without knocking the bathtub. Be sure that you can open your shower cabinet without chipping the shower screen door on the toilet cistern. Speaking of toilets…
Putting the toilet front and center
Finally, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. With that in mind, be wary of what can be seen the moment you walk through the door, and what can be seen when the bathroom door is left ajar. If the first thing that can be seen through your doorframe is the toilet, this isn’t always conducive to making a great first impression with your new bathroom. While you’ll need to base its location on where your soil stack is located, but if possible keep it out of direct view of the front door.
Great post! Thank you for all the work you put in!