The bathroom is usually the smallest room in a home, but also the one we can hardly live without. Given its importance for our everyday lives, don’t be surprised by the amount of work needed to renovate it. That’s why making a good bathroom remodel checklist will save you a lot of time and nerves and let you enjoy taking a bath in a completely new setting as soon as possible.
Remodeling your restroom, no matter how big it is, will inevitably last more than a few days. The time needed for completing all the work includes not only the reconstruction period, but also the time you have to spend on choosing and ordering tiles, cabinets, a new bathtub, and other fixtures.
A professional contractor hired to do the remodeling has to go through all the steps, no matter the size of the room. It doesn’t mean that renovating small bathrooms will last the same as redoing bigger ones, but don’t expect that it will be finished in just a couple of days. Restroom renovation can last a few months.
When setting the time frame for remodeling your restroom, think about the conditions in your household. If your home has just one restroom, you should think about how long you can live without a toilet and a bathtub.
Other than time, you should also think about your budget. It is crucial to be aware of your financial capacity when planning to remodel your bathroom. If you create a sound budget plan, you will prevent the expenses from spinning out of control. Also, you will have a clear picture of how much money you can spend on choosing and buying the right tile type, paint for the walls, and accessories.
Your budget plan should also include the amount of money you need to pay the contractor. To avoid misunderstandings, before starting the job, define what services you require, call a few different companies, compare offers, and then decide who to hire.
Even though there are no federal standards regarding bathroom remodeling, it is better to check if your local authorities require some permits or other documentation of this sort. If you hire a certified constructor, they could tell you what permits are needed.
In most cases, this process includes modifications to electric installations and pipes behind the walls, so you should consider having permits for these two projects, no matter what the official standards are. Additionally, if you live in an apartment instead of a house, you will likely need a permit from your building manager.
Having the right permits will protect you from potential legal problems down the line, and also prevent any obstacles that might occur if you decide to sell the home. A quality upgrade could increase the selling value of your home.
Before you begin to renovate your restroom, you should make sure it has no hidden decay. Ask a professional to check the current condition of your washroom. See if there is any damage caused by the aging of your house or some other reason.
When it comes to bathrooms, problems that might occur are often related to water damage. Before you start the “beauty treatment” of the area, look for old corroded plumbing, floor framing deficiencies, inadequately vented plumbing, and other problems of this sort.
Thinking about the design of your restroom is probably the most rewarding part of the renovating process. However, being pretty shouldn’t be its primary characteristic. Try to establish a reasonable and balanced blend of functionality and looks.
After you find a solution for functionality, you can start enjoying the pretty things, including paint colors, tiles, cabinets, and accessories.
Repairing fixtures is an essential part of every restroom renovation. It covers almost every part of the room, including the bath, shower, sink, toilet, bidet, and so on. You can consider keeping your old shower doors and mirrors, but if you have some extra money, you might as well consider buying new ones. They will significantly improve the look of the whole area.
Remember, small changes can make a big difference. That’s why you should also think about changing the hardware for your shower doors, drawer pulls, and door handles.
Installing cabinets is not as easy as it seems. Cabinets should be big enough to fit all your stuff and, at the same time, keep it reachable. Besides, like every other element of the room, cabinets should look nice and fit elegantly into the overall design. You can even make them match the color of the bath, sink, or other elements.
Choosing the right type of tile might make you feel like a kid in a candy shop. But be careful. Besides looking good, tiles should be slip-resistant and durable. For instance, you can choose between marble, ceramic, and granite as tile materials.
Even though blue is the most common and “safe” choice for the walls, you can try to be creative and play with different nuances. It all depends on your style, ideas, and budget.
Good lighting doesn’t just mean a pleasant atmosphere; it also means functionality. If the lighting is wrong, it could even pose a danger. That’s why you should think about how to maximize natural light, and in the absence of it, you should provide a suggested 4 watts of incandescent lighting per square foot.
Many households have trouble figuring out how to ventilate bathrooms. You have to think about finding the right fan, decide where to install it, and handle electrical wiring. Either way, the ventilation system should be a part of your checklist because it prevents mold and is beneficial for your health.
Restroom remodeling might seem like a DIY job, but don’t jump into this trap. It is not. If you want a quality restroom reconstruction, hire reliable remodeling professionals. Most of all, the experts will know how to handle all the work regarding plumbing and electricity. On top of that, you simply won’t have to do any work or stress about the process. You can kick back and enjoy while skilled professionals do all the work for you.
