Most people say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, but the bathroom is just as important. We need our bathrooms to help us feel both energized before we start our day, and relaxed when we come home at the end of the day. A beautiful and well-designed bathroom helps us do both.
If you’re looking to remodel your bathroom into the perfect room that fits your needs you might be feeling a bit overwhelmed at how many options there are. Which do you know is right for you and your bathroom?
There are a lot of factors and considerations to make when you want to create a bathroom that you love to be in. Here are a few tips and tricks to make sure that your bathroom makeover goes to plan.
Always Create a Budget
Before you start to decide anything else, the budget is the first thing you should set before moving forward. After all, you will be making an investment towards your property and yourself, you will want to make sure every penny is spent wisely and accounted for. Bathroom remodelling costs can skyrocket if you’re not careful and without a solid limit.
If you need help with setting your own budget, do a bit of research to find out how much local custom building will cost you and set a budget around that. Then, try and stick to that budget as much as possible. It also helps to choose a contractor or designer who works with fixed rates rather than estimates.
Plan a Bathroom Layout
Like the budget, the layout of your bathroom can start to go awry without proper planning. Keep in mind that the fewer changes you make to your layout, the fewer your plumbing costs will be. If you absolutely need to move the toilet, at least try and keep it close enough to the existing plumbing. Once you finalize your layout, stay away from the temptation to change it in the middle of your project. It’s a good idea to show it to your tiler, plumber, electrician and other working professionals before you finalize it to make sure that there are no issues.
Plan and Choose Your Sanitaryware First
Before you start plastering or tiling, you need to make sure all of the hot and cold pipes are in the correct positions. Choose your sanitaryware before you start plastering or tiling. Specific everything beforehand. This includes your: bath, sink, toilet, taps and shower. Not planning this from the beginning can be very costly, especially if you have to go back and rip things up in order to fit your shower in.
Bathroom Makeovers Can Be Simple
You don’t have to break the bank or go way over the top with your bathroom makeover. Small changes can be just as effective as an entire remodel can. For example, if you just want to spruce things up, consider switching out your taps and faucets and changing out the hardware in your bathroom, or even painting the cabinets a different colour. If you go with a simple design, it will be cost-effective and it can improve the aesthetics of your bathroom in a major way.
You Can Haggle on Renovation Costs
There’s nothing wrong with asking for a deal here and there, in fact, some company’s have discounts built into their policy. Even the big box names offer some negotiation on prices. A big mistake would be for you not to ask and throwing cash away when you could have gotten things done at a lesser rate.
Use Mirrors to Your Advantage
A common fact about renovating small spaces is that adding in mirrors can help open up the space and make it feel much bigger than it actually is. The same goes for your bathroom. Consider adding in a large mirror, such as a frameless mirror, that can cover one wall. It’s extremely effective at making bathrooms feel lighter.
Always Choose Reputable Tradespeople
Whether it’s plumbers, electricians or designers, make sure that you do your due diligence and vette them before you hire. Do your research on their work and their online reviews. You can also use recommendations from your friends or family to give you some leads. Avoid tradespeople who ask for cash because they will most likely not give you a proper receipt and you’ll be in trouble if something goes wrong. The same goes for companies or individuals who want the payment upfront. This can be an indication that they have cash flow issues, or their merchants won’t give them credit. A reputable builder will sign a contract with you that guarantees the work being done is proper and on schedule.
Always Consider Ventilation
Ventilation is something many homeowners overlook when remodelling their bathroom, but this is a big mistake! Bathrooms naturally hold a lot of dampness in them, and if your bathroom has a shower or tub you will need the proper ventilation before it becomes a health hazard. Letting moisture pool and sit inside your bathroom will lead to mold growth. You can either add ventilation in through exhaust fans or windows and window vents.
Invest in a Statement Feature
If you’re on a budget, you can try and invest in one piece or feature that will stand out and can give you a more luxurious feel to the space. Maybe a freestanding bath, or some really nice taps. Or maybe you’ve found some tiles that you love but are out of your budget. You can opt to pair them with a more affordable tile that can complement them in other places.
A bathroom remodel can be a great and fun opportunity for you to upgrade your space and turn it into something you have always dreamed of. But you should do it in a way that is thoughtful and addresses what you and your family needs. It’s important to always plan ahead and make sure you work with reputable professionals to help you out along the way, and to ensure that your bathroom is safe to use for everyone.
