5 Designer Do's & Don'ts for Bathroom Remodels

September 21, 2023 1 Comment

taking a bath

Bathrooms are in most cases the smallest rooms in a house, yet they are the trickiest to design. It is also a room that gets almost the highest traffic during the day. Any homeowner will tell you how demanding a bathroom remodeling can be, particularly due to the numerous nitty-gritty details that one must pay attention to. Some professionals will also tell you how tedious the process of designing a modern and functional bathroom can be. But none of that should discourage you from designing your dream bathroom. This article explores 5 dos and 5 don’ts of bathroom renovations that will help you get the most out of your remodeling project.

The Do’s

Budget for the hidden charges

You need to decide whether you want to overhaul the bathroom completely or you only want to change a few features. That will help you get a rough figure of the amount you need as labor and material costs. That is probably obvious. What you can easily forget is that besides the obvious costs, there are many hidden costs that come with bathroom remodeling, and that will require you to have a contingency budget. Such costs include mold removal, transport costs, debris removal, and price fluctuations.

bathroom design

Try to hide the toilet

If you’ve hired a professional designer, ask them to ensure that the toilet isn’t the first or second thing a guest sees upon opening the bathroom door. Besides, you probably aren’t always keen on locking the bathroom door. Most people don’t care much about whether the bathroom door is open or closed. It is, therefore, not so appealing to have the toilet in a position where everyone sees it as they walk by. Your designer will help you find a barrier (or two) that will hide the toilet, and that will act as the bathroom’s main focal point. Make sure plants or trees aren't obstructing your bathroom window views. You can easily find the best ranking tree removal companies on google to see who can assist you in this manner.

Have a clear-cut remodeling plan beforehand

Bathroom remodeling, just like any other home remodeling project you could think of, necessitates a plan. It will not be wise for you to start breaking the walls and tearing up the bathroom floor without having a clear idea of the final product that you want. The remodeling will cost you big in terms of money and time, so you cannot afford to take any chances.

Plan the lighting scheme

A modern bathroom should have sufficient lighting both during the day and at night. Be sure to add some ambient and decorative lights as well.

bathroom lighting

Plan for water efficiency

When buying your bathroom’s building materials, be sure to check their efficiency label. Your shower-heads, faucets, and even toilets should have an efficacy standard higher than federal standards. Your designer will help you choose the right products. You should also switch out your curtains for a more solid solution. Comfort and efficiency are among the main reasons why you should choose PVC panels for your shower as it will leave you with a steamy and warmer shower section. If you have kids, then PVC panels will be the most suitable as they are easy to clean and maintain.

The Don’ts

Don’t sacrifice quality for cost

As much as you want to save as much as you can, be very careful not to end up buying substandard products and hiring quack contractors to handle your remodeling project. Cheap is always expensive in the long run. Remember we mentioned that the bathroom receives tons of traffic every day, which means that its wear and tear happen faster than any other room in your house. The tiles, the countertops, the mirrors, the shower-heads, and everything in the new bathroom need to be of the highest quality. The contractor also has to be the most reputable that you can find.

Don’t keep changing your mind after you get started

It is okay to change your mind once or twice if you notice your initial projection isn’t achievable, but you should be careful not to second-guess your original intentions too much to the point of derailing your project. Note that too many changes will lead to additional costs, something you probably don’t want.

Don’t rush the process

Rushing the process translates to poor planning and poor installation of different items. Sometimes homeowners are too impatient with their bathroom renovation projects that they end up doing a shoddy remodel, so they have to repeat the renovation processes from scratch. That can be very costly.

Don’t forget to include storage

A modern bathroom should have a storage space where you keep extra cleaning supplies, guest towels, and some extra toiletries. Many homeowners overlook the importance of storage, but you shouldn’t.

Don’t forget about its future functionality

Maybe the new bathroom is functional enough for you now, but will it still be as functional a decade or two down the road? Is it friendly for handicapped and aged users? Well, you can never be sure about tomorrow.

Conclusion

If you have an upcoming bathroom remodel project, you need to invest as much money and time as necessary to ensure that you get the room of your dreams. A successful remodeling can be life-changing whereas bad remodeling can make your bathroom experience a nightmare, so you should not worry too much about the associated costs. Everything is worth it in the end.

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