Bathroom renovations may be some of the most complex projects in any home remodel due to the involvement of plumbing, electrical wiring, specialized lighting, appliances, finishes and sealants. Here are five useful tips for remodeling bathrooms.
1. Hire Appropriate Professionals
For bathroom renovations, you should hire contractors. You may not need a general contractor, but it’s likely that you’ll need a plumber. You may also need to hire an electrician. This extends beyond contractors. You should also carefully consider your project’s design. Think about whether you want to design it yourself or hire a designer. If you choose to hire one, look for a local designer. For example, if you live in Virginia, you might look for someone who specializes in home and bathroom design in Mclean VA.
2. Keep Ventilation in Mind
Ventilation in bathrooms is equally as important as plumbing and water resistance. Ventilation helps control the room’s temperature and humidity levels. It also helps circulate air in the room. In addition, building codes require all bathrooms to be ventilated. Typically, bathroom ventilation comes in the form of either windows or fans. If you choose to include a window, make sure it is appropriately sized. If you choose to install or update a fan, consider noise level and exhaust capacity.
3. Consider How Much It Will Cost
Your budget should be one of the first things you consider when you decide to remodel a bathroom. The size of the space, the number of appliances and the amount of work it will take all factor into the overall budget. Bathrooms present additional pricing considerations due to the types of appliances they contain. Most bathroom appliances are connected to plumbing and water pipes, so you need to keep water efficiency in mind. Remember to also compare the prices of various materials. Ideally, you should choose materials based on their longevity, durability and effectiveness.
4. Select Appropriate Surfaces
All surfaces in your bathroom should be durable and water-resistant or waterproof. While you can use paint or wallpaper on your bathroom walls, you may need to replace wallpaper sooner than you would need to repaint. The most popular material for bathroom surfaces is porcelain because it’s both nonabsorbant and durable. However, materials such as enamel-on-steel, solid-surface and laminate are also popular, because they’re less likely to chip than porcelain. Whatever materials you choose, make sure appliances are seamless and tiles are as large as possible. This will help make upkeep easier and reduce the amount of grout lines. Choices for other surfaces, such as cabinets and countertops, are more varied. Bathroom cabinets are often made of wood and countertops may be resin, laminate, granite, quartz or molded polyester.
5. Design Your Bathroom’s Layout Well
Bathroom design involves more than colors and finishes. You also need to consider the room’s layout. The room’s size and whether it’s a full or a half bathroom can affect your design options. Features such as the locations of sinks, bathtubs or shower stalls, light switches and toilets can present unique renovation situations. This is because of the internal infrastructure related to these appliances. If you want to move any of these features, then you need to factor the internal systems into your design. Accessibility is also a factor. If you want to make your bathroom larger or more accessible, you may need to do extensive internal work.
Bathroom renovations feature many small details and occur in relatively small spaces, so you and your contractors need to be as precise and efficient as possible. Make sure you communicate and coordinate effectively with your contractors and adjust your project plan as needed.