Even if it’s only been a few months into 2019, it’s always a good time to upgrade and renovate your home. Whether it be for a house or a condo, why not give love to one of your most used rooms in the house and get some bathroom renovation done?
Adding more colors, upgrading the flooring, and getting that new toilet bowl is definitely worth it. You may be wondering what you should know about renovation and you may be asking: how do you redo a bathroom?
If you’ve scoured different references and still have questions, then read these 10 things you should remember when you finally decide for a bathroom remodel.
1: Zoom in on the practical questions first
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Bathroom renovation is truly an exciting prospect. This is true especially when all you can think about is how you will be upgrading an area of your home you always go to. Before you start tearing down walls, make sure you always keep this in mind: practicality. The answers you will be having on questions such as how big your space is and who will be using the bathroom will act as a skeleton to the specifics of the plans you will be drawing.
There is a reason why thinking about practicality is first and foremost in almost all the bathroom renovation guides available online. That reason will dictate how the bathroom is going to look like. For you to really zoom in on a practical renovation for your bathroom, a big renovation no-no to avoid is forgetting to pay for a construction bond (required by the building administration). Not only will this save you future expenses, but you will also definitely steer clear of any avoidable stress. Now that’s practicality!
2: Figure out the renovation scope
If you are gunning for bathroom renovation on a budget then this tip is especially important: get the renovation scoping done.
It means that you should assess what you want to happen to your bathroom and then looking at the necessary steps to achieve it. For example, you want to have an organized bathroom. This can be done without major renovations. Here’s a secret that most renovation guides won’t tell you: sometimes the bathroom of your dreams can be achieved with some additional accessories such as rugs and small plants or just some furniture rearrangement. Scoping allows you to really comb through the big ideas in your head so that you can see what’s necessary and what’s not.
3: Craft the specific plans for your bathroom renovation
After going through the questions of practicality and scoping, the next thing you should do is to plan, plan, and plan.
You will need to decide on your bathroom layout, design theme, and your bathroom “must-haves” such as bathtubs or an elegant flooring. You also need to go beyond the design aspect when planning. Crafting a budget plan and plotting a timeline for your bathroom remodeling is key if you want it to be budget-friendly and on-time. The budget plan will depend on how much you will be spending so there is no hard and fast rule about creating a budget plan (aside from trying to be as cost-friendly as possible). As for the timeline, it’s best to separate bathroom’s renovation into these phases: clearing, construction, painting, and touch-up.
4: Have a buffer, just in case
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A renovation is a big endeavor as it will require time, money, and effort. During the renovation, your bathroom won’t be usable for some time. You may want to find alternative arrangements for your bathroom needs
Inasmuch as we would like to plan and account for everything, the reality is we can’t. We can’t see into the future and we can’t control circumstances — there will be an inconvenience. The solution? Prepare a buffer plan. Here you will be preparing an additional budget for emergencies and even additional design ideas just in case the original one doesn’t work out. It will require some work but when we are talking about bathroom renovation it is better to be safe than sorry.
5: Get a good contractor
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In any bathroom renovation project, the contractor is just as important as your design ideas and budget plan. Some may even say that getting a good contractor is more important than the latter two as the contractor can help you with the design and the budgeting.
The best way to get a good contractor is through research. Since contractors are part of a fairly small community, the best way to know them is through referrals from people you know and trust. If you choose on your own, make sure to ask about their past projects and check for other information such as their educational background. The contractor will be carrying out the bathroom renovation so it’s important you get the best of the best.
Keep these traits in mind when looking for a good contractor: integrity, meaning the contractor has had no shady dealings in the past; creativity; and humility, meaning the contractor sees you as an equal and respects your opinions on the renovations.
6: Focus on the necessities
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The sink, toilet, and shower area — these are staples in any bathroom. If you are looking to cut costs during the renovation, then you should focus on these three items.
In renovating your bathroom, you can still achieve that leveled-up feeling once you step into your bathroom even if you just focus on certain areas:
- Shower
- Sink
- Bathtub
- Flooring
- Cabinet
- Toilet
7: Don’t be afraid to accessorize
If you have a little more budget to spare, then do not be afraid to accessorize.
Since bathrooms do not generally give a “homey” feel, adding in accessories you personally like will definitely do the trick. You can add cute potted plants, colorful paintings, and organizer racks. If you are on a budget, don’t worry because you can still accessorize! DIY vases and organizers are totally doable and will definitely add a personal touch to your new bathroom!
8: Choose your materials well
You do not do renovations often nor should you do it. Renovations should happen every couple of years. Since bathrooms are high-traffic areas, it is important that you choose the best materials for your bathroom renovation.
Use only high-quality materials, from the tiles to the shower curtain, to save you from the trouble of repairs in the future.
Tip: Tiles are great for the shower area and the general flooring of the bathroom. Wood is hard to maintain in the bathroom since it will be soaking in the moisture. What you can do is to have it waterproofed or just get an alternative such as wood veneers.
9: Stick to your plan
Along the course of your renovation, there is a huge chance that you will be reconsidering design ideas. When this happens, the budget changes and the timeline adjusts — in most cases the former goes up while the latter gets longer. Stick to your initial plan!
If you are planning to renovate your bathroom, make sure you come up with a plan that you are really confident in so that it becomes easier to see it through completion.
10: Keep in mind the maintenance needed
Your newly-constructed bathroom will be with you for a long time and the best thing is that it can age like wine. That is if you’ve considered building a post-renovation plan. Since you have a bathroom different from the old one, it’s maintenance will change. Cleaning and power consumption will be the most affected especially if you’ve added a bathtub or lamps to your bathroom.
These can be maintained as long as you’ve made the necessary adjustments through the post-renovation plan you’ve created even before the renovation is complete.
If you are a homeowner, nothing beats the feeling of having a personal space that reflects your aesthetics. For the condo owners of DMCI Homes, bathroom renovations are a good way to increase the resale value of your unit. Bathroom renovations bring you many benefits as long as you plan and execute properly. Remember these ten tips and you’ll nail both the planning and the execution.
