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A Guide To Bathroom Renovation
You may want your home to have the most recent trendy designs or want to blend with the neighbourhood lifestyle or culture. Sometimes you may want to swap things just to achieve the convenience of a well-functioning home. Normally, such renovations cost a pretty penny and focus mostly on used and important spaces in our homes. One such space is the bathroom.
Bathrooms vary in sizes and the comfort they confer. Some are standard in size, some have bathtubs and showers together in a blend of trendy designs and finishes that speak luxury and class. The cost, time and risks involved in sprucing up your existing bathroom will depend on your plan, budget and whether you are implementing the plan by yourself or you are hiring a contractor.
When you know and understand what happens throughout your renovation process from beginning to end, you are able to figure out the kind of pitfalls you are likely to run into. The most important aspects of a successful bathroom renovation include having a plan, set timeframe, budget and deciding between DIY or hiring a contractor.
Bathroom Renovation Plan
Your lifestyle and daily routine are what should guide your bathroom upgrade plan. You therefore need to ask several questions about your bathroom functionality, storage and accessory needs. For example, if you will not be getting into a bathtub daily, you have no business considering it as part of your upgrade needs.
You may also need to figure out if you will be storing your bathroom consumables in the bathroom or elsewhere before having a plan for a wall niche. In other words, a plan that is tailored for your lifestyle and your daily routine should be your end goal. Bathroom renovation websites are the best places to find bathroom plans and design inspiration.
Other than your daily routine and the amount of storage you need, the other questions you need to ask yourself before settling for a design are the size of your family and the amount of money you are willing and ready to spend on your upgrade. Size of your family determines the floor size and number of sinks you may need in your bathroom.
The amount of money you want to put on your bathroom renovation should be clear to you before you even settle on the bathroom design. It is critical that you stick to your plan once the work begins as swapping things midway creates room for messes. There are three common plans that depend on a number of factors:
- Basic bathroom plan
- Semi-custom bathroom plan
- High end bathroom plan
You may not need to have an expert understanding of bathroom essentials and materials you need for your renovation project. But it is important to have some basic understanding of tubs, showers, taps, curtains and materials such as natural stone, tiles, wallpaper among other important bathroom components.
Bathroom Renovation Materials
You need to consider certain factors when choosing bathroom materials. The materials you use on the bathroom wall and for flooring require some basic level of understanding the complexity that goes into assembling them together and the risks involved.
Natural Stones
There are different types of natural stones and you need to know the right type to use. Mostly the price and the aesthetic value determines your choice of natural stones. Other than natural stones, you may not find any other material that suits a wet environment like the one associated with bathrooms. Natural stones are therefore the favourite when it comes to bathroom surfaces.
Floor Tiles
Even though natural stones are the favourite when it comes to floor tiling and bathroom surfaces, they are pricier. Tiles are a good alternative because they are cost-friendly, durable in wet environments and just as stylish as natural stones. There are a variety of tiles you can choose from for your bathroom renovation or upgrade.
However, the most common tiles in designer bathrooms are subway style and zellige tiles. Subway tiles are popular because they are durable and give a classic subway look. They are versatile and come in a variety of colors; they allow you to play with patterns, contrast with grout among other patterns.
Zellige tiles are an upgrade from the classic subway look. Zellige tiles are currently the most popular. They are glossy handmade tiles which come in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. Another great way to give your bathroom a trendy look is using wallpapers. When you use wallpapers, you will need to protect them from moisture.
Shower or Bathtub
Depending on your lifestyle, the size of your bathroom floor and presence of kids to bathe, you may have either or both the shower and the tub. If you have a big space, you can have both a walk-in shower and a tub. A freestanding tub is good if you have kids to bathe, while a shower is best if you do not have enough space that would accommodate it alongside a bathtub.
Curtains or Glass Doors
If the surfaces surrounding your shower are waterproof, you may not be worried about water splashing and may choose to go doorless. If you need an enclosure, then curtains or glass doors are appropriate. If you have children, it is easier to bathe them in a curtain enclosed shower.
Also, if your style changes, curtains are convenient because they are easy to swap. Glass doors are trendy and allow you to add some cool finishes like metal grids, framing details among others.
Storage Units
Storage is limited in bathrooms. Your style and the amount of space in your bathroom will determine if you will have floating shelves or built-in shower niche among others.
Bathroom Renovation Cost
On average, bathroom renovation costs between $10,000 – $15,000 depending on the renovation package. Labour is estimated to take up a minimum of 20% of the bathroom renovation costs. This is why sometimes you may find it convenient to DIY.
When you decide to undertake a bathroom renovation project, always look at it as a financial investment that might fail if you are not well prepared.
Once you have a plan and know what you want your bathroom to look like at the end of the project, you must ensure that your budget is realistic. The amount of money you have set aside for your bathroom renovation might actually be less than what the actual project will cost.
It is therefore important that you consider the time within which you want to accomplish your bathroom renovation, DIY vs hiring a contractor, and the plan/design you are going for relative to your finances to get a sense of what is feasible.
Whether you will successfully carry out the renovation project depends on the plan and the design of your bathroom. You can cut costs by having a basic bathroom with a simple plan that does not use materials and components that are complex to assemble. Semi-custom and high-end bathrooms may require a high level of bathroom renovation expertise that will require that you hire a contractor.
But still, you can split the work into what you can do and what you need expert help in. This way you save labour costs. Another way to optimise your bathroom renovation budget is by getting quotes from a variety of contractors then comparing and settling for the most affordable contractor. Also, purchase your materials and accessories from wholesale stores as well as stores with discounted items.
A bathroom makeover also takes time. The complexity of the plan determines how long your work will take. Simple plans are easier to execute compared to complex plans. Sometimes before you take on the bathroom renovation task, you should ask yourself if you really have the time, especially when you are considering DIY.
DIY Vs Hiring A Contractor
Doing it yourself is definitely the best way to cut costs or even customise your bathroom. While the main inspiration for DIY is to cut your bathroom renovation cost. The challenge is if you have the appropriate expertise level to execute the plan you have. There are also risks of messing up, especially where you split the work between you and a contractor.
It is okay to DIY in the case of a basic bathroom. You however need to ask for help from expert contractors when you need a semi-custom or high-end bathroom renovation done. DIY does not guarantee quality work and you may inadvertently go off the plan. It is therefore a chance for you to either save money or make an absolute mess.
You may want to assess if it is worth saving the money but compromise your bathroom renovation work. Involve an expert because more complicated bathroom renovation work involves a complex assembly process. You must always keep in mind that you cannot get all three together: best price, best quality, and timely completion.
The best workmanship is very costly and takes time. It is however worth spending more money for quality work rather than saving and ending up tearing everything apart to start anew.
Bathroom Renovation Specialists
If you are thinking about a bathroom makeover, it might be time to bring in the professionals. A bathroom renovations specialist specialises in transforming bathrooms into a luxury that you and your family will be proud of. These specialists are trained and licensed to assist you in creating your favourite bathroom for years to come.
Gregory Built
You may want your home to have the most recent trendy designs or want to blend with the neighbourhood lifestyle or culture.
