How to Prepare For a Bathroom Remodel in 12 easy steps

A bathroom renovation project can be a fun undertaking that allows you to flex your creative muscles in addition to increasing your home’s value. But before you commit to a remodel, here are some things you should prepare to avoid any headaches. 

1. Start with remodeling research

Before you go about with your remodeling project, you first need to do research. Research will establish what style/design you want to achieve and ultimately the cost of your project. Doing research first will not only provide an outline for the rest of your project but will help you start to create other elements such as a budget and keep your project realistic. 

2. Develop a realistic timeline for the remodel

As you research designs and styles, you will also start to get a feel for how long each remodel project will take. Having a realistic timeline for your projects will not only allow you to plan your project better but also help to reduce costs. So before your project begins, create a realistic timeline for your remodel and plan accordingly. 

3. Define Your Remodel Budget

Create a budget for yourself with having all items itemized in different sections with one large overarching budget that overlooks the project. For example, you want to allocate all your amenities on one section, such as your bathtub, sink, and toilet.

Lights and other decor such as mirrors and flourishes can be another section. In short, you want to plan out as much of your remodel as possible and leave room in your budget for any mishaps that may occur during the project.

Planning this out in advance can prevent a $10,000 remodel from becoming a $25,000 remodel on accident. 

4. Find Inspiration Online and In Store

Finding inspiration from other sources can help create a design scheme that appeals to you. Other bathroom designs work for a reason, but many contain elements that may not mesh with your life style. So finding multiple sources of inspiration can help create a style that is suitable for your home.  

5. Talk to a contractor and designer about the details

A professional has years of experience and can help walk you through the finer details of your design. Be sure to consult both a contractor and a designer or decorator to gain some professional insight before starting your remodel. They can give you a quick overview on the pros and cons of your design choices and help to establish what is realistic and what isn’t.

6. Double check your bathroom measurements

Before you start any bathroom remodel, you want to double or even triple check your measurements. You want to plan out and ensure that all elements of your bathroom can fit together in one space without any overlap or intrusion. If you don’t measure out and plan your space, you can end up with cramped fixtures or simply not enough space in your bathroom. 

7. Review plumbing fixtures

Before you commit to any remodel, you should review your plumbing fixtures and ensure that the existing infrastructure is compatible with what you are trying to do. If it isn’t, you might want to hire a plumber or DIY if you have some plumbing experience. A plumber can reconfigure your plumbing and review your design intentions to see if they are feasible or not. 

8. Consider new green options

Bathtubs and bathrooms in general can burn through a great deal of water and electricity on daily use. A remodel can provide a good opportunity to review your appliances to see what can be replaced with more green options. Green options not only provide more power efficiency but will reduce costs in the long term and can be beneficial for future owners as well. 

9. Select the best materials for your bathroom

When choosing material for your bathroom, wherever feasible, you want to select the best materials possible. The old adage of “you get what you pay for” is true of bathroom materials-the more expensive material typically lasts longer, is more durable and is more pleasant to use, whereas the cheaper material is less durable and can break down through repeated use.

Remember that all bathroom fixtures will experience heavy moisture and humidity so you want to choose material that can withstand this environment. 

10. Plan for the people coming and going during the remodel

During the remodel, you want to reduce the number of people running through the job site. For this reason, you want to plan out the entrances and exits to avoid conflict. Create alternative pathways and move objects in easy to reach locations until the job is complete. 

11. Start Removing existing objects in the bathroom

Before your remodel can begin, you will need to remove many existing fixtures of your current bathroom. Many of these objects will require professional assistance, so it is highly recommended you consult a professional before removing one of these objects. 

Sinks

DIY, easy-medium difficult. Sinks can be DIY projects, although they can fall into a medium category with some sink installations being more complicated than others. In general though, many can be DIY without much incident. 

Bathtubs

Professional assistance required, difficult task. Bathtubs are expensive pieces of furniture and need to be handled with care. Additionally, bathtubs are also quite heavy and can lead to injury and housing damage if not handled correctly. fixtures that require  

Toilets

Professional assistance required-moderate difficulty. Toilets themselves are not difficult to install or remove, but they require some plumbing knowledge to connect properly, so it is best to consult a professional before installing. 

Tiles and Flooring

DIY, easy-moderate difficulty. Tiles and flooring can be DIY, but you must ensure that you have the correct binding epoxy before continuing. Afterwards, you simply must ensure that there are no gapes between tiles and flooring before installing. Removing tiles and flooring is a similar process, using a chisel and a hammer to separate and remove the tile.

Bathroom Walls

DIY, easy-moderate difficulty. Bathroom wall installation and removal is similar to tiles and flooring, with the use of a cutting tool, you want to cut out the panel or tile, then remove the wall.    

Lightning Fixtures

DIY, easy difficulty. Lighting fixtures are easy to remove, simply locate the fastener screws and unscrew the fixture from the wall. 

Cabinets & Storage

Professional assistance recommended-moderate difficulty. Removing existing storage will require you to remove the existing plumbing, the sink if there is one and to cut out the storage unit from the wall. Although these steps are not complicated, if you are unsure of any of them, it is best to consult a professional.  

Fixtures

Other fixtures such as mirrors, shower racks and shelves can easily be DIY and replaced without professional assistance.  

12. Have backup plans when things go unexpected

Always have a backup plan in case your first idea doesnt go through. This is also why having a flexible budget is important because things will go wrong on your project and you need to be prepared. This includes longer remodel times, late contractors, material delays or weather issues, so it best to be prepared. 

A bathroom remodel can breathe new life into your home and provide a blank canvas for showing off your creativity. Just remember to do the proper research and plan out your remodel before committing to it to avoid any headaches in the future. 

badeloft

Eric is the founder and president of Badeloft USA. He has been the president of Badeloft’s US division for over ten years and oversees all marketing and branding aspects of Badeloftusa.com.
His expertise lies in small business development, sales, and home and bathroom industry trends and information.

Contact us with any business related inquiries.