The Bathroom Remodel

Eight Mistakes to Avoid

by Mary Wilson

Bathrooms might be small but they can have a big effect on a homes value. If you’re looking to increase the value of your home, the bathroom can therefore be an excellent place to invest your time and money.

Unfortunately however, if there’s one thing that bathroom remodels aren’t known for, it’s being particularly straightforward. It’s easy to make mistakes and it’s even easier for those mistakes to prove surprisingly costly.

Here are eight things not to do when remodeling a bathroom.

Losing Control of the Budget

First off, we have the small matter of your budget, don’t underestimate just how easy it is to go over it. The average bathroom showroom can lead to the average person making some very stupid purchases. Write down exactly what you’re prepared to spend and resolve early on to stick to it. It is possible to remodel a bathroom on a budget but only if you’re serious about doing so.

Making Sacrifices in the Wrong Places

Speaking of staying under budget, there’s a right way and a wrong way to go about doing it. Skipping designer bathroom fixtures makes sense, choosing the cheapest shower that you can find does not. Take a long term view when deciding what to cut back on. This means cutting back on unnecessary extras but being prepared to pay more for high quality necessities i.e. don’t skimp on the shower and toilet.

Demolition Before Design

If you have been planning a bathroom remodel for quite some time, it’s only natural to want to get things started as soon as possible. Unfortunately however, start things too soon and you run the risk of being without a bathroom for a few months. Don’t take a hammer to your existing bathroom until you know exactly what you want your new one to look like. And don’t forget to think about delivery times and the availability of your contractor.

Getting Your Measurements Wrong

If there’s one room in the house where correct measurements are essential, it’s the bathroom. The limited size of the average bathroom leaves very little room for error. It’s therefore important to get the measuring tape out early and leave it out. Most people are smart enough to measure everything that they purchase but it’s not uncommon for those same people to forget about small things such as leg room and protruding doors.

Making Things Overly Complicated

If you want to send the cost of your bathroom remodel skyrocketing, start moving pipes around. Think long and hard about moving the toilet or shower. Unless there’s a very, very good reason for doing so, it’s rarely worth the increased cost or effort. Don’t underestimate the difference that new paint, tiles and bathroom fixtures can make to a bathroom. You don’t need to change your bathrooms layout to change your bathroom.

Changing Your Mind

Speaking of unnecessary changes, once you have chosen a design, stick to it. It’s not uncommon for homeowners to start a bathroom remodel only to decide half way through that they’re unhappy with something. Unfortunately however, most contractors work on a pretty tight schedule with multiple projects lined up in short succession. And as a result, a mid project change can easily lead to you losing your contractor and with it, your new bathroom.

Trying To Be Too Trendy

Spend too much time looking at interior design magazines and it’s surprisingly easy to become obsessed with the latest trends. It’s important to realize however that trends come and go. Just because blood red bathroom tile is all the rage right now, that does not mean that you won’t hate it this time next year. If you want a bathroom that’s never going to go out of style, ignore the fads and stick to neutral colours and classical features.

DIY Disasters

Finally, when used correctly, a little bit of DIY can go a long way towards keeping your costs down. When used incorrectly however, it can go a long way towards flood damage. There’s no reason why you can’t do your own painting, tiling and/or cabinet installation. But if a job involves a pipe, it’s a job that should be left to a professional. Unfortunately, this is something that many overly ambitious homeowners learn the hard way.

About the Author

The author of this post, Mary Wilson, is a part of the team at Baybrook Remodelers Inc. which provides extensive kitchen remodeling services in Connecticut. Her hobbies include gardening bird watching.

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