7 Bathroom Remodeling Tips And Advice For Everyone

A bathroom remodel allows you to increase your property value while creating a relaxing and stylish new space. But a bathroom renovation also requires significant time, planning, and financial investment.

Educating yourself on the process and making smart design decisions ensures your bathroom remodel goes smoothly and efficiently. This guide provides seven tips to turn your remodeling dream into a reality.

With careful consideration of layout, materials, costs, and hiring qualified contractors, you can achieve your goals on time and budget.

1. Determine Your Goals and Needs

Before you begin the remodel, think about how you want the finished bathroom to look and function. Do you want to increase storage space? Upgrade fixtures and finishes? Improve lighting? Create a spa-like retreat? Knowing your goals will help guide your design plans.

Consider who uses the bathroom and how. If it’s mostly used by kids or guests, storage and durable surfaces may be top priorities. Think about your daily routines and how the space functions for your needs. Get input from everyone who regularly uses the bathroom to ensure the remodel will also meet their needs.

As you determine your goals, think long-term. How long do you plan to stay in this home? Will your needs change down the road? Next, discuss your goals with the hired contractors. These bathroom remodeling experts can give insights on how best to create a bathroom that suits your lifestyle, aesthetics, and budget.

Thoroughly planning your goals and needs will set your remodel up for success and ensure you get a finished bathroom that meets your family’s requirements for years to come.

2. Set A Realistic Budget

Remodeling a bathroom can be a major investment, so setting a realistic budget from the start is crucial. Industry experts recommend budgeting 5-10% of your home’s total value for a bathroom remodel. When establishing your budget, be sure to factor in:

• Demolition of old materials
• New fixtures like toilets, tubs, showers, vanities, lighting, mirrors, etc.
• Plumbing costs like moving pipes or installing new ones
• Electrical updates, if needed
• New flooring, wall finishes, countertops
• Labor costs for plumbers, electricians, contractors

Also, budget for contingencies or unforeseen circumstances that can come up during remodeling, like finding mold behind walls or issues with plumbing/electrical.

Setting a realistic budget upfront and allocating contingencies will help ensure your bathroom remodel stays on track financially.

3. Choose Materials Carefully

When remodeling a bathroom, selecting the right materials that can withstand moisture and daily wear and tear is crucial. Durability and water resistance should be top priorities.

Consider water-impervious ceramic or porcelain tile for surfaces like floors, walls, countertops, and tub/shower surrounds. Natural stone like granite, marble, or slate also works well but requires more sealing.

Choose wood species like teak or bamboo that resist warping for cabinets and vanities.  Other options include molded fiberglass or thermoplastic vanities that won’t rot or mold. Slip-resistant flooring is necessary for safety. Mosaic tiles, textured or matte finish porcelain tiles, and sheet vinyl with grip particles provide traction.

Closely inspect all materials before purchase and check warranties. Request samples to visualize scale and finish. Make a detailed checklist with quantities needed and order accordingly.

4. Don’t Forget Proper Ventilation

Proper ventilation is critical for controlling humidity and preventing mold growth in bathrooms. Building codes require exhaust fans to be vented outside to remove moisture-laden air. At a minimum, install a bath fan ducted to the exterior.

For optimal moisture removal, upgrade to a humidity-sensing, variable-speed fan that adjusts airflow based on moisture levels. Inline fans are another excellent option – they are powerful, quiet, and can be installed in attic or ceiling spaces with ducting to vent outside.

Careful planning of CFM ratings and duct sizing ensures proper airflow. Providing adequate ventilation removes condensation and prevents damaging mold growth on surfaces.

5. Install Safe and Stylish Lighting

Proper lighting is an essential part of any bathroom remodel. It can make the space feel bright, airy, and expansive. Carefully consider where lighting is needed in the bathroom. Recessed lights are a popular option for general overhead lighting.  Under cabinet lighting illuminates the vanity nicely for shaving and makeup applications. Waterproof LED strip lighting works well here.

For ambiance, decorative fixtures like wall sconces, pendant lights, or chandeliers can add style.  Selecting fixtures in finishes like brushed nickel, oil-rubbed bronze, or satin brass will give the bathroom a clean and elegant look.

6. Give Fixtures and Features an Upgrade

Upgrading a dated bathroom doesn’t require a full remodel. You can give your space a high-end, spa-like feel with some affordable changes. Focus on switching out outdated elements for modern, coordinated fixtures and special features. Some easy updates with big visual impact include:

• Replacing old faucets with new minimalist styles
• Installing elegant new hardware like crystal or metal knobs and pulls
• Swapping out accessories like toilet paper holders and towel bars for coordinated minimalist designs
• Considering luxury special features like a smart mirror, towel warmer, high-tech toilet, or sensor faucets

7. Deep Clean When Construction Is Done

After weeks of living through the noise, mess, and chaos of a bathroom remodel, the excitement of seeing the finished product can make it easy to overlook doing a deep clean before enjoying your sparkling new space. But taking the time to clean every nook and cranny thoroughly is an essential final step.

• Check around and under the toilet, in the shower corners, inside drawers and cabinets, and around plumbing and fixtures for hidden gunk.
• Disinfect all areas with an all-purpose cleaner or bleach solution.
• Pay special attention to exhaust fans and air vents to remove lingering drywall dust that can circulate later.

Conclusion

Remodeling a bathroom takes strategic planning, quality materials, skilled contractors, and diligent attention to detail. These tips will help you achieve the bathroom of your dreams while avoiding costly mistakes and headaches. Focus on waterproofing, proper ventilation, durable surfaces, safety, and a layout that fits your needs. With careful research and upfront planning, you can have the bathroom you’ve always wanted.

Sudarsan Chakraborty

Sudarsan Chakraborty is a professional Blogger and blog writer. He lives and breathes in the blogging industry. He regularly writes on Widetopics to keep all the readers updated with the latest facts on wide range of topics.