As a place that you and your family need to use, possibly multiple times on a daily basis, your bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the house. Get your renovations right and you’ll have a space that sparkles. Get it wrong and you’ll end up with an awkward room that is not practical to use. Your bathroom should be a reflection of your personal style while still delivering the comfort and function you need. By combining some careful planning, hiring the right contractor and purchasing quality fixtures, you can create your dream bathroom.
1. Create a realistic budget
There are many things to consider when creating a budget. How long will you be living in your home? If it’s only for a few years, then your renovation might be more cosmetic and on a smaller scale. If you’re planning on staying for 10 years or more then you can invest more as you will get a greater return on that investment.
2. What are your ‘must haves’ for your new bathroom renovations?
Renovating your bathroom means that you have the option to add those features that you’ve always wanted to have. You may want to consider double shower heads or double vanities, and even a bathtub to soak in at the end of the day. Do you need two ways of accessing the bathroom? Must the toilet be separate from the shower and vanity? A heated towel rail or flooring?
3. Set aside a 20% contingency for the unexpected
Particularly with bathrooms, you never know what you’re going to find behind the walls. If you’re doing the renovation because you’ve had mould issues or leaks, you could find actively leaking pipes or mouldy studs behind the walls. You’ll want to ensure you have enough in the budget to fix these things properly.
4. Choose between hiring a professional or doing a DIY Bathroom Renovations
Do you have the knowledge and experience to do the work yourself? DIY renovations sound appealing because of the potential cost savings, but in reality, there’s no guarantee that you will achieve your desired result, and we often see projects that cost much more than they should have when homeowners have to call the professionals to fix a botched DIY job.
5. Hiring the right professionals
If you’re looking for peace of mind, it’s always best to hire a specialist company that can take care of the whole project in a professional manner. This will save you time and money because you won’t have to manage the project yourself, and you will likely get appliances and fittings at a price that is cheaper than retail. The only thing you will have to do is tell the project manager what you want your bathroom to look like, and pick out of the fixtures, tiles, paint, and appliances that they will recommend.
These are just some starting points to consider when considering a bathroom renovation.
For more information, ideas and quotes on starting a bathroom renovation, contact our team of experts at Newman and Barker Plumbing on (02) 4625 5409 or online here.