The bathroom is one of those rooms where you should invest in as many luxury fixtures and amenities as possible.
Why Bathrooms Worth Bigger
The bathroom can be a sanctuary after a tiring day at work with a soak in the bathtub. There are good reasons why bathroom remodeling is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your family.
Besides, bathroom remodeling provides 80-90% of your return on investment if you decide to sell your home. Whether it’s a partial upgrade or a total overhaul, bathroom remodeling is one of those projects worth investing in seriously.
Determining the Scope of Your Bathroom Remodeling Project
The moment you start a bathroom remodeling project, one of two things can happen. You’ll have the shiny tiled bathroom heaven you’ve always wanted or you’ll have a semi-fabricated bathroom. A mess of old and new bathroom fixtures. To avoid the second scenario, you need to determine the scope of your Bathroom Renovations Hamilton project before you start anything.
Depending on your budget, time spent, bathroom size, and current condition, there are several options for bathroom remodeling.
Option 1. Do a surface-level bathroom remodel. This is an option to go for when the bathtub and/or shower looks a bit shabby, although the bathroom fixtures, faucet handles, etc. are still in good condition. When that happens, a surface layer bathroom remodel can give your bathroom the feel of a whole new one without the price tag. This is a great project to undertake if you don’t yet have the budget for a full overhaul. The rule of thumb to follow here is “Cover, don’t replace.” Replacing adds to the time and cost of remodeling as you are paying to have what has already been removed. The cover uses an already existing structure and simply gives it a new face. Not-so-expensive items to invest in when doing a surface-level bathroom remodeling include prefabricated shower units, bathtub or shower liners, bathtub refinishing, and easy-to-install wainscoting.
Option 2. Change the bathroom layout. Just as you sometimes rearrange the furniture arrangements in your living room, kitchen, and bedroom to give them a new feel, you can rearrange the plumbing fixtures in your bathroom. This project is a bit more difficult to do than a surface-level remodel. Bathroom fixtures such as sinks, showers, tubs, and cabinets are not easily moved and require the services of a licensed plumber, carpenter, and possibly an electrician. But once the pros have done the work, you can save some money by rearranging towel rails and rods, shelves, trash cans, and other bath items yourself. When it’s done, there will be a bigger change in the overall look of your bathroom.
Option 3. Make your bathroom bigger. If you feel patriotic and have free space, you can expand the area of the toilet and bathroom. It’s as American as apple pie. If you only have a shower, you can tear down the load-bearing walls and create a suitable bathtub. If you already have a bathtub, cut through the closet space in the next room to provide a whirlpool bathtub.
Option 4. Complete bathroom overhaul. If nothing else can do it for you, there is always the final option of completely overhauling your existing bathroom. Tear out everything down to the bare studs and completely redefine the space. Of the bathroom remodeling projects we’ve discussed, this one is potentially the most tedious, expensive, and most disruptive to you and your family. However, if done right, it can create the perfect place to escape from everyday life and add thousands of dollars to the value of your home.
Factors to Consider When Remodeling Your Bathroom
After you’ve decided on the size and scope of a bathroom remodeling project to undertake, there are a few things you need to address before you begin.
Remodeling Budget Life is full of unexpected things. That’s why most people have an emergency fund. Too often people look at the money in their emergency fund and decide to include it in their remodeling budget. If you decide to invest your emergency funds in a remodeling project, something could go wrong halfway through the project, draining your funds and leaving your bathroom half-new.
If you don’t have the funds in your account right now for a complete bathroom remodel, tackle something less ambitious that you can afford and still improve the look of your bathroom. You don’t want to stop a contractor from coming into your home when the project is only half done because you no longer have the funds to pay for the labor.
Your dream bathroom design This has more to do with design than anything else, but it is the foundation on which the rest of your decisions depend. Try the following mental exercise to help yourself through this process. Close your eyes. Imagine your dream home: lawn, fence, windows, and doors. Open the door in your mind’s eye and climb the stairs through the master bedroom to the perfect bathroom. Now, this is your dream home. The idea of the perfect bathroom is entirely up to you. A great bathroom for you can be simple. Bathroom with shiny all-white surfaces and brass for all fixtures. On the other hand, it could be something a little chicer, like your own private spa. The point is, the idea for this perfect bathroom is yours and yours alone. From this point on, everyone else involved in the project should focus on delivering your vision, not their own. Whatever the scope of the project you choose to undertake, the end should be as close to the dream as possible.
Materials to Use Choosing materials for your bathroom remodeling project is driven by your budget and the look you want your bathroom to look. You can choose the color, design, and material of the bathroom top, faucet, flooring, shower, and washbasin. Whether you hire a contractor or do the bathroom remodel yourself, you as the landlord have the final say on what materials to use for the project, but a lot will be driven by your budget. Even if you want travertine marble, be prepared to compromise. Magnetic tiles can look pretty good when you’re looking at your earnings.
Final Words on Bathroom Remodeling
After all, the success of your bathroom remodeling project depends on planning. Knowing your budget limits and the scope of your remodeling project, there’s no reason you can’t have the cool, shiny, tiled haven you’ve always wanted.
Ellen