We often learn what not to do over and over before we learn how to do it right, the first time. Since we’ve been doing it right the first time for many years, we’d like to help you avoid the common mistakes that are made with bathroom renovations. We are here to help you prevent those mistakes, and ensure that your first bathroom remodel goes as smoothly as if you’ve done it dozens of times before.
But keep in mind that the most important mistake to avoid is hiring the wrong bathroom remodel contractor. We’ve provided guides to hire the right flooring contractor, the things your contractor wants you to know, and most importantly, who to hire for a bathroom remodel in the past.
Strategy and Planning
Many bathroom remodeling mistakes happen simply because there was no planning. A bathroom remodel is a complicated project, and every aspect must be planned ahead. The bathroom should be cleaned our long before the remodel, plumbing and electrical must be updated before the contractor comes to install fixtures, flooring, drywall, trim, et cetera. Even before calling a contractor, homeowners should have a budget set. This allows us to design your bathroom and choose materials while staying within the budget.
Underestimating
There is always a tendency to underestimate every renovation budget. The cost of the plumbing and tile is only a fraction of the cost of the entire bathroom. There are many costs to consider, and one that is often overlooked is the labor. In addition, demolition often uncovers unforeseen problems that must be addressed. 10% of your budget should cover unforeseen circumstances. There are a lot of moving parts to every bathroom remodel, there will be some surprises, even with working with the most seasoned and well prepared contractors, like us.
Luxury Items
Homeowners often fall in love with the idea of installing luxury items in their bathrooms, but rarely see the entire cost of these items over time. It does not make financial sense to install a steam shower with multiple heads into a starter home. There will be no ROI. In addition, additional maintenance is required for additional fixtures over time. All costs in addition to the materials and fixtures themselves must be considered before the renovation actually starts.
Changing Tub, Toilet, and Sink Locations
Moving your bathtub, shower, toilet, or sink adds substantial costs to a bathroom remodel. This is often overlooked while budgeting. Changing the location of water lines, and waste lines requires extensive work. It’s not just cutting and adding a couple of pipes. This takes a chunk of the budget, and adds days or weeks to the remodel timeline. Especially when drains must be moved.
The exception to this rule is relocating shower controls. Maybe you get wet each time you turn on the shower, and would like the shower head and controls on the opposite wall to prevent this? As long as the drain stays in the same place, this will be much lower cost.
Overlooking Mold Remediation, and Waterproofing
Just because the bathroom is mold free, does not mean that it is. In bathrooms without waterproofing, especially old bathrooms that need to be remodeled the most, mold can grow beneath and behind the tub, inside the drywall, and in countless other hidden places. In addition, the installation of professional waterproofing to prevent future mold is a cost that is often overlooked.
Ventilation
Older bathrooms that have exhaust fans that still work are great, but those fans are not up to current codes, and they rarely pull enough air to keep moisture from building up. Please consider ventilation when planning your bathroom renovation. Having the proper exhaust fan keeps moisture from building up, which prevents future mold and water damage in your new bathroom.
Design Ideas
Did a friend or neighbor remodel their bathroom, and you’d like to use parts of their design? Take some photos to show to your contractor when you get started. If you’re unsure of the design you would like, search the internet. There are countless photos and different designs to browse, and draw inspiration from.
Don’t Put the Finish Before the Start
Homeowners tend to focus on the finished product. The new flooring, the tile design, the new bathtub, new shower, new light fixtures. However, many other things must be considered before getting to the finished product. A vital consideration is whether you are relocating and plumbing or electrical. If you plan to move the shower, get that sorted before choosing the tile for the shower. If you’re choosing tile, find out if it requires sanded or non sanded grout, or if the grout must be sealed.
Purchasing Materials Before Consulting Your Contractor
We do not sell materials, but we do pass our discount onto customers who would prefer to purchase their own from the suppliers that we work with. However, we are very careful to make certain that our customers know exactly what to get, how much of it, and that they double check to make sure everything is there before we get started. Homeowners sometimes guess how much tile they’ll need, find some on sale, but then don’t have enough to cover the floor and the walls of the shower. Be sure to discuss purchasing your own materials with your contractor to avoid any shortages, poor quality materials, and the many other problems that may arise from this.
The Wrong Paint
Many people only consider the color of paint before a bathroom remodel, and do not consider quality, resistance to moisture, or finish. Eggshell is a happy median between gloss and flat, and is the most forgiving.
Storage
Homeowners often focus on the new shower, new tile, new vanity, new lighting, and even the new exhaust fan. However, extra storage is overlooked. If it’s a small bathroom with a single vanity, consider some recessed shelves. For larger bathrooms, consider some additional cabinetry. Storage inside the bathroom is crucial, especially for large families.
Outlets
Additional bathroom features often require additional electrical outlets. Small bathroom often only have a GFI outlet near the sink. During your bathroom design, but before the actual remodel, please carefully consider if you will need additional outlets. Extension cords across the bathroom are a hazard for trips and falls, and shocks.
The Flooring Masters team is happy to help you remodel your bathroom and avoid all of these mistakes. Please Call or Email us for a free estimate today.
