Essential Checklists To Observe Before Renovating Your Bathroom

The renovation of your bathroom can be quite an exciting task for you. However, before you do anything, you first need to plan for it to make sure that you get everything right. 

It is also the same when it comes to your bathroom renovation. You have to observe some things before you start the bathroom renovation process so that you will be happy with the results you see after the work is done. 

In this article, we will look at some critical checklists that you should observe when you decide to renovate your bathroom.

When renovating your bathroom, the task can be pretty overwhelming and time-consuming while being exciting at the same time. 

This list will help you avoid minor mistakes and get a good job done. So without wasting much time, let us dive into the bathroom renovation checklist.

Budget

This is one of the things that you cannot overlook when you are undertaking a bathroom renovation process. Having a budget is basically about making a plan of how much money you intend to spend on the project and it should be the first on your bathroom remodel checklist. 

The budget will guide the decisions you make. And will include the things you will remodel together with the kind of materials used. 

After you have figured out the amount of money you are willing to spend on the renovation and allocated that amount to the labor, you will have a clearer idea of how much you will spend on things like tiles, fixtures, etc., and many others.

Time

Some people think remodeling a bathroom will only take them a few days or even two. However, that is not always the case. 

The time duration of the remodeling process will generally depend on the number of things that are being remodeled inside the bathroom. 

The contractor who will be working on the job will also have to go through all the steps you will employ in the project to determine the time duration of the renovation process. 

Steps such as ordering materials like tiles, fixtures, cabinets, and many others can all affect the time duration of the project.

The planning process can also be crucial, especially for those who have only one bathroom in the entire house. 

When you only have one bathroom in your home, you will have to plan where you will take your shower while the bathroom is being renovated.

Work Sequence

When the job is done in a particular sequence, you can save yourself from many mistakes and cleanup time and it should be the third on your bathroom renovation checklist. 

Whether you are just repainting or demolishing sheetrock, you should always start in the room. 

You can start by remodeling the ceiling before coming down to the bathroom walls and eventually getting to the floors.

This will help prevent any damage to the new components you have installed in the bathroom.

Hidden Problems

If the renovation process of the bathroom is something bigger, like a significant upgrade to the whole bathroom, then you should consider doing a ‘full gut.’ 

When this is done by a professional, you will likely end up with no problems at all, and your bathroom will be functioning perfectly.

The value of your bathroom will also go up, meaning that you will be able to sell your home at a higher price. 

Depending on how old your home is and how well you put it up, one of the biggest hidden problems you may face is water damage.

So while the project is going on, you should look out for any structural deficiencies in the floor framing of the bathroom. 

It would help if you also looked out for not appropriately vented plumbing, corroded plumbing, non-waterproof tile shower or tub surrounds, and many others.

Your contractor will be able to point out more things to look out for you.

Design And Functionality

Before the process begins, you should first envision how you want the bathroom to look after the work is done.

One has to consider several factors, such as the paint color, tile choices, vanities, showers, faucets, tubs, and others. 

This part can get overwhelming as most people find it hard to settle on a particular design. However, your budget will dictate this most of the time since every design you choose has to be in line with the budget you have set for the whole renovation project. 

To make it easier, you should begin by conducting research. You will then gradually start to piece everything together little by little. 

Start with the elements that you like first before you get to the part where you will have to choose with the contractor’s help. 

The designs you choose should also go hand in hand with the bathroom’s functionality. This is if you will plan to sell the house sometime shortly.

Measurements

There are a few limitations that you will face when it comes to size in your bathroom renovation.

The overall size of the bathroom and the location of the existing plumbing pipes and the electrical wires are typical standard dimensions of all bathroom fixtures. 

So you have to make sure that the correct measurements and specifications are taken before you head to the store to get those items you need for the bathroom. 

It can be pretty frustrating when you go to the shop without the correct measurements. 

It will even get more annoying when you buy the wrong materials and find out that you cannot return them.

The Contractor

Choosing the right man for the job is also something that you should not take lightly. The contractor’s quality will determine how well you will do the job. 

Hiring a professional with a high level of experience in the field will save a lot of headaches and time.

Plumbing Fixtures And The Features

A renovation project is not complete without remodeling and repairing fixtures and features in the bathroom. 

Their modeling and repair of the fixtures and features alone could even form their checklist. You will have to remodel or repair things like a shower, bathtub, sink, bidet, toilet, faucets, showerheads, and many more others according to how your bathroom has been designed previously. 

The shower doors and mirrors should also not be left of the remodeling and repairing of the fixtures and features. 

You can also change how the door handles, hardware, and drawer pull look. This could even change how the bathroom looks, giving it a completely new look in the process.

Cabinets, Storage, And Shelves

The planning of the shelves, storage, and cabinets can get tricky in some cases. 

These features need to be very functional and can accommodate all you plan to keep in them since the bathroom is mostly the smallest place in a home. 

They can also be placed in areas where you can reach them easily without much effort. 

Walls And Flooring 

Any materials can be used for the surface walls and the bathroom’s flooring as long as that material is waterproof, whether naturally or by any waterproof finish. 

These materials will also depend on your budget and style. Materials like ceramic, granite, and marble tiles are great for such uses, and they make beautiful and durable flooring and walls. 

You can also decide to opt for cemented flooring, this can be painted or stained to make it look pretty. 

Sheet vinyl or vinyl tiles are also other options you can decide on. Everything will depend on your taste and your budget.

Lightening

The bathroom can be dangerous if there is no proper lighting there. So you should also factor in the bathroom lighting during the planning stage of the project. 

Make sure to fit the bathroom with light that is at least 4 watts incandescent per square foot of the toilet. You should also have the plan to allow natural light in.

Ventilation

One checklist for bathroom renovation is ventilation, ventilation is one thing you should pay close attention to when you are planning for your bathroom renovation.

Any place that deals with water and gets wet from time to time needs proper ventilation. 

The right fan needs to be chosen and placed in the correct position. There should be windows that allow air in and out of the bathroom quickly. 

When the ventilation in your bathroom is poor, it can lead to the growth of black mold and mildew, which are dangerous to your health. 

So make sure to take ventilation very seriously when planning for your bathroom renovation.

Accessories

This may not be all that significant in the bigger picture of the whole renovation process. However, almost every remodeling project has some new accessories added to the venue when the job is complete. 

You can add small stuff like new towels, bath mats, mirrors, and towel racks, which can make your bathroom look like something you will find in a 5-star hotel room.

These also add up to the budget bill, so you should do well to consider them during the planning stages.

Green Bathroom

You may not care about going green in any way. However, the world is rapidly changing, and the markets are all trending towards green living, so it is natural that you should be changing along with the flow. 

You can add a touch to your new bathroom at budget-friendly prices. Stuff like low-flow toilets that use less water saves you money. 

Recycles glass, low VOC or no VOC paints, and many more can all be added to your new bathroom at low prices. So it would help if you tried them out for your new bathroom.

Cleaning

After the renovation has been completed, it will now be the final cleaning where you will have to thoroughly clean the cabinets, walls, floors, fixtures and features, windows, and almost everything you can clean in the bathroom. 

You can decide to hire a cleaning firm to get this done if you have the budget to support it.

Conclusion

So these are the things you should watch for and pay close attention to when you decide to renovate your bathroom.

The budget is significant because it will dictate the addition or exclusion of almost everything else on this list. 

So now that you know these things, I am sure you will be able to renovate your bathroom in an intelligent way. I am sure that the article has been beneficial. 

Please do not forget to like and leave your comments in the comments section. If you enjoyed this article, there are similar ones on this site you can check out.

Maybe they will answer other questions you are having in another field of home renovation.