Ventures in Bathroom Remodeling~Part 1

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Bathing Beauty

One of the most used rooms in the house is the bathroom.  Whether you share one with many family members, have a personal master bath suite or separate powder room for guests, putting your signature touch on the lavatory is another way to express your style.

Pam and Darryl recently decided to remodel their bathroom.  (Actually, Pam couldn’t stand the dated room anymore and finally convinced Darryl they needed to update the loo!)

 

Kitchen and bathroom remodeling generally offers the biggest return on your investment.  Unless you are planning to sell your home soon, you should focus your improvements on your needs, wants and budget.

It doesn’t matter if you are a do-it-yourself  family or only hire pros; there are a few basic steps to follow before starting.

• Set your budget.  Be specific on how much you have to spend and how much you are willing to go over budget.  (Every project goes over budget!)   Consider what will you do when you  fall in love with a particular faucet or tile that is way over your original budget?

• What are your needs? How many people will be using the bath?  More than one person at a time?  Do you prefer showers or soak in a tub?  Do you want a spa experience?  How much cabinet and storage space do you need?

• Check out codes and regulations in your community.  What are the water, venting/fan, electrical, plumbing requirements? How will a remodel affect your taxes?

• If you hire a contractor(s), get references and check them out.  Ask important questions:

• How long will the project take?  What is the timeline?

• What product lines/companies does (s) he use?

• Does he offer discounts on product he sells?

• What if you want to do some of the work yourself to save money?

• If you do all or part of the work yourself, seriously consider your skill level and the time you have to devote to the project.   Being without a bathroom for months is never a good thing!

Pam and Darryl’s home was built in 1963. It’s a wonderful retro ranch.  Their bathroom connects to the master bedroom and is used by the other family members.  They have a powder room for guests.

 

The original blue tile walls, floor and countertop are still intact. The builder grade vanity has seen better days.  Although the mirror was huge, the frameless style is dated.

 

Pam had painted over the years, but the pale pine hollow core doors and stock trim (very common in 1960’s homes) are starting to show their age.

Darryl is a do-it-yourself person so this spring they decided to (finally) take on the bathroom remolding project!

Stay tuned to continuing adventures in remodeling a bathroom.

Tell me about your bathroom remodeling experience or nightmare!