Bathroom Remodeling Tips You Can Take To The Bank
It’s been said by many DIY experts that remodeling a bathroom is one of the easiest things for any home owner to undertake. However – it should be noted that most of these experts are contractors themselves – and get paid for providing bathroom remodeling tips by hardware stores and other companies in order to drive sales to their locations. Truth being told, remodeling a bathroom can be an extremely complex process; involving hours of planning, and requiring hard work and some skill to complete the task.
In order to simplify this process for you, and provide you with some detailed tips on how to undertake a home bathroom remodeling project, here are three easy tips to remember.
Remodeling Tip #1 – Set a Realistic Budget
Whether you choose to remodel a bathroom on your own, or you’re looking to hire a professional company, the first thing you need to be certain on is how much you can afford to spend on the project. Many home owners make the common mistake of rushing into a design project based on what looks great – only to find out that the cost is simply not realistic within their budgets. Generally speaking, your bathroom remodeling budget should be about 5-10% of your home’s current value in order try to get a good return on your investment. So if you have a $200,000 home, your budget should be between $10,000 to a maximum of $20,000 in order to get a good return on your investment. This is why the first tip we’d offer for any remodeling project is to always set a realistic budget for your project. Consider the following sections:
- Materials: how much can you spend on the materials? This will narrow down a list of material to choose from. Keeping the tile designs and inlays simpler and using stock items from local stores such as Home Depot or Lowes will help keep costs down as well.
- Labor: based on what type of materials you use, how much money do you feel comfortable spending to have the materials professionally installed? Remember, sometimes it pays to hire a professional to do the job right the first time around – as opposed to making a mistake and having to rebuy new materials. You may consider doing all the demolition yourself, it may be very hard and dirty work, but it will save you money.
- Design: you should also consider how much having a professionally designed bathroom upgrade is worth. An interior designer may add about 5% to the whole job, but with our busy schedules they may be just what you need by being able to do the legwork for you and come to you with a presentation of materials, styles, etc. It might be a good idea to meet with a remodeling company for a free consultation in this case – just to get honest answers. Also, by not relocating major fixtures such as toilet and shower drains, etc., it will save you a lot of money.
Remodeling Tip #2 – Consider Using ‘Green’ Products
Not only is ‘going green’ good for our climate and environment; it’s also great for your wallet. Using energy and water efficient materials for your bathroom upgrade project will save you money each month on your water and electricity bills. This is why our second tip for any bathroom remodeling project is to ‘go green’ with all the materials you need to use. However, you should also consider a few other ‘green’ remodeling tips including:
- Paint cabinets instead of replacing them
- Make sure the new materials are ‘chemical free’
- Consider refinishing major bathroom equipment, like bathtubs and showers as opposed to installing new ones
Remodeling Tip #3 – Save Time, Money and Stress: Hire a Professional
You’ll be surprised how much money, time and stress you can save when you hire a professional contractor to complete your bathroom remodeling project. Professional companies have years of experience in remodeling several types of rooms, which gives them the advantage of knowing what mistakes to avoid. This includes providing education to home owners on what materials to use – and what not to use. And, most contractors will provide you with a free estimate or consultation in order to answer any questions you have – so why not contact them?
There is nothing more exciting than the process of designing any remodel project. And when you stick to following these three bathroom remodeling tips, you’ll find that the experience will be much more enjoyable, you’ll save money, and the stress will be lowered considerably.
Keep in mind that no matter what path you choose, make sure the materials are of good quality and the waterproofing process is done correctly for your showers and floors. That is a big bathroom remodeling tip you may not take to the bank today, but overtime you’ll be extremely happy you paid close attention. Also, remember that your bathroom is a very highly used area and it sees extremes in temperatures, moistures and overall use. Paying for low quality materials and inferior waterproofing techniques will not make for a long lasting bathroom remodel.
