Planning Your Bathroom Remodel

So you’ve decided to tackle a bathroom remodel?  Good decision.  When it comes to home renovations, the bath is a solid place to spend your remodeling dollars, coming in second behind kitchen remodels in maximizing a homeowner’s return on investment.  Are you updating to add to your home’s resale value?  Or are you motivated by a sheer disdain for your outdated, ugly, dysfunctional bathroom?  Either way, the overall success of the project requires careful planning and preparation.  Here’s how to get started…

5 Steps to Take Before Remodeling Your Bathroom

1.  Outline Your Needs and Objectives

Functionally, what do you need out of your new and improved bathroom?  Would adding an extra sink in the family bathroom help reduce morning chaos?  Do you need more storage for towels and personal items?  Or would you like to create a master bath retreat?   Consider the needs of each family member who will use the bathroom.  Put it all down on paper…both the necessities and the nice-to-haves; when you start the budgeting process you can determine what you can afford to incorporate.

The priorities, design choices and overall scope of the remodel will be determined by the purpose the bathroom must serve, as well as the wear and tear it receives from its users.  A family bathroom, the workhorse of the house, requires materials that are both durable and easy to maintain.  Because a powder room is smaller and receives less traffic, homeowners may choose to splurge on materials and make a design statement when remodeling the powder room bath.  

2.  Do Your Homework

If you don’t regularly follow interior design trends, you may be missing out on new products that could improve the layout, functionality, enjoyment and overall cool factor of your new bathroom.  So educate yourself!   Visit your local bookstore and peruse the magazine section for special bathroom design issues.  If a particular bath or feature catches your eye, buy the issue, clip it out and start a design portfolio.  Tune into TV shows on HGTV (I Want That! Baths and Save My Bath) and DIY Network (Bathroom Renovations) and watch how the experts redesign a bathroom, incorporating some of the newest products and latest trends.  Search the Internet for design resource web sites like Trends, Better Homes and Gardens, and HGTV that feature photos of bathroom remodeling projects.  Visit bath design and plumbing showrooms in your area to see the products and design ideas first hand.  Take the time to explore your options before you dive head first into your bath renovation.

3.  Prepare a Budget

Now that you’ve outlined what you need from your bathroom renovation and checked out some of the new products available, it’s time to crunch the numbers.  As reference, a 2005 report prepared by Remodeling Magazine, listed the national average spent on an upscale bathroom remodel at about $26,000.  Of course, the bathroom size and materials selected will have a major impact on the budget.  How much can you afford to spend on your bathroom remodeling project? The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) has prepared an online worksheet to help homeowners with the process.  If you plan to stay in the home for more than five years, spend what you can afford to create the most functional, beautiful and luxurious bathroom possible.  If you plan to sell within the next five years, take into account what you’ll be able to get out of the investment at resale.  Don’t add a steam shower with all the bells and whistles if it means over-improving your home for the neighborhood. 

Researching and estimating costs for plumbing fixtures, lighting, flooring, countertops and tile can be time intensive and a bit overwhelming for some first time remodelers.  Hats off to HGTV for offering a tool to simplify the process.  You provide your zip code and basic project specifications, and the Remodeling Budget Estimator tool creates a customized project budget, factoring in the cost of fixtures, additional materials required, labor costs and regional pricing variations.   As a rule of thumb, set aside about 1/3 of the budget for labor costs.  To be prepared for the unexpected, (you never know what you’ll find when you start dismantling the bathroom), cushion the budget by another 10%. 

As the project gets underway, use the budget as a working tool to manage the project.  If you opt to splurge on a special fixture or tile, know that you’ll have to make sacrifices elsewhere to stay within budget.  Creating a simple spreadsheet to track spending will help you keep the budget in check.

4. Develop a Work Around Plan

Think about how the family will function without access to the bathroom you’re remodeling.  No doubt, remodeling the bathroom will disrupt family life as you know it.  But if you plan a work around in advance and get the buy-in from all parties impacted, you can mitigate some of the frustration and inconvenience.  If need be, you can shower at the gym, farm the kids off to Grandma’s, call in your chips with the neighbors…whatever it takes to get the job done.  Just focus on how much better the bath will be when it’s done, and rest assured…it will get done.  The best strategy for achieving the shortest possible downtime is to work within the footprint of the existing bathroom without relocating any plumbing fixtures.

5. Call In the Experts

You’ve done your part to prepare for your bathroom remodel.  Now it’s time to call in the experts.  For a major remodel, consider contacting a certified bathroom designer.  Consulting with a bathroom designer can be well worth the cost of a consult.  A bathroom designer can review your initial plans, layout and material selections, and make recommendations to help maximize space, stretch your budget and give your bath that WOW factor.  Most importantly, a designer can help you avoid making costly mistakes that can jeopardize the success of your project.  To locate a bathroom designer in your area, visit the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Designer Referral Service. 

Your bathroom designer can set you up with a reputable remodeling contractor.  To get competing bids, consult the online referral service by ServiceMagic.  They match consumer service requests with prescreened contractors based on the project requirements and contractor expertise.  Before you settle on a contractor, you should still check the Better Business Bureau to confirm there are no complaints registered against the company or individual.  For your protection, get proof that they are licensed and bonded.  And ask the contractor for client references from projects completed within the last 12 - 18 months.  Contact the client referrals and pose these questions:

• Can I visit your home to see your completed remodel?
• Were you satisfied with the project? Was it completed on time?
• Did the contractor keep you informed about the status of the project and any problems along the way?
• Did you encounter unexpected costs? If so, what were they?
• Did workers show up on time and clean up after themselves?
• Would you recommend the contractor?
• Would you hire the contractor again?

Granted, properly planning for a bathroom remodel does take a good deal of time and effort.  But knowing that you’ve done your homework should give you peace of mind, reduce the likelihood of any unpleasant surprises and get your bathroom remodeling project off to a great start!

Which bathroom are you remodeling?  Get more tips and advice in the articles on Remodeling the Powder Room Bath , Remodeling the Guest Bath, Remodeling the Family Bath and Creating a Master Bath Retreat.

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