8 Top Tips When Renovating Your Bathroom
This is a guest blog by DIY Daddy
You have decided to give your bathroom a complete renovation. It’s a big job in any home and it is vital that you get it right because you are going to have to live with the choices you make for a number of years. From ceramicware and lighting to tiling and of course the overall style you want to create, there are lots of things to consider. To help you along the way, here are 8 top tips to live by when renovating your bathroom!
1. Deciding Your Budget For Your Bathroom Renovation
There are lots of decisions to be made and let’s face it, renovating a bathroom is no small job. To start off with, the first thing you need to figure out is what your budget is. This will be what dictates a lot of choices from layout to products and even of course labour costs. The most important thing here is once you have decided on your budget to stick to it!
2. Making A Plan For Your New Bathroom
Planning is key when working on a bathroom renovation. Once you have chosen exactly what you want in terms of products and tiles, you will need to draw a plan of where you want the bath, basin, toilet, walk-in shower to sit in the room.
As most bathrooms are invariably odd shapes and room is at a premium, it’ll be vital to plan everything carefully and utilise the space to its full potential.
When your plan is ready, this is the point when I would always recommend you speak to the professionals that will be working on your bathroom to make sure all your ideas are possible and of course, within budget.
3. Employing A Reputable Company
It's so important that you pick tradespeople that have a proven record in bathroom renovations. Do some research on your chosen plumbers, electricians or tilers. A good place to start is to ask friends or family for recommendations. Always ask to see some examples of their previous work. If they are trusted and reputable tradespeople, they won't have any issues showing you their work. A reputable tradesperson or bathroom renovation company will happily sign a schedule of work and a completion time on the work. This is to make sure all work is completed on time and to a high standard of workmanship.
4. Deciding On The Style Of Your Bathroom
Choosing the style of your bathroom might seem quite daunting. You must take your own tastes into account and make sure you are going to create something that you will like not only now but for years to come. It could be that you want an ultra-sleek modern look or a period Victorian look, there’s so much inspiration to take in and choose from. Whatever style you go for, make sure it's in keeping with the rest of your home decoration and style.
5. What Type Of Tiling Do You Want?
Choosing your tiling is one of the most important decisions of any bathroom renovation. Picking the right type, size and colour could easily make or break your space. As such I recommend you choose carefully and also get professional advice from the experts at CTD.
When you are deciding on the wall tiles, think about whether you want to opt for floor to ceiling. This is a popular choice as it’s easier to keep clean and creates a stunning effect. Using a large tile that is 1200x600mm will also look magnificent and have a beautiful impact.
Colour is also important; choose carefully so that it matches all your bathroom products and when you grout the tiles maybe use a contrasting colour to the tile as this will really highlight them.
Finally, when you buy your tiles make sure they are all the same batch number as there can be a difference in colour. It may only be slight but once they are on the wall that very slight colour difference will become much more obvious. Also, remember to buy more tiles than you need to cover any breakages or cutting of tiles.
6. Lighting In Your Bathroom
Bathrooms, in general, have very little natural light so it's important that your lighting illuminates the bathroom but is not too overpowering. A perfect solution is to use spotlights that are set into the ceiling. If you want extra light around the sink area, then a mirror with lights will work really well for shaving or putting on your make-up in the mornings.
7. Flooring In Your Bathroom
In the UK, we of course have cold winters so deciding on the flooring can be difficult. After your shower the last thing you want is to step out onto a cold floor. Underfloor heating is the ideal solution and something that needs to be factored into your planning stages! Most tiles are compatible with underfloor heating but it’s important to be certain. If you do opt for underfloor heating you won’t regret it, and the feeling of warmth underfoot when you get out of the shower will never get old!
8. Ventilation In Your Bathroom
All bathrooms will have condensation simply by the nature of the room. Hot showers or baths will create a lot of moisture in the air. If you don't deal with this moisture it will over a period of time develop into mould.
The answer is to have electric ventilation ducts fitted that will take out the moisture from your bathroom and reduce condensation to a minimum. You can also have them fitted with sensors so that as soon as the shower is turned on, they automatically turn on too.
So, these are 8 tips to keep in mind when renovating your bathroom. It's important to set out a plan and adhere to it and keep within your budget and rely on professional tradespeople such as plumbers, electricians or tilers for their advice and expert knowledge.