I know what you’re thinking…“Bathrooms look easy to remodel. How hard can it be?”
My mind-reading powers are amazing right? Actually, I know you’re shocked to hear that I don't actually have the power to read minds…I’ve just been in the remodeling business for a long time.
Bathrooms are amazingly complex spaces and much harder to remodel than what it appears to be on a 30 minute HGTV show…trust me.
Think about it…bathrooms get hot, cold, humid, and dry all within about 10 minutes. OK maybe 20 minutes if you’re a person who likes to luxuriate in the shower. Either way you’ve got the bathroom temperature fluctuating like the weather in Ohio along with crazy humidity levels coupled with all sorts of electrical wiring, lights, etc. It’s serious stuff.
When things go wrong with a bathroom remodel – they go very wrong very quickly. So whether you attempt to remodel your bathroom yourself or hire a contractor avoid these common mistakes and you’ll thank me for it.
NO STORAGE
I get it that you want to create a stress-free space where time seems to stand still and your worries fade away. The way to do that is to go minimalist and streamline the design…pretty cool. The mistake here though is that people tend to go a little overboard and don't include places to store things so the opposite happens and you end up with stuff sitting all over the countertop, towels flung over the shower door, and yep you guessed it…a plunger sitting on the floor next to the toilet. Don’t be that person.
Make sure you have storage somewhere for all your stuff. One possible option is to install a tower cabinet between the sinks that includes electrical outlets inside of it to recharge your razor or toothbrush.
BUYING MISMATCHED HARDWARE AND FIXTURES
You may be thinking "who cares if the finish on the faucet matches the finish on the towel bars"? Well, you may not care but the folks looking to buy your house one day will definitely care. So I'll lay it on you...if you buy a brushed nickel faucet then the towel bars, valve trims, tub spout, shower head, and toilet lever (yep, even the toilet lever) all need to match. One word of caution, manufacturers often have different ideas of what brushed nickel or oil-rubbed bronze are supposed to look like. Stay with the same manufacturer for all the fixtures, if possible.
This may seem like a no-brainer to you but if you choose a white sink go with a white toilet and white tub. They should all match.
USING CHEAP, BAD, OR NO UNDERLAYMENT
You will never see the underlayment again after the tile is installed but it'll be there for the life of your bathroom protecting against water damage, humidity issues, etc. The first and most important thing you need to know is don't use green board (basically water resistant drywall) behind your shower tile. Over time it will deteriorate. Don't use it.
There are many good choices for tile underlayment. Most folks use cement board installed per the manufacturer's specs with waterproofing etc.
NOT OBTAINING A BUILDING PERMIT
In most municipalities it is against the law to perform a remodel project without a building permit. Over and above the legalities of it there are other compelling reasons…if you get caught without a permit they legally can force you to remove tile, drywall, etc to inspect inside the walls and they can and will fine you and then force you to get the proper permits anyway. One of the biggest reasons to get a permit is that potential homebuyers, on advice from realtors, are starting to request copies of permits to verify that you have remodeled your home safely and that it meets building codes. Seriously, just get a permit. It’s a Saturday and I don’t feel like typing a long drawn-out explanation for this so just click HERE to read a blog post I wrote a few months ago that goes into more detail.
USING CHEAP MATERIALS
Second to your kitchen, the bathroom is the hardest working room in your house. It is used multiple times a day and needs to withstand years of moisture, traffic, and regular (hopefully) cleaning. Everyone has a budget but it’s important that you choose the best materials you can afford including plumbing fixtures, tile, and paint. Yes, even paint. Paint is important too because of the ever-changing humidity levels.
FOLLOWING TRENDS
It’s OK to look at magazines and various websites to help with bathroom remodel ideas but try to resist making your bathroom too trendy. All of those hip fixtures and colors may be cool now but they can and likely will look goofy in a few short years. Choose items that stand the test of time.
SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY
Yeah I know I just said to spend money and get quality materials and now I’m saying don’t spend too much money. You need to find a balance between the two. Make it nice but don't go crazy unless you plan to not sell your home for a long time.
So, what have we learned? We learned to not let HGTV shows fool us into thinking that remodeling is easy, we learned to be sensible with your remodeling projects, and we learned that I have indeed learned something in my 16 years of working in the remodeling business and 38 years of being around it.
SHAMELESS PLUG
Why worry about all this on your own? Hire a family-owned remodeling company to guide you through the process (including your own personal designer). Contact us today at 614-437-2013 for a quote on your bathroom remodel or any other remodel project for that matter.
My mind-reading powers are amazing right? Actually, I know you’re shocked to hear that I don't actually have the power to read minds…I’ve just been in the remodeling business for a long time.
Bathrooms are amazingly complex spaces and much harder to remodel than what it appears to be on a 30 minute HGTV show…trust me.
Think about it…bathrooms get hot, cold, humid, and dry all within about 10 minutes. OK maybe 20 minutes if you’re a person who likes to luxuriate in the shower. Either way you’ve got the bathroom temperature fluctuating like the weather in Ohio along with crazy humidity levels coupled with all sorts of electrical wiring, lights, etc. It’s serious stuff.
When things go wrong with a bathroom remodel – they go very wrong very quickly. So whether you attempt to remodel your bathroom yourself or hire a contractor avoid these common mistakes and you’ll thank me for it.
NO STORAGE
I get it that you want to create a stress-free space where time seems to stand still and your worries fade away. The way to do that is to go minimalist and streamline the design…pretty cool. The mistake here though is that people tend to go a little overboard and don't include places to store things so the opposite happens and you end up with stuff sitting all over the countertop, towels flung over the shower door, and yep you guessed it…a plunger sitting on the floor next to the toilet. Don’t be that person.
Make sure you have storage somewhere for all your stuff. One possible option is to install a tower cabinet between the sinks that includes electrical outlets inside of it to recharge your razor or toothbrush.
BUYING MISMATCHED HARDWARE AND FIXTURES
You may be thinking "who cares if the finish on the faucet matches the finish on the towel bars"? Well, you may not care but the folks looking to buy your house one day will definitely care. So I'll lay it on you...if you buy a brushed nickel faucet then the towel bars, valve trims, tub spout, shower head, and toilet lever (yep, even the toilet lever) all need to match. One word of caution, manufacturers often have different ideas of what brushed nickel or oil-rubbed bronze are supposed to look like. Stay with the same manufacturer for all the fixtures, if possible.
This may seem like a no-brainer to you but if you choose a white sink go with a white toilet and white tub. They should all match.
USING CHEAP, BAD, OR NO UNDERLAYMENT
You will never see the underlayment again after the tile is installed but it'll be there for the life of your bathroom protecting against water damage, humidity issues, etc. The first and most important thing you need to know is don't use green board (basically water resistant drywall) behind your shower tile. Over time it will deteriorate. Don't use it.
There are many good choices for tile underlayment. Most folks use cement board installed per the manufacturer's specs with waterproofing etc.
NOT OBTAINING A BUILDING PERMIT
In most municipalities it is against the law to perform a remodel project without a building permit. Over and above the legalities of it there are other compelling reasons…if you get caught without a permit they legally can force you to remove tile, drywall, etc to inspect inside the walls and they can and will fine you and then force you to get the proper permits anyway. One of the biggest reasons to get a permit is that potential homebuyers, on advice from realtors, are starting to request copies of permits to verify that you have remodeled your home safely and that it meets building codes. Seriously, just get a permit. It’s a Saturday and I don’t feel like typing a long drawn-out explanation for this so just click HERE to read a blog post I wrote a few months ago that goes into more detail.
USING CHEAP MATERIALS
Second to your kitchen, the bathroom is the hardest working room in your house. It is used multiple times a day and needs to withstand years of moisture, traffic, and regular (hopefully) cleaning. Everyone has a budget but it’s important that you choose the best materials you can afford including plumbing fixtures, tile, and paint. Yes, even paint. Paint is important too because of the ever-changing humidity levels.
FOLLOWING TRENDS
It’s OK to look at magazines and various websites to help with bathroom remodel ideas but try to resist making your bathroom too trendy. All of those hip fixtures and colors may be cool now but they can and likely will look goofy in a few short years. Choose items that stand the test of time.
SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY
Yeah I know I just said to spend money and get quality materials and now I’m saying don’t spend too much money. You need to find a balance between the two. Make it nice but don't go crazy unless you plan to not sell your home for a long time.
So, what have we learned? We learned to not let HGTV shows fool us into thinking that remodeling is easy, we learned to be sensible with your remodeling projects, and we learned that I have indeed learned something in my 16 years of working in the remodeling business and 38 years of being around it.
SHAMELESS PLUG
Why worry about all this on your own? Hire a family-owned remodeling company to guide you through the process (including your own personal designer). Contact us today at 614-437-2013 for a quote on your bathroom remodel or any other remodel project for that matter.
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This article is for general information purposes only. Rick Kelley Builders makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of any information contained herein.
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