Lolark Contractors have accomplished hundreds of unique bathroom remodels is Greater Seattle area. Although bathroom trends change from year to year, we’ve discovered that there are some design and renovation principles that are persistent and stand the test of time.
Bathrooms are the second most complex room to remodel after kitchens and a variety of essential factors should be considered when remodeling a bathroom.
When, Why and What to Remodel?
If you’re a homeowner looking to list your house, then a strategically planned bathroom renovation will ensure increase in your home value. Likewise, if you’re planning to live in your house for a couple more years, it is imperative to ensure that your bathroom’s design suits your lifestyle and preferences.
Some of the simple upgrades can include maximizing storage space, updated countertops, bathtubs, sink, bath fixtures, light fixture, cabinets, backsplash, tile flooring and waterproofing materials. Also, take account of your wish list; some modern bathrooms now feature sound systems, charging stations, towel warmers, small fireplaces, and even waterproof television.
This ultimate guide covers every aspect of remodeling your bathroom, from maximizing space, to the estimated costs, to selecting your materials.
Understand Your Needs
Before you start to make plans for the bathroom remodel, you must understand your needs. Ask yourself the reason(s) why you decided to remodel your bathroom. Understanding and noting down the reasons why you want to remodel your bathroom will impact the success of the remodeling process. This will ensure you have complete clarity on your functionality and design needs.
Which bathroom(s) do you want to remodel? Do you want to get rid of the whole thing and do something different or keep some features to blend it with the new design? Do you need a powder room? Is it plumbing issues, lighting, or you just need an updated bathroom?
Once you have answered these questions, you will have a good idea of what you want.
You will need to tackle important issues first and then work your way down to less significant details. You don’t want to set money aside for a gold seat and not have enough left to fix a plumbing issue.
Timeline and Budget for Your Project
Before you contact a remodeling contractor, you need to discuss with everyone that will be using the space. Think about the timing of the project, fittings and finishes you want to embed in the remodel and how much you’re budgeting for the project. Bathroom remodels can take between 15 – 45 days depending on the size of the project.
While planning for your budget, it’s important to put aside at least 10% to 20% of your budget for some unexpected costs and surprise expenses that are behind hidden walls.
For a general project breakdown with pricing, see Lolark’s website (https://www.lolarkcontractors.com)
Basic Bathroom Remodel Costs
* $12,500 – $15,000.
In most cases, for a small toilet or wet room you might not be able to reposition your fixtures such as the toilet, shower, bath or vanity. However, you will be able to replace your existing fixtures with new ones and still be able to redesign with accessories, paint and tiling.
Mid-Range Bathroom Remodel Costs
* $15,000 – $32,000.
Usually for small bathrooms that might include updated vanity and cabinetry, new tiling, shower or bath conversion and a few modern updates.
Premium Bathroom Renovation Costs
* $32,000 – $55,000
In most cases, master bathrooms remodeling that may include new vanity, cabinetry, shower conversion, new tiling, heated flooring, and high-end upgrades.
DIY or Hire a Professional?
Are you an experienced interior designer, plumber, and tiler? As attractive as DIY renovation might sound due to the expense savings, but let’s be realistic, there’s no assurance that you will accomplish your desired result. Besides that, we have very often seen projects that end up costing way more than they should have when homeowners must hire the pros to fix a botched DIY job.
Since you are not a full-time remodeler, doing part-time renovations on your bathroom yourself can increase you timeline by 3 to 4 times it would take a professional contractor to finish it.
If you’re finding it difficult setting out a plan for your bathroom, try speaking with a remodeling contractor and asking their advice. (Lolark contractors offer free consultation service, book one at https://lolarkcontractors.com)
Do you Need a Permit?
In most cases, you don’t need a permit if floorplan and functionality is to remain the same. However, certain plumbing or structural changes to your bathroom will require a permit process for your project.
Your remodeling contractor can take care of this process for you.
If you want to take your bathroom remodeling to the next level, incorporate the following in your bathroom remodeling:
Bathroom Layout
It is important to know that you would save a good amount of money on renovation and demolition if you keep the new bath’s plumbing fixtures closer to existing plumbing.
However, in case the remodeler discovers an outdated wiring or plumbing, they might suggest gutting out the old wires and pipes in order to allow the installation of the new ones, and also change the locations. You can analyze the available space and maximize it by adding some elements such as pedestal sinks, which are best known for making the bathroom look more spacious, a freestanding bath, heated towel rails and more storage space.
Plumbing Fixtures & Fittings
If you’ve decided to work with a professional renovation company like Lolark Contractors, your Renovation Consultant will guide you through choosing the right fittings (according to your style, needs and budget).
For example, clear glass shower doors are preferable to shower curtains on tubs because this would block the lighting and make the space seem more enclosed. Likewise, we advise homeowners to use a big mirror as a better alternative to a small cabinet mirror, this could visually double the space around your bathroom.
Light Fixtures
Lot of experimentation can be done with light fixture in bathroom these days but always make sure basics are covered first.
The vanity area and sink must be well lit to eliminate shadows on faces. An LED strip or Light-bar directly above the mirror is a good option.
LED recessed lights or Light-bar with wall sconces beside or over the mirror is a good option, because you can always install and use dimmer switches whenever the light is too bright.
Similarly, overhead lighting is very important in a bathroom. We advise you to consider using pendant lighting to create the illusion of a spectacular centerpiece ceiling and for ambience, you can always make use of frosted glass fixtures, sunken track lighting, or even rice paper; this can create useful lighting as well a soft, ambient glow.
Ventilation
There are certain principles that must be observed for proper ventilation in your bathroom. Not only is it code, but it is also good for your health. If there is no proper ventilation, toxins emitted by things like aerosol sprays and cleaning products will get trapped and inhaled over and over. Exhaust also helps get rid of moisture buildup and reduces risk of mold and mildew.
Consider getting a fan with timer. A top-quality fan is very important if you want to boost your bathroom’s ventilation capabilities. You can as well consider wiring in a dehumidifier.
Those with younger kids in the house or who don’t want to have the commitment of turning on the fan timer every time, can consider using a motion sensor for this purpose.
Choose the Color Theme
While deciding on the color theme, light colors are usually the best choice for a bathroom.
Don’t fear using color but really dark colors can remove relaxing effect from your bathroom. So, if you like dark colors, try using them as accent or only shower wall tile or backsplash in place of entire bathroom. If you end up choosing dark colors, you must pay closer attention to the lighting and design to ensure that the bathroom space looks expanse and bright.
Latest Bathroom Technology
Consider adding warming drawers, voice-activated lighting, smart touch-less toilets, a shower head with built-in Bluetooth speaker, waterproof TV’s, or a digital shower with LED temperature gauge. Mirror cabinets can also go hi-tech with smart control panels to operate the LED lighting, provide daily news, weather forecast, and traffic updates for your commute.
In Conclusion
Remodeling your bathroom is an exciting yet complex undertaking. This bathroom remodel guide is written to assist you embark on your remodeling project with ease. When it comes to remodeling, every little piece of information matters in order to achieve the optimal quality you desire.
With this ultimate bathroom remodel guide, we hope you are now more informed about the procedures and be able to make better decisions to achieve the bathroom of your dreams.
Think your bathroom could use a facelift? Book a free, in-home design consultation with Lolark Contractors today at https://lolarkcontractors.com.