For most people, the bathroom is often the first place to look when thinking of a house renovation. Bathroom renovation is a great way to increase the resale value of your house. Aside from the kitchen, bathrooms are typically the room that gets the most attention from prospective home buyers.
If your bathroom is outdated, it could hurt your home’s resale value. Houses with modern bathrooms tend to sell fast.
Remodeling your bathroom is an investment that typically has a good return. Not to mention, it is a room that you may walk through almost every day.
Remodeling this room in your house is worth the effort even pre-sale because you get to enjoy a comfortable, newly renovated part of your house and reap the benefits of it later if you decide to sell your property.
We regularly use lots of items in the bathroom, and a renovation provides the chance to increase your bathroom storage space and upgrade appliances. Additionally, it allows you to update the look of your bathroom.
Planning Your Remodel Project
Timely planning is critical whenever doing renovations. Planning lets you know what to expect before getting started. With so many activities involved, it’s essential to be very clear about your needs.
How far do you want to go? If certain challenges arise, are you still willing to complete the project?
Start by listing down your priorities before commencing the remodeling process. If you jump into the renovation project too quickly without proper planning, mistakes can happen later on that can delay the project.
Do your due diligence by researching everything that is needed to complete the renovation. Hiccups commonly occur during home renovation projects even when a fully proofed plan is in place.
By preparing as much as possible before beginning the renovation, you give yourself the best chance to save money and avoid delays later in the project.
Asking some key questions helps you define the scope of the project.
- How much is the project going to cost? Bathroom remodeling can be costly. Therefore, look for ways to save on the remodeling costs.
- Figure out whether your plans will require local permits from the city. Getting these ahead of time, and anticipating how long it will take to get approval on them, will prevent potential fines. It also avoids having the project paused at inconvenient times mid-stream.
Take a good look at the project to see if it’s something you can do. It’s one way to save you some cash. Not all phases of the project require a professional.
For example, you can stroll down the bathroom aisles of Home Depot and find nearly anything that you need for your project. Also consider how large your bathroom is.
However, if you’re hiring a professional, make sure they’re licensed and have a solid track record of this type of work so you know their bids will be trustworthy. Friends and family can be a good source of recommendations.
Measurements
Before buying renovation products for your bathroom, it’s vital to take measurements. Ensure you know the kind of fittings and sizes to avoid costly mistakes.
Unless you’re using a sliding door, the entry door width is an essential factor to consider. If you skip this step, the materials that you have prepared for the project could be completely off.
Unfortunately, many people end up cutting certain materials too small. You can’t go back and add the material back onto the original piece (usually). Take proper measurements to avoid mistakes later on when renovating your bathroom.
To accommodate residents with disabilities, be mindful of how wide the door opens. These are the types of considerations that make the home far more appealing to viewers and prevent that feeling they may have of loving almost everything about it, but a few things stop it from feeling right.
Moreover, expanding the bathroom entryway increases the number of potential buyers when selling the house. When re-configuring bathrooms, keep the heavy foot traffic in mind. Although features such as sinks and large shows are necessary, walking space is paramount.
Whenever possible, obtain architectural drawings ahead of time, especially if the remodel work involves altering plumbing or electrical, or manipulating walls. Most reputable remodeling contractors will require this before beginning work.
Consider Your Bathroom’s Lighting
Good lighting for the bathroom is a change that can impact more than you might expect. Most people tend to save the lighting decision for later. However, it’s highly recommended to decide on lighting before starting the renovation process.
That comes down to where the lights will be located as well as color tone and brightness. Warmer tones can create a more homey feel, but whiter “daylight” bulbs can improve the perception of fine details. A little extra brightness can really make brushed steel or brass finishing pop.
Remember to utilize as much natural light as possible. However, if natural light is not enough, opt for cost-effective lighting solutions.
Ask your renovator for suggestions for the perfect lighting for your bathroom. Recessed lighting can add a bright and modern look to your bathroom. These types of lights don’t take up much space and are easy to keep clean from dust and mold.
Depending on the length of your ceiling, you may be limited to a certain number of spots that you can actually add lighting fixtures. Additionally, if your house has old electric wiring through its structure, tasks like this become increasingly more difficult.
Remember, bad lighting can make your bathroom look smaller. Consider getting mirrors. They help give the illusion of more sources of light.
Bathroom Ventilation
When renovating your bathroom, don’t forget the ventilation. Depending on how your current ventilation system is structured through the house, you may need to add additional ventilation pipes into the ceiling.
Especially if you plan on moving the vent to a different part of the bathroom, you may need to add more to the current ventilation setup. This is one project that you definitely do not want to skimp out on. Installing a ventilation system incorrectly can lead to numerous airflow problems down the road.
The bathroom is one of the wettest rooms in the house. Proper ventilation helps keep excess moisture from building up. Excess moisture comes with potential problems. It can lead to the peeling of the wallpaper, causing you to dig again deeper into your pockets to resolve later.
Choosing the proper bathroom fan helps keep the humidity in check. Some fans can act as both a fan and lighting fixture while adding a bit of style. For proper bathroom ventilation, the fan should be installed in the right spot.
Remember installing the fan to a bathroom that didn’t have one requires a professional. A vent fan with an automatic humidity sensor can come in handy.
Regardless of the vision that you have for your bathroom, it is important to follow the proper steps when renovating this part of your house. There are many items that seem easy to repair and renovate at first, but end up being a giant hassle.
Plan out your entire scope of work in advance, and hire out parts of the process that you feel like you should. Bringing in a professional to help you renovate your bathroom can be a huge time and money saver.
Alex Capozzolo is a partner of Cash Offer Kentucky, a home buyer based in Louisville, KY. He has been writing for the real estate industry for several years. Cash Offer Kentucky focuses on single-family and small multi-family houses.