Modeling a bathroom can be fun but a lot of inexperienced homeowners often forget some of the most essential things that they need to avoid doing. In this guide, we list down some of the most common bathroom remodeling mistakes that can drive up your cost, slow down the delivery time, and result in increased maintenance.
Not Having a Plan
Starting your bathroom project haphazardly is a sure-fire way to exceed your budget. Although bathrooms are smaller than other rooms of your house, they are one of the most complicated places to renovate since they contain more services, like plumbing, electrical, fixtures, fittings, and appliances. For example, if you install a shower stall and then decided to move it to the other corner, it would cost you more and waste more time if you had done it correctly in the first place. Creating a plan or an outline of your bathroom helps you do that.
Replacing Rather Than Repairing
If your bathroom stuff is made of good quality, it will last for a long time. If you notice is looking dull or a bit frayed around the edges, it is better to get it repaired and maintained rather than bear the expense of replacing the entire thing. Maybe the tiles in your shower stalls simply need regrouting rather than a full rehaul. Maybe the vanity is chipped and needs a few tiles replaced or a dab of paint here and there. Bathroom elements are embedded deeper into the house and if you try to rip out your flooring, fixtures, and fittings, it can be challenging and drive up the cost. Similarly, it will also be much harder for you to install new material in the bathroom.
Ignoring Ventilation
A bathroom window and a fan is a must. Some people may have windows in their bathroom but no fans; however, keep in mind that insufficient ventilation can be damaging to your bathroom over the long run. The moisture in the bathroom can cause mold and mildew to develop on your tiles and fixtures and emit strange odors. It is recommended that you install a small ventilation fan or a heat lamp in your bathroom so that your shower space can dry sufficiently.
Installing the Wrong Flooring
Not all floorings that you can place in other rooms of your home are appropriate for the bathroom. Ceramic and porcelain tiles, marble, vinyl plank, and sheet vinyl flooring are good choices for bathroom flooring as they shed water. Some people do add wood flooring to the bathroom but they inevitably decay. If you want to use stone as bathroom flooring, make sure they are sealed and keep getting them sealed regularly so it does not allow water to permeate them. Choosing the wrong bathroom flooring not just compromises your bathroom, it also ruins the underlying structure of your house.
Bottom Line
If you are handy with household tools, you can probably handle small projects like fitting your sink, painting the walls, or installing tiles. However, when it comes to advanced bathroom constructions like building a new shower stall, doing a tile surround job, or fixing wiring or plumbing, it is important that you get the help of a professional. Your bathroom project will have less chance of having mistakes and you will be able to keep things within budget.