6 things to consider when refurbishing a bathroom
When refurbishing rooms throughout your home, a bathroom can often be the trickiest. This is usually the case because you need to think about water, electricity, space, practicality and safety.
If you don’t consider a lot of the elements that go into a bathroom refurb, then you possibly face unexpected costs and a space that you’re not happy with.
To make the process a little easier, we’ve compiled a list of things to consider.
1. Plan ahead and stick to it
For most households, a bathroom refurb will likely require some work to be carried out by a plumber and possibly an electrician. With a hefty day-rate, you want to be sure you’ve correctly planned out exactly what you want to do, and that you stick to it.
The fewer things you change, then the less cost you will incur. However, if you plan correctly you will be able to reduce the possibility of unexpected costs and so you’ll have a bit more budget to change a few more parts of your bathroom.
Once you’ve created your plan, show it to your tradesmen as they’ll be able to identify any problem areas.
2. Pick sanitaryware first
By choosing your sanitaryware before anything else, then your plumber will be able to better plan any pipework that’s needed.
Also, depending on your choice of style, picking your sanitaryware will help you make a final decision on the design of your tiles and how many you’ll need. You don’t want to budget for 25 tiles, only to find out the bath you later picked requires another 25.
3. Spend a little more where required
There’s very little point in spending big on a stone basin that sits upon your gorgeous oak counter-top, only to spend peanuts on a poorly built tap that’s going to leak.
When purchasing anything that seals in pressurised water, you should look at brands that have a high reputation for build quality, as well as a good warranty and the ability to buy spare parts later down the line. hansgrohe is a great example, you can see a variety of their taps here.
You should also look for good build quality when it comes to shower heads and hoses. I spent £9.99 on a poor shower head several years ago, and it took 6 months of having to keep tightening it up before I just went and bought something better. Spend wisely from the beginning and you’ll enjoy a better shower experience, without having to spend more in the future and put more products into landfill.
4. Think about space
A cramped bathroom can become very stressful, especially ensuites where you’re likely to be sharing the space. When planning your sanitaryware, map out on your floor where they’d sit and see if there’s adequate space around them for you to manoeuvre.
The minimalist bathroom ideas you’ve been looking at on pinterest may look amazing, but it’s easy to spot the biggest issue with them – and that’s storage space.
All bathrooms need a cabinet or drawers where you can store your necessities. A great space for drawers is as close to the sink as possible, as it’s likely you’ll be using products taken out of the drawer near your sink. For cabinets, check your wall space near your chosen sink, and see where it would best fit. But don’t put it directly above the sink, because…
5. Mirrors make the space
A correctly sized and placed mirror can give the appearance of more space in your bathroom, but you’ll also want one above the sink. It’s up to you (and your space) if you have more than one in the room.
One thing to consider with a bathroom mirror is that you’ll likely prefer having one that is easy to clean. Many of the beautiful mirrors out there aren’t always the most practical to use in a bathroom setting.
Look for one that’s easy to clean, provides you with a good-sized reflection and if the budget allows – one that has built in LED lighting.
6. Let there be light
A bathroom requires good lighting, and it’s often a ‘cooler’ colour then the rest of the home. For example, throughout my home I have warm lighting to give a more homely feeling. However, in the bathroom it’s a clear white colour as it helps wake me up in the morning, and also gives better clarity when shaving my beard!
Of course, you don’t have to have a whiter light. But be sure to make sure it’s LED as these are efficient and last a long longer than incandescent bulbs. Also, be sure that you chose lighting that’s suitable for a damp environment.
In terms of your light fixture, you may require an electrician if your current fixture location isn’t correct for your new one. If you are not a qualified electrician, then I highly recommend having one come in to install anything electrical.
Ask for help
Planning a project such as the above is not something that everyone should be expected to be able to do. If you need advice, then ask for it. There are many online forums where people are willing to advise when necessary. You can also have tradesmen come out and give you a quote which will give you a chance to bounce your ideas off them.
When it comes to choosing your taps, showers, toilets and lighting you can give us a call or send an email using the below form and we can help you spec out what you’ll need.
Get in touch today for help with your refurb
0333 123 5464