So it’s no wonder that we are investing a little more in our sanitary spaces.
But bathrooms are tricky to plan, so to help you, we’ve listed the top renovating mistakes, and how to avoid them, right here in this blog.
Overspending
Easily done in a wet area when special precautions needs to be taken into consideration to avoid damp. To keep costs down, consider these key points:
- Avoid the expense of custom making when choosing what features to have.
- Purchase all your tiles; tap ware, sanitary ware, cabinets and accessories before you start – if you go through your builder you can get a better rate.
- If you are able to – maintain the configuration of the bathroom, this saves money on plumbing.
Waterproofing
A leaking shower is expensive to fix, so it’s worth putting more money into quality backgrounds, tile adhesives and grout when you are buying the materials for your background. A good builder will be able to sit down and talk through this with you if you are unsure of what to get.
Once the waterproofing is complete, keep an eye on the follow up trades, especially if you are hiring in different tradespeople yourself – for example with the tiler: a small nick in the waterproof membrane with the trowel or will compromise its integrity and may result in a leak.
Poor ventilation
Nobody wants mould in their bathroom, and again if not addressed at the start this will become an expensive problem at a later date. Speak to your builder about fans and which is the right paint to use in your bathroom when decorating to lessen the risk of mould taking hold, they will know what is required to meet building regulation approvals.
Overcrowding
Storage is key but try to avoid overcrowding the bathroom – if you have a separate toilet close by, don’t install one in the bathroom – maximise the space as much as possible to make the room less cluttered. It’s worth considering that changing the side the door swings from can improve the use of the space as well as considering sliding and bi-fold options – have a chat with your builder about this to see what they think.
Poor lighting
Many of bathroom activities require good lighting, so a large mirror over the basin along with some lighting that directs back onto the face is worth thinking about.
Removing the bath
Taking the bath out of a home will affect the resale, but if there is already a bath in the home, a second will not add value.
Don’t get too trendy
Bathroom fixtures and features can really date – your choice may be very on-trend when it is installed but within a short timeframe it will begin to look dated. Keep your, fixtures, fittings and finishes elegant and classical, to ensure your bathroom has an appeal that lasts for a very long time.
Inappropriate materials
All surfaces in the bathroom should be impervious to moisture otherwise it will swell, rot or discolour with time. So be sure to exclude soft wood, non-waterproof mdf, and particleboard, and fabric. Also any porous stones such as travertine marble and hardwood should be sealed.
Tiling can be a massive part of the expense relating to the bathroom, it’s worth spending the time finding a tile you like before your builder has even started on site. They will need to know the thickness of the tiles, even at the first fix plumbing stage, to ensure the shower mixer is in the correct position.
If you’re looking to get work done on your bathroom and need some advice then give us a call today to find out more!