Remodeling Bathrooms
Remodeling bathrooms is the most frequent type of home improvement, and gives 80% to 90% return on investment - the highest of any home improvement project. If you've looked at other pages on this site, you'll notice a recurring theme regarding something important. PLANNING - The most important aspect of a project like this is the PLANNING. Old time carpenters have a saying - "Measure twice, cut once." The more you think and plan about this project, the smoother it'll go, and the happier you'll be with the result. Figure on taking about 6 months before the work actually begins. During the first couple of months, you should look at magazines, visit home centers, and make lists of the items you really like. Taking pictures as you go with a digital camera might help. Think about your lifestyle, your wish list, and your budget. Decide things like: bath - with or without jets; dual shower heads or single; towel warmer of not; radiant floors?; exhaust fans with heaters?; should we have a few plants in the room?; and so on - for every item that will go into the new bathroom. A big decision when remodeling bathrooms(in terms of impact on the cost) will be whether or not you will expand an existing space, or stay within the confines of the existing walls. Either way, I recommend this project be done by a pro. There are too many disciplines involved in remodeling bathrooms for the typical homeowner to do all of them professionally. And if structural changes are involved, you'll need an architect as well.
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HOW MUCH TO SPEND - The average cost of remodeling bathrooms these days is $15,000 to $18,000. That doesn't mean you can't spend $60,000, or $10,000. If you can't spend that much, there are a few substitutions you could make to help bring the cost down. The single biggest saving will be if you don't enlarge the room. Keep all the walls where they are. Instead of ceramic tile, use a laminate or engineered wood for the floor. You could also have wood (instead of tiles) as a wainscot on the walls. You might cover up sections of walls rather than replacing (like a shower wall liner instead of new tiles, for example).
PICKING A CONTRACTOR - Once you know what you want, how do you go about selecting the right guys for the job? Get referrals. This is the single most important thing to do when remodeling bathrooms, and is the best way to establish a short list of bidders. While getting referrals, get the name of the supervising individual who ran the job. If you hear praise about him or her, that's the person you want running your job. That person is CRITICAL to the smooth execution of the work. Try to have at least 3 contractors on that list, and invite them to your home so that they can see the space before giving you a price. This should result in lower prices because they won't have to make assumptions and "cover themselves" due to unknown issues. During their visits, ask lots of questions. Ask about aspects of the your project that you're unsure about. They might have suggestions about alternative ways that would lower the price. Ask about how long they think the job will take (more about how long is should take later). Determine what the contractor will buy, and what you will buy. He can buy everything if you give him model numbers and names, and it might not cost you more because he could get a professional discount from a regular supplier that you won't get. I would comparison shop though, just to make sure having him buy the materials won't cost more. Ask how they'll protect the rest of the house from dust; if they clean up after each day's work; who the job super will be and what his experience is in remodeling bathrooms (remember the guy you heard about when you get the referrals). Make sure the contractor has the appropriate licenses and insurance (worker's compensation & liability). You will probably develop a "gut feeling," giving you a preferred choice. 9 out of 10 times, that guy won't be the low bidder. Now you have a decision to make. What you do depends on how strong a feeling you have about the bidder, and how big a difference there is in the prices. Okay, so you bite the bullet and make your choice. Work out a payment schedule (if you haven't already), tying any progress payments to the work schedule. (Example: 1st payment at signing of the agreement; 2nd upon installation of tile work; final upon completion of punch list.)
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THINGS YOU SHOULD DO - All items that you are buying have to be ordered before the work starts. Have a place set aside to hold the deliveries (i.e. garage). Tell the contractor what the delivery dates will be (of any items you are buying) so he can schedule around them without delaying the job. Before remodeling bathrooms, always prepare the space. Clear out all linens and toiletries, setting your family up in another bathroom. If you have kids, it might be prudent to arrange a few sleepovers. Same deal for pets. Remodeling bathrooms is no fun for the residents. Patience should be emphasized. Be available to answer questions. If you won't be home, give the contractor your contact numbers so he can get questions answered without delaying his work. Delays can get expensive. It might be a good idea to let your neighbors know what to expect. They will see a few trucks and hear some noise during the job. Not required, but can't hurt - might even prevent a complaint being sent to the wrong people. SCHEDULE FOR REMODELING BATHROOMS - Demolition and rubbish removal should take 2 days, but could take longer is there are difficult conditions involved in getting the rubbish out. Rough carpentry, if you're changing walls or replacing studs, will take 2 days or less, depending on the scope of the work. The plumbing and electrical roughing (the part that's in the walls or under the floor) is another day or 2. Insulation of any exterior walls (maximum of 2) should be done in a couple of hours. Installing sheetrock should take a day. Make sure they use concrete board at the bath/shower, and green (moisture-resistant) sheetrock everywhere else. Taping and spackling will take 2 or 3 days. There are typically 3 coats, with drying and sanding in between applications. Tile work will take 3 days. Again, there is drying time between setting the tile, the grout, and the sealer. Installation of cabinetry will take a day. Flooring will take 2 or 3 days, determined by the type of floor. Installation of fixtures (toilet, sink, faucets, shower controls, etc.) is another day. Painting (and/or wallpaper) is at least 2 days. Allow 1 1/2 days for miscellaneous items and contingencies. Some of these items can overlap, and the total should be no more than 18 working days.
CAUTION:If you plan to use a sealer/enhancer on the tile or stone, it will change the color. So your color scheme might get thrown off. It happened to me and I ended up repainting the walls (much cheaper than ripping the tile out). To avoid this, have the tile supplier give you a tile sample AFTER the enhancer is applied. Then determine what the color scheme will be. 
BATHROOM DESIGN & SELECTIONSThere will be two primary issues influencing your thinking when remodeling bathrooms - space and budget.A powder room or small bathroom will end up having completely different product selections than a large bath or typical master bath. It's usually better to have the door swinging into the bathroom rather than out into a hall or other room. Guest baths don't normally require much storage, and the fixtures can be smaller than those needed for a larger room. The decor issues are all about your preferences. You can have totally different color schemes, which would add interest, or you could have a continuous theme running throughout the house. Still another option is to have one basic color in all the bathrooms which creates a unifying thread, and then vary the accent colors to create the interest. The amount of good natural light coming into the room is another factor which will influence your choices. Keep in mind that you can create light by adding a window or skylight. To get a more in-depth discussion about various aspects of remodeling bathrooms, click on the appropriate link below. There's a great online bathroom remodel design resource at bathroom remodel & design. For several inexpensive Bathroom Decorating Ideas. Wall Mounted Bathroom Cabinets. Any questions about remodeling bathrooms? Let me know by clicking here. Bathroom design ideas, materials, planning and photo's Find Bathroom Service Contractors. Get Up to 4 Quotes Now. It's Quick, Free, and Easy!
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