Bathroom Renovation
When we bought our 1970’s era house, it looked like none of the bathrooms had ever been updated. There were dim light fixtures, dark wood, and laminate countertops. In addition, the previous homeowners had been less than meticulous with general upkeep, so there were quite a few issues to tackle.
We learned a renovation doesn’t start with demolition. There’s lots of work to be done before the first hammer swing. Here are five pre-renovation tips to get your bathroom renovation started right!
Test for asbestos.
If you have a home built before the 1980’s (you can always test newer homes just to be sure), you should definitely get asbestos testing done before you begin your project. We discovered that the previous owners had laid tile over the original layer of linoleum. Testing revealed that the linoleum and the joint compound in the walls contained asbestos. Our contractor recommended a reputable company to come in and mitigate, but it added time and expense to our project. This isn’t an unusual situation: asbestos is a real problem lurking in many houses. However, if you know about it before you even begin, you can adjust your schedule and budget accordingly.
Find a designer you love.
If you are unhappy with the floorplan or space in your bathroom, a great designer will be invaluable. Make sure you interview a few designers; taking time to discuss your aesthetic, priorities, and needs thoroughly with them. It is incredibly important to hire someone you feel comfortable having an honest dialogue with. Once you’ve got a designer that you’d like to work with, talk through the flow, use, and priorities for your new bathroom design. What do you want changed? What could stay the same? A designer will be able to help with floorplan, color scheme, tile styles, and more. They may even be willing to come shopping with you to help with selection. One item of note: most designers charge by the hour, so if budget is an issue, make sure you’re utilizing their services wisely.
Collect inspiration.
Start building your look-book. The more you look at different ideas, the more you’re going to understand what works or doesn’t work for you. It’s important to have a feeling about the type of space that you’re interested in creating. Of course, your designer can help with this, but having some ideas before you start will help the process move forward more efficiently.
Figure out logistics.
Are you renovating your only bathroom? Is it the only bathroom with a shower? Are you a family of two or four? How are you going to deal with being down a bathroom as this renovation happens? Most bathroom renovations take four to six weeks (not including time for asbestos mitigation or other potential delays), so make a plan as to how you’re going to deal with being without a bathroom for that length of time.
Get your contractor lined up.
As soon as you’re ready, start interviewing contractors. This way, once the design is finalized, you can move right into the demolition and rebuilding process. Designers often have suggestions for contractors that they know and have worked with previously, so ask for references. It’s really important to take time to interview the contractor and understand their style. Are they responsive? Do they keep things on time and moving? Do they communicate well? A good contractor will make a renovation much easier. Once you know who you’d like to go with, get on their schedule. Good contractors are often busy and you may find they have a long lead time before they can begin work on your project.