Many people choose to update their bathrooms to a modern design and layout. They don’t realize how easy it is to make mistakes when choosing a new bathroom plan, budgeting for their bathroom renovation, or trying to “DIY” their project instead of finding an experienced bathroom remodeling professional.
Below, one of our bathroom renovation experts with Hunter Kitchen & Bath in Devon, PA, describes common mistakes homeowners make when updating their bathrooms, as well as how to plan for your dream bathroom remodeling project.
1. Choosing the Wrong Materials
Bathrooms contain a lot of moisture and heat, making them susceptible to mold, mildew, rust, and stains. While natural stones like marble and granite look beautiful, they are porous, meaning that water, soap scum, mold, and hard water can leave stains on natural stone surfaces. For your countertops, if you want a marble look with very little maintenance, consider quartz countertops. Quartz countertops use a manufactured stone product that binds ground or chipped stone material with non-porous resin, making it super-durable and low maintenance.
Avoid materials like stone or natural hardwood for your flooring unless you are ready to do some regular maintenance. Instead, look for an engineered hardwood floor for the look of wood with better water resistance or a lightly textured tile for an excellent water-resistant or waterproof material. Both are excellent options if you’re considering heated floors in your bathroom.
2. Not Budgeting Correctly
Even if your contractor inspected your bathroom before drafting your bathroom remodeling quote, they haven’t started on the work yet. Contractors often find issues with plumbing, improper flooring installation, dead outlets, and other problems that can inflate the cost of your bathroom renovation.
Even DIY projects can careen over budget as homeowners face temptations from multi-spray shower upgrades, bidet features, and custom shower glass. Consider instead which gadgets you’ll use and if it’s worth the extra spend to get that luxury upgrade for your bathroom renovation.
3. Over-Customizing Their Bathroom
Eventually, you will likely sell your home. If you over-personalize your bathroom, will it help with your home’s sale value, or will prospective buyers just see the costs they’ll have to spend to “fix” your bathroom remodel to suit their needs? If you’re considering wallpaper, a colored sink or toilet, or applying a mural to one or more walls, consult an experienced bathroom design pro to determine if your personalized touches will improve your home’s resale value.
4. Ignoring the Plumbing and Electrical Wiring
Your current plumbing may be sufficient to upgrade the toilet, sinks, tub, or shower. However, if you want to move any of these features, you need to consider water supply and drainage. Frequently, homeowners want serious upgrades to their shower, adding more fixtures, which may require better water supply lines coming from the main water inlet in the house.
You may also need to move electrical outlets or upgrade your wiring to meet new codes during your bathroom remodeling project. Electrical and plumbing work in a bathroom are not simple tasks. If you fail to install your plumbing properly, you could face thousands of dollars in water damage. Hire a professional contractor for your bathroom renovation to handle electrical and plumbing work in your remodel.
5. Forgetting About Storage Space
Open vanity shelves are trendy, but they often offer less storage space. Additionally, large sinks often leave little space on your vanity counter. How many bathroom products do you use? Where do you store towels and additional toiletries? Consider an enclosed bathroom cabinet for your storage space or add a linen closet or cabinet inside the bathroom for towels.
6. Not Hiring a Professional
If you intend to trust an experienced contractor with your bathroom remodeling project, be sure to check their references, look up their license number and insurance policies, and ask for examples of their work. A full bathroom renovation is often more than a handyman can handle.
7. Trying to Do Everything Themselves
Bathrooms are moist environments with water sources, drainage flows, and electrical sources. Unless you have worked as a contractor before, a bathroom renovation is not a safe place to perform your first home remodeling project. Please stay safe and trust an experienced professional to do the work right the first time.
Contact Hunter Kitchen & Bath for Custom Bathroom Design in Chester, PA
For help from a professional, modern bathroom design contractor in Chester, PA, contact us at Hunter Kitchen & Bath. We offer an assortment of luxury bathroom solutions for your bathroom remodeling project. Contact us today at 484-872-8801 or contact us online to set up your initial consultation for your bathroom remodel.