10 Mistakes to Avoid for Bathroom Renovation
A newly renovated bathroom can end up being one of your favourite rooms throughout your home. Many people can gain a lot of comfort for themselves, not to mention adding value to their homes with the ideal bathroom renovations. It is important to try and avoid the common pitfalls or mistakes that many other people have fallen prey to in the past. At Craft Contracting, we always make sure to put the needs of our clients first in every job we get. That is why we have prepared a short list of mistakes that should be avoided by anyone who is interested in a new bathroom renovation in Ottawa. By keeping these tips in mind, homeowners can save a lot of grief in the future as well as expenses.
Avoid 10 mistakes for your new bathroom
1. Buying on date trends
If you’ve ever walked into a bathroom and been struck by some of the confusing design choices, keep in mind that the room might have once been seen as trendy. Unfortunately, the reality about most trends in bathroom designs and renovations is that they will not always be the right trend. When coming up with the model for your new bathroom, try to avoid getting involved with current trends. For your personal satisfaction, as well as the value of reselling your home, it is better to renovate your bathroom considering the most elegant and classic features and equipment.
2. Lack of storage
Bathrooms are limited sometimes in terms of the space they can offer. When renovating your bathroom, you need to consider the type of storage you have had. While you do not need to keep all the storage you had, it is best to plan to keep some bathroom storage. This includes adequate cabinet space, drawer and vanity storage, and even towel racks and useful places to store shower items.
3. Inaccurate building materials
A qualified and experienced contractor should be able to provide appropriate guidance on which materials are suitable for a bathroom and which are not. For example, due to regular exposure to water and humid air, items such as softwoods and fabric-based materials should never be used in the bathroom. In fact, if you come across a contractor who either offers these materials or does not show that they are a bad idea for a bathroom, this may be a good indication that a particular contractor is not the one for you.
4. Exceeding expenses
A good rule of thumb for any bathroom renovation project is to keep your costs below 1.5% of the total value of your property. Doing so will stop you from making any unnecessarily expensive choices when planning your renovation. While it may be tempting to brag about some custom accessories or fancy mirrors, you need to ask yourself if they are really worth spending.
5. Ventilation is Key
Even the best bathroom renovation can start to look worse over time without proper ventilation to keep everything dry. With a regular accumulation of moisture, you will immediately notice issues like mould on painted walls and cracks in paint and dry tiles. These issues will only get worse as time goes on if you do not have proper ventilation installed, such as a ceiling fan or steam extractor.
6. Inadequate waterproofing
Plumbing and waterproofing are the main factors when it comes to any bathroom renovation. This is very important to address the first time, as it can be difficult to notice an issue before a major injury has been done. It is therefore vital that you use a skilled and certified plumber and/or tile to treat bath areas where water is involved.
7. Inadequate drainage
Regarding waterproofing, it is about drainage. If a problem occurs with your shower, sink or toilet drain, repair costs can increase rapidly as the damage spreads to other areas of your home. Your drains, as well as any surface lying around your drains, must be properly connected and sloping so that the water goes where it needs to and nowhere else.
8. Inadequate lighting
Lighting in your bathroom is very important. Not only does it make things easier to see and do in the bathroom, but it is also important to your safety. While many people can enjoy some form of ambient lighting in their bathroom to relax in the bathtub, task lighting should be a priority in any bathroom renovation. Make sure you have adequate lighting above the sink and in the shower.
9. Inadequate Electrical Connections and Receptacles
Due to the proximity of water in a bathroom, it is important that you have a qualified electrician who performs installations or at least inspections of your bathroom electrical system. There are specific codes to be followed and electrical appliances to be used in a bathroom. Things like GFCI outlets and wall switches maintain a proper distance from water faucets and connections should be standard in any bathroom renovation.
10. Removing the bathtub
Many people have removed a bathtub from their homes altogether. While this may mean more space in the bathroom, it is not a good idea to get all the bathtubs out of your home. Recent statistics show that homes without bathtubs in any bathroom can negatively affect the resale value. There should be at least one bathtub in the house, though you will not earn any resale value by adding extra bathtubs if you already have one.
For more tips or helpful advice about your next bathroom renovation, contact us today for the friendly team of experts Renovco Ottawa.
