What do I need to consider when doing a bathroom renovation?

Bathroom renovations are one of the best types of renovations to improve your home. Everyone likes it when their bathroom is clean, bright and modern, without mould all over the walls and half-broken fixings that came straight out of the 70’s. There’s just so much that can be improved in a bathroom renovation. So where do you actually begin?

Well, there’s a number of considerations to be made when you start doing your bathroom renovation. These are all questions that you can ask yourself, and the answers will help guide the actual renovation.

Do I like the current position of my plumbed outlets (taps, shower heads, toilet etc.) and is there anything I want to remove or add?

This is an important question to ask yourself, and it’s one that we’d be happy to discuss with you. You have to remember that everything takes up space, and the bigger you want your shower, bath or vanity unit, the less space you have for everything else. If you don’t want to have to move any of your plumbed outlets then you may need to dial back on some of your more extravagantly sized ideas. If you’re planning on updating your hot water system to tank-less to save some money in the long run, or changing the positioning of your existing system, you will need to consider how this may affect things as well.

Are there any specific or special fixtures that I like the look of? Do I have any special requests, like ceiling mounted dual rain shower heads, a hidden toilet cistern or waterfall taps?

There are so many wonderful fixtures available on the market now that you can really achieve almost any look you can dream of. Just look up ‘modern bathroom ideas’ on Google, Pinterest or Houzz and see what we mean! It really is endless. Of course you do need to keep in mind that those fancy matte black waterfall bath and basin taps are going to set you back a lot more than a standard chrome tap from Bunnings, and will likely need more upkeep to maintain in good condition.

What do I want to achieve with my tiling? Do I want full wall coverage or just part around the shower? What sort of floor tiles do I want? What sort of wall tiles do I want? What colour scheme am I going for?

This is just like the question about the fixtures – you can really go wild on your tiling and the cost can add up. Keep in mind the colour scheme that you’re going to have in your bathroom and think about the way it will flow through the walls, the floors, the ceilings, the fixtures, the toilet, the vanity. Will it all go together, or are you trying to be too ambitious? Tiles can be a wonderful feature, but they can also ruin a look if you go overboard. You don’t want absolutely every surface and every item in your bathroom to be a ‘feature’ piece or there will be too much going on. So do you really need those multitudes of black marbled stone tiles or would a simple large matte black stone tile with white grout work better? Then, how much tiling do you want? Traditional bathrooms tended to only have tiling around the shower (and not even all the way to the ceiling!) but nowadays more modern builds tend to do ceiling to floor tiling. Consider how it’ll look, as well as the cost.

What sort of vanity unit do I want? Can it be a floor mounted or freestanding unit, or do I want a wall mounted ‘floating’ vanity? Do I want ‘his and hers’ dual basins?

Yet another thing with countless options available! Basic vanity units can be found in every Bunnings store, and these will give you a good starting point on both your price point, and what you can hope to see in your bathroom. Dual basins are a great addition if you’re sharing a home with your partner and you need to be able to get ready in the morning at the same time, but they’ll probably need additional plumbing if you didn’t already have one. Floating vanities look fantastic, and you have the added benefit of not stubbing your toe on the base of it when you’re half asleep and not paying attention! Consider all your options, bearing in my what space you have available to you and what other things you’ll have in your bathroom too.

Do I want or need a bath hob, or would I like to go with a freestanding bath? Do I want a bath or shower recess?

If you’ve got the space for a bath and really want one, then it’s definitely worth thinking about this. Freestanding bathtubs are really growing in popularity, with things like circular tubs with floor mounted taps, or handmade hardwood timber baths doing the circuit. Just remember that some of these items are considered a luxury showpiece and can end up costing you as much as the rest of your bathroom renovation. Recesses on the other hand are almost a standard commodity now, and almost no modern shower is complete without one.

Is the current lighting/exhaust fan adequate or would I like to change this?

This is a good question to ask! Many older styled properties have those combination ceiling mounted light/heater/exhaust fan units, and while some of the older models aren’t particularly stylish anymore they do work incredibly well. So, what do you want to do? You could go for LED lighting and a dedicated ceiling exhaust fan, or you could keep what you currently have. Just make sure that you get your ventilation right from the start, so you can avoid dampness and mould growth. You might just need to give your exhaust fan a good clean up to get it working good as new again.

Is there anything that I really like that I want to keep?

Another very good question to ask yourself. Keeping parts of your existing bathroom can often remove the need to hire a certified plumber for some of the work, which can save a bit of money, but we need to ensure that it integrated aesthetically with the rest of your renovation. It also means that whatever else that you’re dreaming of for your bathroom renovation will need to work around the parts you’re keeping.

Knowing that I want all this fancy stuff but don’t know the costs involved, what sorts of compromises would I be willing to make in case things don’t fit my budget, or I just don’t have the space to fit everything in where I want it to be?

The final, and most important, of these questions. Even though you have your vision in your mind of precisely how you want things to be, you might not have the space or the budget to achieve this. We can help find compromises that still give you the end result that you’re hoping for, but that fit within the parameters of what is available in terms of space and money. You just need to work with us to find where you’re willing to compromise.

Now that you’ve asked yourself those questions, you’re ready to take the next step toward building your brand new bathroom. Contact us and we’ll come and see you and assess the best way to tackle your bathroom renovation!

If you’re more interested updating your kitchen area, check out our blog post on Things to Consider before doing your Kitchen Renovation here.