Performing a complete bathroom remodel is a major undertaking. With a national average cost of $12,000 to $27,500 for a 10×10 bathroom, according to Forbes, remodeling your bathroom also requires a substantial investment.
While the investment can definitely pay off by increasing the value of your home and its aesthetic appeal, it’s important to think carefully and plan everything out before diving into the project. By doing so, you can usually help to keep the costs lower and also make certain that you’re fully satisfied with the results and that everything closely matches your original vision. With that in mind, here are some of the most important factors you’ll want to consider when planning your bathroom remodel.
1. Available Space and Accessibility
The first thing to think about is the space you have available and how you can make the best use of it. You want to make sure that everything flows well and that all your fixtures are easily accessible. The last thing you want is for your bathroom to feel too cramped or crowded or to get finished and find that things don’t work quite as well as you planned. Even seemingly small details such as the way the bathroom door and the door to the shower opens can make a major difference in how large or small the space seems and how easy everything is to access.
If your space is limited, you may want to choose a corner shower with a sliding or rolling door. Other options are to just install glass panels for a walk-in shower without a door or to have the door swing into the shower instead of outward. Depending on the location of the bathroom and the layout of your house, you may also be able to expand your bathroom by knocking down a wall and taking some of the space in an adjacent closet or other room.
If you’re a senior and plan on making this your forever home, you’ll also want to give some consideration to making sure the bathroom continues to be accessible as you age. Opting for a slightly taller toilet can be a major help in this regard. You’ll also want to make sure that the entrance to the shower is easy to access and doesn’t have a large lip you need to step over to get in, which usually means installing a walk-in shower. You should also consider the type of flooring you put in the shower and the rest of the bathroom and choose something that is non-slip or at least doesn’t get too slick when wet.
2. Plumbing Locations
When performing a complete bathroom remodel, you often have the option to change the location of all the plumbing fixtures. Switching the location of your shower, bathtub, sink, or toilet can help make your bathroom feel more modern and/or make everything more accessible.
Replacing the existing water lines and rerouting them to a different location is typically quite easy since they are usually located inside a wall or coming up through the floor. If you want to change the location of your toilet, shower or bathtub, it will make the job a bit more complicated and cost more since you’ll need to also replace the existing drainpipes. The added cost is why most people choose to keep the major fixtures in the same location, but it’s really up to you and what you want.
One thing we’d always recommend is to reroute any pipes that are located within an exterior wall, bringing them up through the floor or running them in an interior wall. The reason for this is that any water lines inside an exterior wall will always be at a greater risk of freezing during periods of extreme cold.
3. Electrical Needs and Lighting
If your home is more than a few decades old, it’s likely that the electrical circuit in your bathroom is only 15 amps. In this case, we’d always recommend completely rewiring the bathroom and upgrading to a 20-amp circuit. If the circuit is only 15 amps, you’ll often have issues overloading the circuit and tripping the breaker when you use devices like a hair dryer. A 20-amp circuit will ensure that you have sufficient power for your hair dryer, electric razor, electric toothbrush, and anything else you may need.
Another reason why we’d recommend rewiring is that you will have to replace all existing outlets with GFCI outlets if you don’t already have them. This is required by the National Electric Code and something you legally have to do when performing a bathroom remodel. You’ll also want to consider the location of any outlets so that everything you need is within reach or tucked out of the way. One great option is to install an outlet inside your bathroom vanity cabinet, so you can charge electric toothbrushes inside the cabinet and not have to leave them sitting out on the counter where they’re exposed to contaminants or taking up needed space.
Choosing the right type of lighting for each part of the bathroom is also important. You generally want to have at least one light directly above your shower as well as additional lighting in the middle of the room, above the toilet and above or next to the vanity and mirror. Making sure that you have adequate lighting near the mirror is especially important for helping you to shave, style your hair, or put on makeup.
You also want to make sure that you choose the right type and size of exhaust fan to both eliminate odors and disperse all the steam that results when you bathe. For a master bathroom, it’s usually best to choose a quieter exhaust fan so you don’t need to worry about the noise waking up your partner at night. If you’re remodeling a hall bathroom, you can get away with something cheaper since noise isn’t a big concern. If the bathroom is near your living room or another common area, opting for a louder fan will help make it more private. Another thing to consider is choosing a fan with either a timer or a humidity sensor so that you can make sure it runs long enough to fully draw out all of the steam and humidity.
4. Desired Features and Amenities
If you have sufficient space, opting for both a Jacuzzi tub and a shower is a great option. You can also consider extra options for your shower such as different types of lighting, both wall-mounted and overhead showerheads and even Bluetooth speakers. Having a heat lamp just outside your shower can also help keep your bathroom warm and comfortable when you wake up and shower in the morning.
If you’re planning your bathroom remodeling project, you can count on the team at Hunt’s Services to help. Our licensed plumbers can install or change your plumbing fixtures and help you decide which shower or sink will work best. We can also handle any necessary electrical work including rewiring and installing the lighting, outlets, or exhaust fan.
For more information or to schedule any plumbing, electrical, heating, or air conditioning service in the Tacoma area, contact us today.
Performing a complete bathroom remodel is a major undertaking. With a national average cost of $12,000 to $27,500 for a 10×10 bathroom, according to Forbes, remodeling your bathroom also requires a substantial investment.
While the investment can definitely pay off by increasing the value of your home and its aesthetic appeal, it’s important to think carefully and plan everything out before diving into the project. By doing so, you can usually help to keep the costs lower and also make certain that you’re fully satisfied with the results and that everything closely matches your original vision. With that in mind, here are some of the most important factors you’ll want to consider when planning your bathroom remodel.
1. Available Space and Accessibility
The first thing to think about is the space you have available and how you can make the best use of it. You want to make sure that everything flows well and that all your fixtures are easily accessible. The last thing you want is for your bathroom to feel too cramped or crowded or to get finished and find that things don’t work quite as well as you planned. Even seemingly small details such as the way the bathroom door and the door to the shower opens can make a major difference in how large or small the space seems and how easy everything is to access.
If your space is limited, you may want to choose a corner shower with a sliding or rolling door. Other options are to just install glass panels for a walk-in shower without a door or to have the door swing into the shower instead of outward. Depending on the location of the bathroom and the layout of your house, you may also be able to expand your bathroom by knocking down a wall and taking some of the space in an adjacent closet or other room.
If you’re a senior and plan on making this your forever home, you’ll also want to give some consideration to making sure the bathroom continues to be accessible as you age. Opting for a slightly taller toilet can be a major help in this regard. You’ll also want to make sure that the entrance to the shower is easy to access and doesn’t have a large lip you need to step over to get in, which usually means installing a walk-in shower. You should also consider the type of flooring you put in the shower and the rest of the bathroom and choose something that is non-slip or at least doesn’t get too slick when wet.
2. Plumbing Locations
When performing a complete bathroom remodel, you often have the option to change the location of all the plumbing fixtures. Switching the location of your shower, bathtub, sink, or toilet can help make your bathroom feel more modern and/or make everything more accessible.
Replacing the existing water lines and rerouting them to a different location is typically quite easy since they are usually located inside a wall or coming up through the floor. If you want to change the location of your toilet, shower or bathtub, it will make the job a bit more complicated and cost more since you’ll need to also replace the existing drainpipes. The added cost is why most people choose to keep the major fixtures in the same location, but it’s really up to you and what you want.
One thing we’d always recommend is to reroute any pipes that are located within an exterior wall, bringing them up through the floor or running them in an interior wall. The reason for this is that any water lines inside an exterior wall will always be at a greater risk of freezing during periods of extreme cold.
3. Electrical Needs and Lighting
If your home is more than a few decades old, it’s likely that the electrical circuit in your bathroom is only 15 amps. In this case, we’d always recommend completely rewiring the bathroom and upgrading to a 20-amp circuit. If the circuit is only 15 amps, you’ll often have issues overloading the circuit and tripping the breaker when you use devices like a hair dryer. A 20-amp circuit will ensure that you have sufficient power for your hair dryer, electric razor, electric toothbrush, and anything else you may need.
Another reason why we’d recommend rewiring is that you will have to replace all existing outlets with GFCI outlets if you don’t already have them. This is required by the National Electric Code and something you legally have to do when performing a bathroom remodel. You’ll also want to consider the location of any outlets so that everything you need is within reach or tucked out of the way. One great option is to install an outlet inside your bathroom vanity cabinet, so you can charge electric toothbrushes inside the cabinet and not have to leave them sitting out on the counter where they’re exposed to contaminants or taking up needed space.
Choosing the right type of lighting for each part of the bathroom is also important. You generally want to have at least one light directly above your shower as well as additional lighting in the middle of the room, above the toilet and above or next to the vanity and mirror. Making sure that you have adequate lighting near the mirror is especially important for helping you to shave, style your hair, or put on makeup.
You also want to make sure that you choose the right type and size of exhaust fan to both eliminate odors and disperse all the steam that results when you bathe. For a master bathroom, it’s usually best to choose a quieter exhaust fan so you don’t need to worry about the noise waking up your partner at night. If you’re remodeling a hall bathroom, you can get away with something cheaper since noise isn’t a big concern. If the bathroom is near your living room or another common area, opting for a louder fan will help make it more private. Another thing to consider is choosing a fan with either a timer or a humidity sensor so that you can make sure it runs long enough to fully draw out all of the steam and humidity.
4. Desired Features and Amenities
If you have sufficient space, opting for both a Jacuzzi tub and a shower is a great option. You can also consider extra options for your shower such as different types of lighting, both wall-mounted and overhead showerheads and even Bluetooth speakers. Having a heat lamp just outside your shower can also help keep your bathroom warm and comfortable when you wake up and shower in the morning.
If you’re planning your bathroom remodeling project, you can count on the team at Hunt’s Services to help. Our licensed plumbers can install or change your plumbing fixtures and help you decide which shower or sink will work best. We can also handle any necessary electrical work including rewiring and installing the lighting, outlets, or exhaust fan.
For more information or to schedule any plumbing, electrical, heating, or air conditioning service in the Tacoma area, contact us today.
