Your bathroom is a busy place in the morning as your family scrambles to get out of the house on time. If the current configuration isn’t working for you, maybe it’s time to think about a main bathroom remodel. So, the usual question we get asked is what are the things to consider when remodeling a bathroom? Here are 5 things to think about when remodeling a bathroom.
5 Things to Think About When Remodeling a Bathroom
Functionality of your Main Bathroom
It’s a great idea to sit down and map out what makes the most sense for your family bathroom use. What is lacking in your current bathroom layout? Do you have only one bathroom in the house or multiple baths, half baths and a powder room?
While a free-standing claw foot bathtub may look stunning, for practical purposes for a family of five with two teenagers, this probably isn’t top of the functionality list as it takes up valuable real estate in the main bathroom. Some families opt to remove the bathtub altogether to allow for a larger shower area. Another practical alternative is to have an all in one bathtub/shower enclosure with a glass door which looks more attractive and modern rather than the shower curtain option.
If you only have one bathroom, but a large main bedroom, perhaps you can consider creating a master bathroom, even if it contains 3 pcs. (toilet, sink and shower) to take away the traffic from your main bathroom.\
Maximizing your Bathroom Space
For large families a double sink in the main bathroom is a must! Even in larger master baths, couples prefer double sinks to a single sink. Whether you choose an under mount sink or a vessel sink is up to you, but there are family considerations to think about with each of these options. A vessel sink is above the counter and while it may give the bathroom a “designer” look, it may not be practical if you have young children. Vessel sinks are higher than under rmount sinks, and small children may find them hard to reach without a step stool. Also, the surrounds may also be prone to more damage because they are exposed more.
Traditionally, under the vanity space consists of cupboards, but you might want to consider a drawer option for easy accessibility to bathroom essentials. If used properly, drawers may eliminate the need for a bathroom medicine cabinet.
Bathroom Lighting and Electrical Outlets
Two main things to consider when remodeling a bathroom, what kind of lighting do I need and how many outlets make sense?
If you have a double vanity then you will need at least four outlets for electric toothbrushes, electric razors, hair dryers and hair curling/straightening tongs. Don’t skimp on the electrical outlets, even if you don’t need them right now.
And while you are thinking about the electrical needs for your new bathroom renovation,, are you looking for a heated bathroom floor or thermostats for the venting fans? Now is the time to plan your electrical needs before you start your renovation.
The lighting choices for your bathroom are endless but incandescent and halogen light sources most accurately render colours and therefore are the most common in bathrooms. It’s a great idea to add lighting in the ceiling of the bathtub/shower area. However, the light housings used must be “wet” or “shower-location” rated. Recessed shower lights require a design with a lens cover as per this Halo example from the Home Depot website.
Bathroom Finishes
How much do you like cleaning grout? A main bathroom gets lots of use and soap residue builds up, therefore when choosing bathroom tiles for walls and floors, the smaller the tiles the more grout is required and white grout shows the dirt the most! Small tiles can be used for wall border accents, but maybe not for whole floors or walls.
There are many options to choose from and you can get plenty of ideas from the Lowes website. Keeping to clean lines and neutral colours will give you lots of options in the future if you want to change the mood and colour scheme. Towels and accessories can add the ‘pop’ to your bathroom if you keep the main features neutral.
Vanity counters also come in a variety of materials but if you are doing a complete bathroom remodel, then don’t skimp on the countertops. Laminate might be the most practical, but consider the more attractive granite, quartz or Corian options to give your bathroom a more designer look.
Must Have Bathroom Accessories
Summing up our 5 things to think about when remodeling a bathroom we are talking about bathroom function. Let’s talk about accessories. No-one likes wet towels scattered on the bathroom floor, so for a full size bathroom, where can you locate plenty of towel rails, towel racks, towel hooks or towel rings?
Soap holders and dishes need a home too. In the bathtub area, consider whether you can include a recessed area in the wall tile to hold the bath essentials such as shampoo, soap, hair conditioner etc. It looks a lot sleeker than the over the shower caddy.
Other accessories are the bath mirrors, make-up mirrors, toothbrush holders and soap dishes and for guests perhaps a basket of small sized items they may have forgotten such as toothpaste, tooth brushes, facecloths or sponges.
There are many things to consider when remodeling a bathroom, but with proper planning and consultation you can maximize your bathroom space to make it as efficient as possible for your family. At Redwin Contracting we have the expertise to help you navigate a bathroom renovation. Call us at 905.966.4446 or contact us to see how we can get you started.