You already know the first room of the house you want to start renovating is the bathroom. The peeling linoleum floors, the cracked toilet lid, and the faux gold light fixtures made you cringed every time you have to use this room. You still haven’t even taken a bath in the new house—that’s how gross the bathroom makes you feel!
Q: Should I hire a contractor to do the bathroom renovation?
A: Unless you have experience making renovations, you should hire a trained professional.
Q: How do I vet contractors to find the best (and most honest) professional?
A: Scour customer reviews and learn more about their completed projects. Talk to several contractors (at least three) and determine their expertise, this doesn’t mean going with the lowest estimate.
A: This depends on what you are having done to the bathroom. A remodel can take as little as a few days to as long as a year. Just make sure you have somewhere else to go if the bathroom is going to be out of commission.
Q: What type of fixtures should I get to be eco-friendly?
A: Finding bathroom light and water fixtures that are sustainable isn’t as hard as it sounds. When replacing the bathroom light fixtures, look for energy-efficient LED bulbs. When it comes to replacing your water fixtures look for verified WaterSense fixtures. These products cut down on energy and water waste and even offer you a great rebate!
Q: What should I look for in a new toilet?
A: First, make sure it’s Water Sense rated! After you have learned about the toilet’s sustainability, visit a showroom, and take a look at its design, sit on it and make sure it’s comfortable. Ask a professional about hook up, and make sure it won’t cause you to have to redo your plumbing.
Q: My shower tiles are very grimy. Would it be more cost-effective to replace the tiles or clean and refinish them?
A: This depends if you’re redecorating or redesigning. If you’re redecorating, hire a professional to deep clean and refinish the tile. If you’re redesigning, get new tile!
Q: Which is better: a curved shower rod or a straight shower rod? Should I forgo the curtain altogether and invest in a sliding glass shower door?
A: A curved shower rod opens up the shower and gives you more space and keeps the shower curtain from sticking to your shins. Opting for a sliding glass door depends on the layout of your bathroom. If your shower is a stand-alone, walk-in shower, then it needs to have a sliding glass door.
Q: Which is better: tile flooring or wood flooring?
A: Tile is the traditional choice for bathroom flooring, with ceramic tile being designed to prevent slippage on a wet floor. Wood flooring has typically been banned from the bathroom as moisture is terrible for the wood, but HGTV tells us that a sealed wood floor does the trick. It’s not that one is better than the other, it’s which type of flooring best matches your design aesthetic?
Q: What should I do if my contractor goes over the budget we agreed on?
A: Renovations can go over budget when a contractor has made incorrect assumptions about what materials and labor cost or deliberately chose not to tell you about certain hidden fees. The best way to avoid a budget mess is by having the contractor sign a detailed contract explaining what you will and will not pay for. The contractor may also have you sign a contract. Read it carefully and check for any loopholes where they might be able to take advantage.
Q: Will I need a permit for the bathroom remodel?
A: This depends on the building codes set by your city district. A permit is required if the renovation is structural, meaning the room will be expanded or will have a general shape change.
Now that some of your questions have been answered start making calls, it’s time for an update!
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