The Different Components That Go Into a Bathroom Renovation Project
Renovating your bathroom will not only give a breath of fresh air to your home, but it’ll also increase its value. With our guidance and implementation of some elementary design principles, you can give your bathroom an entirely new look and make it one of your favorite spaces in the house.
Depending on where you live around the world, the cost of a bathroom remodel will vary, however, the different steps that are part of the renovation process are similar. In the paragraphs below, we’ll guide you through the process of renovating your bathroom and give you all the components that go into a bathroom renovation project.
Without further ado, let’s get to it.
Components That Go Into a Bathroom Renovation Project
Let’s discuss all the elements you need to consider before you start planning the whole process so you can determine how much it’ll set you back.
Bathroom Size
To plan the budget for your bathroom renovation, you first need to consider the size of your bathroom. Knowing the height, length, and width of your bathroom will help you decide on the amount of materials you’ll need, specifically when ordering tiles, paint, etc.
Size is also crucial for planning the plumbing pipes and electrical wiring. This helps you minimize waste and purchase just as many pipes and wires as you need. Moreover, the size of your bathroom will determine the amount and placement of the light fixtures, including the light switches and power points.
Sanitary and Faucets
The next thing on our checklist is figuring out the sanitary elements you want to include in your bathroom, such as faucets, sinks, showers, bathtubs, toilets, bidets, and so on, and how many pieces you’ll need.
When shopping for your bathroom fixtures and elements, you’ll want to choose sanitary elements of good quality so they last you for years to come. The materials used and the quality of the design will determine the final price of each element and fixture. Make sure that you stay on top of your budget and swap out a fixture or a sanitary element for a cheaper or a more expensive one as needed, and see how it affects the full cost of the renovation.
Walls, Floor, and Ceiling Finishing
After you’ve measured your bathroom, you can start thinking about the finishes, like floor finishes, wall finishes, and ceiling finishes, and the materials you’d like to use. When considering which materials to use, you can make an estimate of how many tiles you’ll need, how much paint you’ll need, and so on, and let the final price be another deciding factor for which ones you decide to go for in the end.
To do this, you need to multiply the surface area by the price of the material per square meter and put the total price in your budget estimate. You’ll also need to take the surface area into consideration when you discuss the contractor margins and wages.
It’s also important to go for waterproof insulation as the bathroom is the room that packs a lot of humidity and moisture, but you can also use materials with an impervious finish, such as cement. You can go for marble, granite, or ceramic tiles, depending on your budget, but remember that the material you choose should be slip-resistant and durable.
Lighting
Once you’re done with the calculations for the wall, floor, and ceiling finishes, you’ll need to think about the atmosphere you want to have in your bathroom. That will be defined primarily by the lighting style you choose and its functionality.
Keep in mind that you should try to bring in as much natural light as you can before relying on artificial light. You can choose an indirect lighting style, spotlights, or any other lights that suit your design preferences, but first, you need to calculate how much light you need in each room. This can be calculated by using the formula 1 lx = 1 lm/m2, where one Lux (lx) is equal to one lumen per square meter.
If you want to connect to the existing power lines and just add different light fixtures, the existing electrical plan can be very useful for your electrician. If you’re doing a structural renovation, you can talk with the electrician and tell them where you’d want the light fixtures to be so they can take those positions into consideration when putting in the electrical wires.
Towel Heater
Towel heaters have become quite popular in recent years as they not only warm up your bathroom but can also be used to dry the towels you’ve been using and store them in an aesthetically pleasing way. Purchasing a towel rack can give a hotel-like feel to your own bathroom and keep it free from bacteria, mold, and germs that develop on humid, damp towels.
Cabinets and Furniture
These are generally the elements that add character to your bathroom, as in some cases, you may need to go with custom-made shelving and cabinets due to the irregular shape of your bathroom.
When planning out the furniture you want to include in your bathroom, it’s useful to go back and look at the photos that inspired this particular design. Whether you go with customized shelving or you choose the cabinets from a furniture store, it's important to remember that they need to be functional, but also fit with the style of all the other elements.
Sink-Top
Bathroom sink-tops are another place where you can add an element of interest to your bathroom. Nowadays, sink-tops come in different shapes and sizes that can be either wall-hung or installed on top of your bathroom vanity.
Under-Sink Cabinet and Towel Cabinet
These cabinets can mirror the design of your other bathroom cabinets, but they can also be designed to contrast the other elements in the bathroom. When considering which materials to use for the cabinets, go with materials that are resistant to humidity and then think about the design, rather than the other way around.
Mirror
Bathroom accessories, such as mirrors, can bring more light into this room if they’re adequately placed and can even be a statement piece in your bathroom if you choose a bold design. You should have at least one mirror above your sink-top and add additional mirrors around, depending on the size of the room. Small elements, such as soap dishes, bath mats, and quality towels, also affect the final appearance, so choose a design that fits the room’s overall atmosphere.
Door
When it comes to choosing the bathroom door, you need to take into consideration more than just the design. Since the bathroom is the room with the most humidity in your house, moisture resistance is one of the key features you should look into when choosing a door.
The most optimal solution when it comes to humidity is a solid glass door for the shower that’s easily cleaned, however, this is often the priciest option. When it comes to the entrance door, you can opt for one that’s more budget-friendly, such as those made from eco veneer, laminate, and natural wood veneer, just remember to keep the humidity under 60% with a good ventilation system.
Window
Bathroom windows not only provide natural light to this room, but they can also interact with other elements in your bathroom and provide natural ventilation. They can make the bathroom appear bigger but also frame outside scenery views.
It’s a great idea to provide an interaction between the window and mirror to increase the light in your bathroom, and you can also choose a similar design for both to create a more cohesive bathroom. Moreover, if you want to increase privacy, you can always go for frosted windows or add privacy film or shutters.
Ventilator
As we’ve mentioned above, installing proper ventilation is essential when renovating your bathroom as it will reduce the humidity and prevent mold and bacteria from forming. When planning the ventilation system, it’s crucial to choose the right fan, place it in the right spot, and think about where the electrical wiring will go. A well-ventilated bathroom is also necessary to prevent the decay of wooden fixtures and furniture, as well as the saturation of the insulation. So, it’s a good idea to consult with the contractors and project managers to find the right spot to place it.
Furniture / Bench
Based on the type of ambiance you want your bathroom to have as well as its size, you can add additional furniture. It’s a good idea to include a nook for doing makeup that has a stool or a bench if you have the room for it. Just keep in mind that less is always more in terms of design, but also in terms of keeping your bathroom clutter-free.
Specialty Items
If you have a bigger budget and enough space, you can transform your bathroom into a spa by adding a jacuzzi, sauna, steam room, and even a Turkish bath. Before you order any of these specialty items, it’s best to consult professionals to ensure you have the proper insulation and additional features that these items require to prevent having a leaky home spa.
The Infrastructure
When planning out the renovation of their bathroom, many forget to include the cost of hiring specialists on the list, as the budget is mainly focused on buying materials and equipment. To prevent this, we’ve included more information about the professionals you’ll need to consider hiring while renovating.
Now that you’ve chosen the elements and materials for your bathroom renovation project, it’s time to discuss how you can make your design dreams come true and the people who can help you in the process.
Designer and Project Manager Fees
The first step toward having your dream bathroom is choosing the team that will get you to the finish line. People often underestimate the importance of hiring professionals and try to do it alone, however, when problems arise, they immediately regret this decision. An architect or an interior designer can help you:
- Achieve the design style you have in mind (traditional, contemporary, retro, minimalist)
- Stay on budget
- Envision the end result through 2D and 3D sketches and renderings
- Maximize the space
- Get discounts in furniture stores and stores that sell sanitary fixtures
- Find good contractors
- Make a layout for the fixtures, lighting, shelves and cabinets, shower, mirrors, and more
- Manage the project from beginning to endYou might be able to do this whole process yourself, but having a professional help you through it will make it easier and guarantee success.
Permits and Mobilization
Depending on the type of renovation you’re doing in your bathroom, you’ll generally need a permit. Changes to electrical, structural, or plumbing components require a permit issued by the Department of Buildings, while small changes, like refinishing floors, repairing plaster, or painting a room, don’t require a permit.
On the one hand, making small repairs or replacing existing fixtures won’t require a plumbing permit, however, for major plumbing improvements, you’ll need one. You’ll also need an electrical permit for all the electrical work you plan on doing in your bathroom, and the same can be said for all the structural changes you plan on making. Finally, you’ll need to check the building codes that vary from county to county, since they’re all different and you wouldn’t want to start this type of project without the proper permits.
Civil Works and Demolition
After you have all the necessary permits, it’s time to hire the construction workers who will start working on building your new bathroom, and the first step towards that is the demolition. All the existing vanities, baths, showers, fixtures, and tiles need to be taken out and disposed of adequately.
To save yourself a lot of money, remember to flat stack all the garbage in your skip bin so it fits in fewer skip bins. Once everything is removed, it’s time to start building the new bathroom.
Plumbing
The next stage in your bathroom renovation project is the plumbing. If you have existing plumbing plans but plan on changing the plumbing entirely, it’s a good idea to hand those plans over to your plumber so they know where the existing plumbing grid is placed. There are strict regulations when it comes to the placement of pipes, so it’s best to hire a professional for this step. The plumber will install all the pipes, after which it’s time for the electrical work.
Electrical / Mechanical
Next comes the electrical work, which requires a licensed electrician. If you’re doing a full bathroom renovation, it’s best to remove all the old electrical wires and place new ones. The electrician should also ensure that each electrical outlet is earthed so you don’t risk electrocution. Discuss the best positions for placing power outlets with the electrician and the designer and make sure they aren’t located too close to sources of water.
Tiling Walls, Floors, and Ceiling Finishes
After all the electrical work is done, it’s time to put the tiles in. But before tiling, make sure that the contractors add the necessary insulation or moisture-resistant boards to keep the humidity from penetrating your walls. After all the tiles have been placed, it’s time for your plumber to come back and install all the sanitary elements and fixtures, such as the bath, shower, toilet, bidet, faucets, and everything else you’ve bought that needs to be connected to a water source.
The surfaces that you plan to leave tile-free will need to be painted, and this includes some of the walls that don’t have tiles and the ceiling. Choose paint that’s durable and has mold inhibitors. During this step, you’ll begin to see your bathroom coming together.
Contractor Margins
If you hire a designer, they will be able to make this process easier by helping you hire all the contractors you’ll need. The professionals you may need include carpenters that will install shelving units and a structural engineer if you’re making structural changes to your bathroom. You’ll also need a plumber to install all the pipes, an electrician to add all the electrical lines and the ventilator, and a tiler who’ll tile, grout, and seal all the walls and doors after the carpenter has installed them.
Once all this is done, you can call the plumber and electrician for the installation of the secondary electrical and plumbing fixtures, as well as someone to place all the other furniture you plan to add to the bathroom. And that’s it!
Final Thoughts
We’d also like to mention some additional factors that are important when doing any type of renovation in your home.
To make your bathroom as sustainable as it can be, you first need to add enough insulation to prevent the loss of warmth and energy during the winter months, and prevent warmth from coming in during the summer months. It will also be beneficial if you include solar power in your bathroom concept by installing solar water heaters. Finally, you can minimize bath times and take quick showers instead to save water.
You may also want to think about going as green as you can with your remodel, and there are a number of ways you can achieve this. You can choose to include second-hand furniture or add vanities made from sustainably harvested wood, add a low-flow toilet that uses less water, etc. The possibilities are limitless; you just need to keep an open mind.
We wish you good luck on your remodeling journey!