A Basic Guide to Renovating a Bathroom

We spend more than two full years of our lives in the bathroom, making it one of our home’s most hardworking rooms.

But this reliance on our bathrooms can make remodeling them particularly challenging. Not least because you’ll likely want the finished result to be functional yet also serene and luxurious enough for the perfect home spa experience. Plus, renovating a bathroom often involves making a million decisions, from tiles and grout to mirrors and lighting.

Luckily, we’re here to help! Keep reading to learn how to design a bathroom in this basic bathroom design guide!

Seek Inspiration

Your first step in any creative project should be to gather inspiration – remodeling a bathroom is no different. This process involves trawling Pinterest, making mood boards, and finding the looks, colors, and materials you’re drawn to over and over again.

Remember to be true to yourself and your home’s style, though. Just because you like one photo of a bold and eclectic bathroom, if the rest of your home is minimal and neutral, be realistic about whether it would work for you.

Define Your Dream Bathroom

Now you have a better idea of how you want your bathroom to look, it’s time to make a list of anything you’d have to change to make this possible. You’ll likely start to see how some dream bathroom ideas, such as these glass shower enclosures, are deal-breakers, while other features are up for negotiation.

Determine Your Budget

With a list of tangible projects and to-do items, you can now start to research prices to determine whether the budget you have matches the one you’d need. This part might unveil a few surprises as most people underestimate how much a bathroom remodel costs, which is around $10,000 on average.

Finalize Your Choices

If you’re coming in under budget, great! But if the numbers aren’t adding up, you’ll need to decide which changes you want to make now and which can either wait or go in another direction.

For example, you might decide to paint your vanity rather than replace it, or touch up your tub rather than refinish it. You can then devote the money you’ve saved to a project that will make more of an impact on the finished look.

Find a Contractor

Unless you’re planning on a low-grade DIY-only bathroom remodel, you’ll likely need to hire a contractor for some of the work. Talking to your contractor will give you a better idea of the final cost, as well as when you can expect them to be finished.

It’s also vital to explain exactly what you want in great detail when dealing with your contractor. Double and triple-checking everything might seem excessive but it’s better than being stuck with the wrong color tiles or your toilet in the shower!

Renovating a Bathroom

Renovating a bathroom is never easy, especially when you have a limited budget, timeframe, or amount of space to work with.

But, with this information to guide you, it should now be a lot easier to prioritize and plan a bathroom design you love.

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