Posted by Antique Plumber on 2/15/2022 to
The kitchen and bathroom remodel jobs are the most expensive and frustrating. You cannot really struggle with the design of a bedroom, but a bathroom can easily get messed up. This is one of the, if not them most important rooms in the house and you want space and comfort to always be available to whomever is using it. There are so many ideas when it comes to redesigning your bathroom, but you must first take a look at the challenges that comes with an actual remodel.
More than likely, you are going to need a contractor. Even experienced DIY enthusiasts understand that there are certain times when a professional is needed to ensure the work is done. Selecting a contractor comes down to getting multiple prices and seeing which team is best for the job. You also should begin by working on putting together a plan for how you want every aspect of the build to go.
The Importance Of Planning
Imagine telling a contractor that you want a new bathroom but that’s all the information you are going to give them. They literally would have no idea how to get the work done you just hired them to do because you gave them no direction. Planning is about creating a foundation for the project to ensure that everyone is on the same page and everything runs as smoothly as possible. If you can create a strong plan, your team can follow it to the letter and get the job done faster and under budget.
Getting Started
Before you get started it’s important that you remain open to new ideas. You make be set on something, but you see a new design online or a contractor recommends something and completely changes your plans. It’s ok but the important thing is to make sure that you stick to your budget and start planning out everything. You can begin with these tips:
· Measure: While you may not need exact measurements like a contractor would, you do need to make sure that you are in the ballpark of the products and accessories you plan on buying and adding to your remodel. For example, a mirror would look great over your sink, and you have the perfect mirror in mind but if it’s too big or too small, it could through the entire room off.
· Make a list of needs: What do you actually need for your bathroom other than the obvious? Where do you like to sit your phone when you brush your teeth or how many products do you like to leave on the sink? Consider these things because they may impact the design plans to make it more accommodating to you.
· Get estimates: Once your plans are finalized it’s a good idea to get estimates from multiple companies. Every contractor will offer different costs and services and the more options you have, the likelier you will be happy with your selection.
· Get needed permits: If your contractor is not going to take care of the permits it will land on you to take care of them. While this adds time and cost to the process, it’s important that you get them done to ensure that any upgrades you make to the home are beneficial to the next occupant and approved by an inspector.
Planning a bathroom remodel will take time and there are always things you will overlook. The best thing to do is to literally browse through thousands of combinations and write down some of the ideas you like. There are an unlimited number of combinations to consider. You probably will not find one you love but find things about each one you do like.
How To Save
It doesn’t matter what your budget is, it’s easy to go over. The key thing to remember when you are planning your bathroom remodel is that there are ways to cut back on costs. If your preferences and designs mean your bathroom will be a bit more expensive than you planned, consider using these tricks to cut down on the costs:
· Buy materials yourself: Most contractors will allow you to handle the ordering and shipping of materials if you will also handle the costs up front. This makes things easier on the contractor in a variety of ways and could save you thousands on the job.
· Take on more responsibility: Along with ordering the materials yourself, there may be some other things you can do that can save you money. Speak with the contractor and ask them if taking care of garbage costs, getting the permits or anything else can lower the costs.
· Hire the best contractor: While price is important you also do not want to go with the lowest price as it often can be a reflection on the quality of work you can expect. Look at online reviews, what past clients have said about their work and so forth.
· Try to work with only one company: While you may need a contractor, plumber and electrician to do the work, you should try and go through one contractor or company. The reason is because they may be able to knock out everything for you and that would save you the costs of working with different companies to do the job.
While the end result will be a new luxurious bathroom, the remodel will take time and energy to plan. The better you plan this effort, the happier you will be with the results. If you have never planned a bathroom remodel in the past, contact some contractors and see what they would recommend you start with in order to give them the best information to provide you with a quote. Speaking with them before you get started is a great way to know what information you are going to need in order to get this work done. This also can give you a better idea of the realistic costs for their labor and potential materials so that you know what to set your budget it.