Everything You Need to Know Before You Begin Remodeling Your Bathroom
Our Remodel Story
When we purchased our fixer-upper home in Sacramento we got a great deal on the listing price, mostly because the house was in need of some serious TLC. Our tudor style home has two bathrooms and one of them was completely unfinished when we purchased the house.
The previous owners had begun demolition on one bathroom and halfway through decided to abandon the construction project. I was pregnant with my daughter Scout when we closed escrow so beginning renovations on the unfinished bathroom was high on our priority list.
Hiring Your Contractor
We had just moved to Sacramento and we didn't know anyone who could provide us with recommendations for contractors. So we used Angie's List to find licensed contractors who could provide us with estimates for the remodel. I recommend that you get a minimum of 3 estimates from different contractors so you can compare their prices.
Things you can ask for from your potential contractor:
Written referrals and testimonials from other homeowners.
Portfolio with photos from other projects they've completed.
A price match from another estimate (they may or may not be open to this).
Ask if they do background checks on the construction crew employees.
Proof of updated contractor's license.
While often the contractor selection process does come down to price, you don't want that to be the only deciding factor. The cheapest estimate may not be the best way to go. You want to make sure that your contractor has the expertise and experience to do an excellent job on your remodel. And honestly, a lot of it boils down to compatibility and your gut feeling about the person and their company.
One unexpected thing that we encountered multiple times while interviewing contractors was often times when we had scheduled appointments for estimates, no one would show up. Or sometimes a representative from the company would come and take specs for the estimate, but then they'd never actually give us any estimate or follow-up.
This is obviously a red flag and if you have to chase down your contractor then it's probably best to move on to another candidate. I'll admit that interviewing contractors can be a tedious process, but don't settle until you've found a company that makes you feel comfortable. You will be putting a lot of trust in your contractor and you need to feel confident with your choice.
Financial Planning
Once you have a few estimates completed by contractors, you'll get a better understanding of how much your remodel will cost. Keep in mind that often these estimates don't include the cost of materials.
Pro Tips: Beware of discontinued materials - they are often cheaper but have very limited quantity. If you need to buy more to complete your project, they may not be available. Always buy some extra tile to give you a buffer and to keep them on hand incase tiles crack over time.
Remember that your estimate is not always the exact amount that you’ll end up spending. Keep a minimum of 10% financial buffer to account for surprise costs.
Your Bathroom Style Inspiration
If you're new to home design, starting the process of designing a new bathroom can be intimidating. My suggestion is to start by creating an inspiration board on Pinterest and just begin by saving bathroom decor pins that catch your eye.
Bathroom decor style questions to ask:
What types of colors do you like? Neutrals? Jewel tones? Pastels?
Will you have tile in your shower? What types of tile shapes and patterns do you like?
Bathtub vs shower? Both?
What kind of floor do you like? Tile? Vinyl? Marble?
What will your walls look like? Painted or wallpaper? Textured? Matte? Glossy?
What will your vanity look like? Modern or traditional? Minimal or functional with storage drawers?
What kind of storage will you need? Cabinets? Towel racks? Shelves?
What kind of metal hardware do you want? Chrome? Copper? Brushed nickel?
Take some time to explore bathroom showrooms and browse all kinds of design options. When you see these designs in person it can really help you narrow down your preferences and envision what your new bathroom will look like. The worst thing you can do is make hasty decisions and regret it later after all the construction work is complete. Do your due diligence and invest the time to properly plan out your new bathroom design.
If you have an older home like ours, it may have some elements of vintage charm. Our house was built around the 1940's and there's a lot of original victorian design features. During the remodel process, we tried to preserve as much of the original charm as possible, while still creating a modern aesthetic.
Our Favorite Bathroom Style Trends
Subway tile
Vintage hex tiles
White and cream color combo
Neutrals
Marble - once considered over the top and gaudy, modern marble has recently become a neutral with a touch of texture, complimenting a modern aesthetic
Brushed nickel
Matte walls and surfaces
Statement wall paper
Communication is Key
Once you’ve narrowed down your specific design choices, make sure to consult with your contractor before you make any purchases. There may be specific reasons why certain designs won’t work with your home’s bathroom. For example, our bathroom has an angled ceiling and we had very limited choices in what kind of shower head we could install. It’s always a good idea to explore various options, such as considering cheap showers which might offer a wide range of designs that could potentially fit your unique bathroom layout.
If you feel confused or uneasy about anything along the way of your renovation project, you should feel comfortable to ask questions and get clarification. Ask your contractor about their preferred method of communication, we emailed back and forth with our project manager and it worked very well. It's always better to speak up early while you still have options versus regretting it later.
Planning the Logistics of Construction
If you live in a house with only one bathroom, you may have a period of time during renovations where there's no toilet or shower available. My suggestion is to very specifically plan out these dates with your contractor and make arrangements to stay somewhere else until you have a working bathroom.
I would avoid scheduling your construction with dates that overlap with holidays, it will delay your project's completion date and make celebrating the holidays with guests challenging.
Adding Value to Your Home
When you're planning your bathroom renovation, make sure the changes you're making are actually adding value to your home.
Keep your designs simple and classic so that they don't look dated in 10 years.
Use quality materials that will hold up to daily wear and tear.
Think Long Term
You most likely will only want to renovate your home's bathroom once, so the new bathroom should accommodate for multiple stages of your life. If someday you think you'll want children, having a bathtub comes in handy with babies and young children. Having multiple storage options also comes in handy with parenthood because the kiddos have lots of stuff that needs a home.
Lastly…
Be sure to take before and after photos so you can show everyone the difference. After some time passes, you’ll totally forget what your old and outdated bathroom used to look like!
If you follow me on Instagram you may know that I video documented our bathroom remodel on Instagram Stories. You can see in my Highlights what my bathroom originally looked like when we bough the house, and our remodel journey (hint - there are lots of trips to Home Depot to select tiles!).
