One of the spaces in your home you can treat yourself a bit and go for exactly what you want and not only what’s needed.
Renovating your bathroom is not only about spoiling yourself by adding some functional luxury. It’s an investment that if it’s done right will be a selling point, if you ever decide to sell. But till that day, it’s all yours to enjoy. In our years of renovating bathrooms and creating liveable loveable spaces we at GRUBUILD believe that these 7 points will make any bathroom renovation successful.
- Budget
I know I said you are allowed to spoil yourself but never break the bank. With planning and smart choices there is always a way.
Choose your budget and stay with it, just remember there are hidden costs we say hidden because it’s all the stuff you will not see but makes your bathroom run smoothly. Please take these into account e.g. pipes, traps, valves, waterproofing etc. Don’t forget your existing bathroom’s demolition, extra plumbing and building work if any changes are needed.
- Layout & Function.
You don’t want to swing open the shower door just for it to hit the vanity and then you fall over the toilet every morning. The trick is working with what you have and creating a practical functional layout. Before you make any decision take some time to do some P&P as we call it, planning and then playing around with different layouts.
You will know what you need, more than one person using the bathroom you will need e.g. double basins, a glass enclosed WC unit etc.
- Lighting
In a bathroom you can have all the lighting in the world but if it’s not in the right positions and at the right illumination it’s basically useless.
Looking in the mirror you want bright and from the front lights.
Bath time calls softer light to relax and if possible no light directly above, not so easy to relax with glare in your eyes.
Some use the shower to relax others to wake-up so choose what’s best for you, there are brilliant mood enhancing products in the market today.
Using the WC at 2:30 in the am night lighting becomes as important, except if you don’t mind being blown away and awake by the normal lights.
Natural light will not only brighten your mood and set your circadian rhythms that regulate wake and sleep cycles it’s greener as well by using less electricity, so if possible go for bigger or more windows.
- Mirrors
You will need at least two, one directly above your basin the bigger the better. The other one a vanity-mirror is for close-ups, to get that hair out of your eye etc. You can have a retractable mirror attached to the wall or even a loose standing one, just have one.
- Storage & Work Space
Gone is the days where you just have a basic mirrored wall cabinet with a basin’s rim as work space, bringing everything with you that you can’t fit in the cabinet, every time you take a shower and then doing the daily balancing act with your toiletries on the rim of the basin as your work space.
Strategic use of floor vanities and shelving will sort out most of your storage problems, if your bathroom size allows it opt for a floor to ceiling cupboard with doors and or shelving build to your specifications.
If done right you should have plenty of work space just next to your basin or vanity mirror, work space material and finish can be anything from high quality bespoke wood designs to polished glass or granite.
- Accessories & Ventilation
Where your towel is hanging only becomes important when you need it. The same can be said of the soap in the shower.
Stand in your new bathroom do some planning and playing again, fake wash your hands, reach for the hand towel then fake dry it off. Mark exactly where’s the best spot for it. Do the same with the shower and even the toilet.
Leaving water puddles all over the floor every time you wash your hands, is not something to laugh at.
Good ventilation is a must for any bathroom and will not only control humidity but it will also help prevent mould, which may lead to some nasty health implications.
Invest in a good quality extraction system. Remember the bigger your bathroom the higher extraction rate you will need. You will thank yourself later for this one.
- Don’t Rush or be Anxious – Relax and enjoy the process.
Take your time on the initial planning, use your existing bathroom, identify what not to do and what you don’t want, make a list to use later.
Plan & Play as much as needed before and in the renovation stage.
Ask if you are not sure and speak up if not happy before it’s too late.
Thank you for reading we hope you enjoyed it!
