1. First Review Your Finances
The national average cost of remodeling a bathroom is $10,684 with a range of $6,079 to $15,306. Although it is obviously going to vary depending on you on your particular bathroom such as the size, materials used, and how extensive of a job you do. Regardless, you will want to check your finances and ensure that you can afford the remodel, and if you decide to finance the project, you need to account for the monthly loan payment in your budget. Additionally, it is a good idea to get a quote from multiple contractors so you can get a better idea of what the final price will be.
2. Budget For More Than You Think
So you have your budget for your bathroom remodel and you’re ready to go, right? Hold on a second! You may want to budget an additional 10-15% to account for any unexpected costs that come along the way. The last thing you want is to not be able to afford to finish your remodel because you ran out of money from unexpected costs!
3. Consider Financing
If you can’t pay for the entire project upfront, financing could be a solution for affording your bathroom remodel Using a home equity loan is probably the most popular route, because it can be tax deductible. However if that isn’t possible, then you can try refinancing, no-equity loans, personal loans, a loan against your retirement plan, personal savings, or borrowing against your life insurance policy.
4. Keep A Watchful Eye On The Costs
Once you’ve chosen a contractor and finalized the budget with them be sure to keep track of all the costs as they come in. A good idea is to create a spreadsheet and track the actual vs projected amounts so you can ensure you are staying within your budget and that there won’t be any surprises!
5. Consider Getting a Slip Resistant Floor
Many falls in the home happen in the bathroom, and with hard flooring and the close proximity to cabinets and other objects, a fall can be quite dangerous. This is why we recommend getting a slip resistant flooring installed in your bathroom. There are many different beautiful and inexpensive options available, so don’t think that slip resistant flooring will be dull! Additionally, while talking about flooring, you may consider getting heated floors if you live in a colder climate. You’ll thank us during winter!
6. Lighting
If your bathroom doesn’t have enough lighting it can make it unusable and sometimes even dangerous. Plan your lighting beforehand so you can create the ambiance you desire, and ensure that you first use as much natural lighting as possible. We’ve found that you will want to use around 4 watts of incandescent lighting per square foot.
7. Ventilation
The bathroom is probably the most important room to have proper ventilation, due to the fact that there will be significant amounts of moisture in the room while you’re showering or bathing! Make sure to choose a good fan and place it in the proper location to ensure proper ventilation. If you aren’t properly ventilating your bathroom it can leave your bathroom damp and moldy which can damage your cabinets, walls, and sometimes be dangerous to your health.
8. Cabinets, Shelving and Storage
This part can be a bit tricky because usually bathrooms can be small, and oddly shaped. Plus you have to be very careful to choose the right location because you don’t want to make it hard to navigate around the bathroom.
9. Neutral High End Items
If you purchase some very high end or luxurious items, it’s smart to keep them neutral, for example the tiling or the shower. The reason we recommend keeping high end items neutral is because it is easy to restyle them once trends changed, so you’re not locked into a certain style. This is great if you sell your house in the future because the new owners can style the bathroom they see fit!
10. Don’t Be Cheap With Your Vanity
The vanity can be a great statement piece in your bathroom, and we recommend that you splurge a little bit here! Current trends include double sinks, large mirrors and tons of storage. You could also consider opting for a luxurious top like granite or marble, as that’ll make it pop even more!