Category Archives: Bathrooms

Bathroom Remodel Plans

Before you are able to successfully remodel your bathroom, you must first have bathroom remodel plans. These bathroom remodel plans are your blueprint to the remodel of your new bathroom. All aspects of your bathroom remodel should be addressed in your bathroom remodel plans.

When sitting down to draw out your bathroom remodel plans, you need to first measure your existing bathroom, as well as note the location and size of the existing fixtures and items in it. This is your blueprint, and should be drawn to scale.  Using graph paper for this can help. From here, you will be able to determine how much floor space you will have to work with, and will be able to create your bathroom remodel plans properly.

Once you have drawn a “to scale” version of the room, you have the template for your bathroom remodel plans. Next you should sketch out your ideal bathroom, then scale it back to realistic proportions as you figure out what is necessary and what is not. While you will not draw each of the individual tiles or other floor coverings onto your bathroom remodel plans, you will need to know exactly how much space you have to cover so you know what size and how many tiles or other floor covering to order.

Your bathtub and toilet should be planned out first. These are hard to move, and should be kept in their current locations, unless you are performing a complete overhaul of the plumbing in your bathroom. If this is the case, you will need to locate exactly where the pipes are in your bathroom and label them on your master copy of the bathroom remodel plans.

If you are hiring a construction company to do your bathroom remodel, be sure that you see the bathroom remodel plans before they start any of the construction. This will give you a better idea of what exactly you will be getting. These plans, combined with selecting the cabinets, vanity, mirrors, fixtures, bathtub and toilet, will help you visualize the final product.

You will not usually find ready made bathroom remodel plans or bathroom remodel templates. This is because every bathroom is different. There is no standard placement for the bathtub, the sinks, the toilet, etc. This means that while you can have a standard sized bathroom, your piping and furniture will differ from everyone else’s.  It is best to draw out your own bathroom remodel plans.

If you want to use bathroom remodel plans that you have seen on TV or have downloaded from the internet, you will need to modify them to suit your bathroom. In many cases, this is easier than drawing the plans from scratch. We suggest, however, drawing your own bathroom to scale, then incorporating the bathroom remodel plans you have downloaded into your “to scale” blueprint.  This will ensure that everything fits properly.

Bathroom Remodel Ideas

For those who have never done a bathroom remodel, bathroom remodel ideas are the most important thing you can have. The basic idea for your remodel is what will guide you on color choices, vanity choices, and tile choices. When you are considering a bathroom remodel, consider all of the ideas you have had for the project, make a list of them, and take the time and effort to think about each idea for a few days. Often, your initial bathroom remodel ideas will change as a part of the process. What seems like a good idea is often reconsidered after several days. However, if you keep returning to the same idea, then chances are it is something that you would be happy with later down the road.

If you are in need of bathroom remodel ideas and you are not sure of what exactly you want, there are many galleries that you can look at for inspiration. Many people will showcase bathroom remodels, as a well designed bathroom is a work of art. As bathrooms are so expensive to remodel, many remodeling companies will showcase previous projects to entice customers to purchase their services. You can use these project showcases as references and inspiration for your own designs.

When coming up with bathroom remodel ideas, there are several components that you need to consider. First, you need a scheme. This can be the theme of your bathroom, including style of vanity, bathtub and toilet, as well as the colors that you use. The colors and theme of the bathroom are vital to ensuring that you get the most enjoyment of your bathroom. This is the heart and soul of the bathroom, with the other elements, such as materials, tile choices and sizing, fitting to meet your idea of good style.

Do not be surprised if your initial bathroom remodel ideas are reconsidered due to price. Often, the more interesting an idea, the more expensive it is to execute that idea. As soon as you go off the beaten path of plain vanities and tile choices, you enter the realm of the exotics. Exotics, be it hardwood vanities or Italian ceramic tile, can greatly increase the cost of your remodeling project. Try to price out your ideas as you refine them so you do not get any nasty surprises later. Then, add another twenty percent to the cost for elements you may not have accounted for, such as knobs and hinges.

If you take your time, you will be able to refine your bathroom remodel ideas into a project that you will be happy with for years to come.

Small Bathroom Remodel

Small Bathroom Remodel

Although undertaking a small bathroom remodel may sound simpler than a large remodel, there are many items that you will want to take under consideration. Number one, a small bathroom remodel will need much more planning than a similar bathroom remodel in a bigger room. In a small bathroom, everything you do is important because space is at a premium. In the small area of a little bathroom, using items you might use in a larger bathroom can make the room feel very small and uncomfortable.  One example would be using large vanities.  The flip side to this delima is that if you use vanities that are too small, you can easily render a small bathroom unsitable for use as your primary bathroom.  This calls into play a delicate balancing act between space available to use and what you choose to put in that space.

Another thing to consider in detail when undertaking a small bathroom remodel is your color choice.  This is vital to the overall look and feel of the bathroom. Unlike larger bathrooms, color choice is of extreme importance, allowing you to create the illusion that your bathroom is more roomy than it really is. Cool, pale colors with a dark accent color will give the room a longer and wider feel than it really is. If you use the dark color on your shorter walls, or as trim, you can create this illusion. Combine this this with a vanity of the proper size to create a larger, more comfortable feel. 

When choosing the vanity, shape as well as size is important to consider.  If you are looking to stretch the room out, making it seem taller, choose a taller, thinner vanity.  By the same token, if you are looking to lenghten the feel of the room, a longer, shorter vanity can help accomplish that.

Once you have settled on the colors and vanities for your small bathroom remodel, you must decide whether or not you will hire a professional to help complete your small bathroom remodel. There are many reasons you may want to hire a professional, but also reasons you may want to go it alone. First and foremost, hiring a professional can be very expensive. Bathroom remodels are one of the more expensive remodel options.  You can figure to easily spend between $2,000 – $4,000 just for supplies and materials. The cost of labor can easily double, or even triple, the cost of the supplies for your small bathroom remodel. This is the reason many people decide to do it themselves, as it really is reasonable and possible to do a  small bathroom remodel on your own.

If you are patient and have some experience with other interior projects, going it alone could be a good choice.  If you have friends or family that are handy, that is another positive for attempting to do it yourself. If you are going to do it yourself, there is one solid piece of advice to always remember.  Each time you stop working on your bathroom, be sure you leave it functional until you are able to work on it once more.

The actual time it takes to complete a  small bathroom remodel can differ depending on the type of flooring and how many items like the bathtub and toilet must actually be moved. If you are just replacing the flooring, adding tile, etc. and exchanging the vanity or adding paint, a small bathroom remodel can be done in pretty short order. If you are taking it down to the studs and re-doing the entire layout, you will likely have your weekends planned for the next month.  If you need the job done fast and it is going to be a major overhaul, you really might consider hiring professionals.  They will cost you more money, but they will have the manpower and experience to get a small bathroom remodel done very quickly.  Wichever direction you decide to go, however, don’t overlook the importance of properly planning your small bathroom remodel.

Bathroom Remodels

Bathroom remodels are often-times very stressful for people who don’t have much experience with interior projects. However, if you can excercise a little patience, and are able to follow instructions, it is possible to do your own bathroom remodels and save a small fortune on the cost of a specialist.

There are a number of items that you will need to be mindful of when undertaking any and all bathroom remodels. First of all, design elements such as color and arrangement are of key importance. Unlike other rooms in your house, except for maybe the kitchen, the bathroom needs to be the most functional. Functionality is usually more important than visual appearance when dealing with bathroom remodels. However, there are many ways for the astute to make your bathroom remodels both functional and good looking.  This is the goal to strive for when undertaking this particular interior project.

The first step in reaching that goal starts with the selection of your color scheme and vanities that you want to use in your bathroom. A color scheme can help to make the bathroom look larger than it really is if you choose wisely. Pale colors on the longest walls with darker colors to accent them on the shorter walls can add width to your bathroom. Adding trim lines along the shorter walls can help give the room more sense of depth. When coosing your vanities, you want to make sure you select the proper sizes.  If your choice is too small, you will lack the storage space you need, leading to a cluttered bathroom down the line.  On the other hand, a vanity that is too large will work against any attempt to make the room look larger as it will dominate the decor.  Reaching a happy medium between these two basics will help you make the most of your bathroom size.

The location of your bathtub and toilet are also imortant in bathroom remodels. You need to achieve a state where your toilet has plenty of room around it without taking up too much space. You also will want plenty of room around your bathtub to keep it functional and create a more eye pleasing design. As baths are meant to be relaxing, having enought space around the bathtub will aid in both the functionalilty and the appearance. If your bathtub area is too crowded, you will likely be unhappy with your bathroom remodels once they are completed and you have had time to live in them.

After you have decided how you want to approach your bathroom remodels and what materials you will need, you have to buy all of the items to make your remodel a reality. Make sure you purchase everything you need ahead of time. The less often that you have to go to the hardware store, the less stressful your remodel will be. If you don’t have much experience with interior projects, there is no penalty for asking family and friends for help. Some parts of the remodel, such as installing your bathtub, are best done with help.