So you’re ready to renovate your bathroom.
Armed with your bathroom renovation checklist, you’ve envisioned the perfect space. You’re excited, you’re geared up and you’re ready to go.
Or are you?
Remodeling a bathroom is a big undertaking. Even for a small bathroom.
Be sure that your bathroom renovation checklist is comprehensive.
So let’s take a look at some things that should be on your checklist if they aren’t already there.
1. Upgrade the Wiring
If you’re in a pre-war house with 15-amp wiring, it’s time to kick it up.
It’s probably not going to be enough to swap in GFCI outlets. With blow dryers, hair irons, electric razors, toothbrushes, etc., you’ll need to replace the wiring with a dedicated 20-amp circuit and plenty of outlets.
2. Choose a Top-Tier Toilet
Look for a toilet with a MaP score of 500 or higher.
Maximum Performance testing (MaP) gauges a toilet’s ability to get the job done with a single push of the handle. Seek out high-efficiency models that use as little as half of the 1.6-gallon-per-flush legal limit.
3. Make Room in The Shower
When redoing the shower, forget about those plastic or metal over-the-showerhead organizers. Design in a recessed cubby instead to increase stall space.
Another way to get a surprising amount of space is by adding am inexpensive curved shower rod, way.
4. Get the Lighting Right
Flank the mirror with fixtures placed at eye level (around 66 inches) and spaced 36 to 40 inches apart. If there’s no space, install a long fixture on the wall above the mirror.
See the fixtures in action before you buy them to ensure the amount is right and the quality of light is sufficient. And above all else, don’t rely on a recessed ceiling fixture unless you want to look like a zombie.
5. Design for Accessibility
If you have friends or family with physical challenges, or you’re in your home for the long haul, this is a definite consideration.
Handheld showers and easy-to-grip lever faucets can be added at any time, but you may need to consider permanent features like grab bars, barrier-free showers, wider doorways, and a lower sink height.
6. A Bathroom Built for Two
If it’s a master bath you’re remodeling, keep these features should be on your bathroom renovation checklist:
- Separate room for toilet(s).
- Separate bath and shower stalls.
- Dual workstations with sinks 36 inches apart or more, measured drain to drain, and plenty of outlets and lighting, as well as mirror, countertop, and storage space.
- Pathways 36 to 42 inches wide.
Go Ahead and Splurge
Renovating can get expensive, so you’ll want to budget. But don’t forget to let yourself have a little fun.
Pick one or two features you love that will define the look and feel of your new bathroom – accent tiles, a special-order sink, a heated floor, whatever calls to you.
It’s an investment that will pay off in the future because inexpensive fixtures aren’t durable. And when they fail, they can be difficult to replace.
Do you have a bathroom renovation checklist? We’d love to hear what you have on yours!
