Bathroom Remodel Steps and Guide for a Hassle-Free Experience
Your bathroom can become old and boring. It is also one of the most used rooms in the home, and it is wet throughout the day. This makes your bathroom deteriorate over some time. So, remodeling the bathroom becomes a necessity once in a while. But remodeling the bathroom comes with its difficulties.
However, it requires thorough planning, whether you are hiring a contractor or going the DIY route. If you are remodeling your bathroom, at the very least, you need to be aware of these bathroom remodel steps to get an idea of what lies ahead.
Planning and Budgeting
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While remodeling your bathroom, there are so many things to consider, like tiles, plumbing, electricals, accessories, paint colors, etc. So planning everything before actually starting the work is essential. At the same time, establishing a budget beforehand will help you avoid any surprises in the future.
If you are buying new tiles or even accessories, it is easy to find out their cost and prepare a budget for the same. The main problem lies in determining how much time it’ll take to complete the whole remodeling and hiring any help. Knowing how much they charge is also very important.
You may not be well equipped to handle certain things; hiring external help is so useful. They can finish the project lesser than the time it’ll take you to complete it, and they may also be doing it with better results.
Taking the right measurements of your bathroom while remodeling is necessary because, with wrong measurements, some things may not fit into your bathroom the way you intended them to fit.
Relocating certain fixtures like a toilet or shower may not be possible as you have to redo all the plumbing. But if you still are looking for a newer kind of look, you may choose to attach a glass door to your shower enclosure. You can also remove the tub altogether to install a custom shower with beautiful tiles in the background.
As you remove all the lights and cut off electricity to the bathroom, you should use auxiliary lights for better visibility while working on your bathroom rebuild.
Demolition
The next part of bathroom remodel steps is removing everything that is already there in your bathroom, which includes your old tiles, flooring, and all the fixtures. Don’t just go at everything with the brute force of your hammer. You should do the demolition very carefully so that you’ll not damage any internal plumbing and electrical work.
Before removing and inspecting your tub, cut off the water supply to it. The same goes for your shower, sink, and toilet.
Remove all the plumbing to your sink and the toilet before removing them from their place. Removing the toilet can be tricky as you have to cover the waste pipe with a rag in order to avoid all the sewer fumes getting into your home.
If you are replacing electrical components like lights and exhaust fans, make sure to cut off the main supply and remove them carefully.
Take off all the existing accessories like towel rack, cupboards and all.
Then take off all the tiles from the wall and the floor if you think they need replacement.
Plumbing
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It is time to inspect the existing plumbing to see what stays and what needs to be changed. Install the new tub and connect all that needs to be connected.
If you plan to add an extra sink or want to have a dual shower head, make sure you set up the plumbing as well.
Electrical
Check whether all the wirings are in place. You can also choose to go with 20-amp plug points instead of the usual 15-amp plug points if you want to use hairdryers and other appliances in the bathroom.
You can relocate the plug points based on where you are placing the sink and the mirror. You can also choose to go with some specific designs for the same in-line with your new vanity.
Close the Walls
The most important of the bathroom remodel steps is that you have to build the bathroom in such a way that water doesn’t seep in through any of the places. To ensure that, use cement boards before installing the tiles, which can help with both moisture resistance and, at the same time, can act as a good backer for tile walls. For other walls, you can go with drywalls.
Paint Walls
It is always better to paint before the sink, toilet, tub, vanity, and other fixtures are installed. This will help you reduce the spatter on all the new fixtures you are going to install.
Because the bathroom is the most humid place in the house, choose a paint that will resist the humidity.
Install Tiles
Installing tiles is the next aspect of your bathroom remodel steps. It is always better to install tiles in the shower or bathtub enclosure. Then, always tile the walls first before moving on to the floor; thus, you have a standing space to do the tiling properly. It would be best if you also used grout to fill the gaps between wall tiles. Always remember to caulk the corners so that water doesn’t seep in.
Install Shower Door
After you are satisfied with the tile installation, move on to install the shower or bathtub enclosure door. If you are not going with a separate shower enclosure, you can install a rod for shower curtains.
Install Lights and Exhaust Fan
Move forward with your bathroom remodeling by installing the lights and the exhaust fan. Make sure you get the electrical connections right. It’s important to remember that lighting plays a crucial role in bathroom remodeling. For this reason, you have to ensure that it’s well-lit and ventilated as well.
Install Vanity and Sink
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Install the sink and vanity. Also, make sure to hook up all the plumbing to these new fixtures.
Install the Toilet
Then, it is time to install the toilet. Remove the rag you used to cover the waste pipe, then make sure you get the plumbing right.
Add Accessories
Finally, the last of the bathroom remodel steps is to bring in all the accessories to add elegance and individuality to your bathroom. These may include towel bars, shelves, or switchboard plates.