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Biggest lesson from remodeling a bathroom?

Emily H
hace 6 años



Have you remodeled a bathroom? 5 bathrooms? Did you come away with any lessons you wish you had known when you started? Let's hear it!


Share your experience! (Photos encouraged)

Comentarios (66)

  • nicole___
    hace 6 años
    Última modificación: hace 6 años

    1)Most shower heads are too low. Pay attention, raise them up if needed.

    2)Tile up to the ceiling in a shower. It doesn't cost that much more.

    3)Spend money on faucets. It matters.

    4) Cheap towel bars look cheap.

  • PRO
    Ryan Olivieri, Inc.
    hace 6 años

    No drain in the floor

  • roto135
    hace 6 años

    Consult a part time 3-D artist/designer/architect to create a render of the design you want so you can show your contractor the exact finish level you are looking for.


  • PRO
    Janet Paik
    hace 6 años

    You can never have enough storage.

  • auntthelma
    hace 6 años

    Don't put white on the floor.

  • PRO
    Alfredo Zapata
    hace 6 años

    Consistency in colors is pleasant to the eyes.

  • Janie Gibbs-BRING SOPHIE BACK
    hace 6 años

    Proper ventilation.

  • Mrs Pete
    hace 6 años

    Simple tiles from the big box stores are fine.

    Tile is a long-term investment; stick to basic colors and shapes -- bring in color and personality with your (easily replaceable) towels and other accessories.

    Things that will be work in the long run: White-white tile, white grout, small-scale tile on shower walls.

    Be very specific -- draw pictures -- of how you want your tiles laid out. Regardless, try to be home when they're being installed.

    Never skimp on plumbing.

    If you're short on space, it's vastly better to have a simple, nicely done three-piece bathroom ... rather than a cramped space trying to squeeze in additional items.


  • Anna S
    hace 6 años
    I decided on the proper height for shower controls by standing in my existing bathroom and reaching my arm out to see what was comfortable. Repeat for relevant family members and come up with a compromise. If you know the fixtures you will use, tape templates to the wall at the right height. Then write the measurements between controls and to the floor on vertical pieces of masking tape, photograph and provide as a spec. (I did mine with a handyman, no designer). Worked perfectly.
  • Mary Elizabeth
    hace 6 años

    We have done nine bath remodels - 5 in our current house. Unless you will be ordering custom, find your mirror(s) ahead of time. Having them on site, allows you to plan the outlets and switches better.

    And speaking of outlets, it's nice to have them inside drawers and cabinets for things that need charging

  • PRO
    Diana Bier Interiors, LLC
    hace 6 años
    Última modificación: hace 6 años

    So in addition to what everyone says about tiles, fixtures, planning, etc. here is what I learned:

    Proper heat and ventilation, especially with a vaulted ceiling. I should have added toekick heaters in my large master bath. It gets quite cold in the winter.

    My favorite fan is by Fantech--it's a waterproof fan and light combo with the motor in the attic. Works unbelievably well, there's never any steam buildup in the bathroom.

    Also, don't forget lighting. I have recessed lights, sconces and a pendant light, all on dimmers. Very important for grooming and using the bathroom at night.

    Lastly, avoid placing plumbing lines on outside walls so they don't freeze. If you cannot, make sure they are properly insulated all along the run. If the bathroom is on the second floor, you can't forget the pipes that run along the first floor into the basement.

  • Larri
    hace 6 años

    I've completed 2 bathroom renovations in the last 2 years with no contracted help: one was a complete-down-to-the-studs reno of our master bath; the other was knocking down a wall & moving plumbing & fixtures to create a jack-n-jill bathroom.

    • If you don't have everything ordered, delivered, and in your hands before you begin your project, it's going to take twice as long as you planned.
    • Plan, plan, plan. Those quick trips to grab that forgotten/needed item will cost you both time and money.
    • Make a To-Do List of what you want to accomplish each day of your project, but be flexible. Life sometimes gets in the way.
    • Keep a wet rag nearby when sweating pipes...and watch your flame! I singed the 2x4 beside the plumbing I was reconfiguring.
    • Grouting is grueling. It's labor-intensive to wipe down all those tiles. I love every process of remodeling a bathroom, except for the grouting! Maybe it's because it's near the end of the project, and I'm tired by then.
    • Step away when things aren't going as planned. Even 5 minutes to take a few deep breaths will clear your mind, so you can get back to the project.
    • Enjoy the process! You are going to learn a lot about yourself along the way, as well as find tenacity and strength you didn't know you had.


  • dk_fc
    hace 6 años

    Light colored grout in the shower will show scaling quite a bit. Even worst if the grout is wide.

  • auntthelma
    hace 6 años

    Starting three bathroom gut renovations on Jan 2. Yikes.

  • trussell@timelessinteriorstx.com
    hace 6 años

    Unless you are redoing the bath to sell the home, invest in the tile you love. This will be around for probably decades and it is worth the extra money to appreciate what you live with everyday. Box store selections tend to go out of style faster if they are not already dated. If you are at a loss, hire a designer to help you achieve your vision or create one.

  • colbran
    hace 6 años

    I would've thought more long-term. We have a high sided tub with glass sliding doors. I'm pretty sure there will come a time where we'll have to pull the tub and make it a walk-in shower. No way could you raise your leg over the top of that tub if you had a hip replacement or knee replacement or just arthritis in general.

  • cathlink
    hace 6 años

    Having remodeled three bathrooms over the years and planned two bathrooms for new house building I have just a couple of thoughts in addition to the excellent ones already listed..

    1. Don't compromise on what is really important to you. If you want a shower without a sill, work with the designer until you find a way to do it. If you have some other critical need, go for it. Doing it while you've got the walls open and floors torn up is easier than going back in the future. If it's too expensive, consider saving up until you can afford it.

    2. If you are going to put in the blocking for future handicapped grab bars in a shower, just put the blocking and the grab bars in now. An unexpected illness or injury can leave you needing the support years before you planned. (Personal experience, I had surgery and needed the bars. We had the blocking and a location diagram, but still had to open the back of the wall to determine exactly where to place the bars.)

    3. Plan for the unexpected. Even new construction will have surprises.


  • cpaul1
    hace 6 años
    Última modificación: hace 6 años

    1. If you plan on hanging an individual framed mirror over each sink, make sure that when you plan your cabinets that you get the sink cabinets wide enough so that you have room to hang a large enough mirror over the cabinet centered on the sink.

    2. Make sure you plan everything so that all doors and drawers have enough room to swing/pull open and not hit or block anything.

    1. 3. Add a separate light switch on the panel for the under cabinet lighting near the floor so it can be on at night by itself as a night light.

    4. Make sure you have enough outlets around the vanity area and in the right places to be useful.

    1. 5. Reinforce behind the dry wall where you plan to hang your towel bars (dry wall alone is usually not strong enough to support towel bars and they eventually start pulling out of the dry wall).

    2. 6. If you're using the same flooring as the hallway (or space where you enter into the bathroom), make sure you have enough material to continue it into the bathroom so the pattern is seamless.

    3. 7. Mix your metals. Bathrooms are a perfect place for mixed metals with the sink faucets, towel bars, shower fixtures, cabinet hardware, lighting.

    4. 8. Make plans to have a lighting fixture hang in the room from the ceiling in the appropriate place. Think of where your over head lighting should be.

  • Junee Bug
    hace 6 años
    We remodeled an entire house and 6 bathrooms so far. We’ve learned many things and just want to add to what has already been mentioned:
    1. Always keep contacts with people who are working in your house especially the ones who do a good job so you can use them for another job later. 2. Know what materials your contractor are using and do your own research so you know what you are getting. 3. Take pictures of your frame/studs/ plumbing lines before your drywall comes up to plan for install of shelves or TV’s later on
    4. Always measure 3x before ordering anything! 5. Plan where your furnitures go when electrician puts sockets and switches 6. Under vanity plugs are the best things to hide bathroom clutter. 7. Home Inspectors are on your side and only wants what’s best for your family - it’s ok if they check everything and make your contractor redo problems even if it means the job will take longer.
  • Neo Nelle
    hace 6 años
    What a great question! And so many great answers. To add to the list... Spring for a 4 outlet (instead of just the usual 2), and have it on its own breaker. We have a 4 plug outlet and a 2 plug outlet, on separate breakers so multiple blow dryers/ straighteners etc can go at once. Plus, we have multiple tooth brushes plugged in, but spare outlets! Phew!
  • woodteam5
    hace 6 años

    Make sure at the bath place to repeat yourself and double check the way you want the seat to face in the shower. Because no matter how many times I explained to her how I wanted it, it still came in wrong and had to go back.

    Also, put the exhaust fan on it's own switch so it can be left on without the light. This is especially good in a master bath.

  • Adele Naidoo
    hace 6 años

    What's in your head and what is practical do not always match up :-)

    I had the idea to use an antique sideboard as a vanity with double sinks. Only to discover that my idea would cost double to implement. So I ended up using a store-bought vanity. And waited with baited breath to see if my antique-style taps would work with the modern lines. Happily they did.

    Another uh-oh moment: when using a mosaic tile, make sure you protect the mosaic fix properly. Now, a year down the line, constantly cleaning required to keep the white grouting looking pristine. Any ideas on how to permanently fix the problem would be welcome.

  • sofikbr
    hace 6 años

    3 bathrooms remodeled. Very happy with all design. Lessons 1. Never use chrome finish, specially in the shower. 2. Don't install "free" faset that's came with venaty. 3. Be very careful with "know all" contractor. He will try to make decisions on his own. 4. When installing door pulls don't just provide plan, place each on appropriate door. 5. Showers are very expensive, huge one are even more. 6. Even treated glass enclosure need to be clean every time you use shower. 7. Less is more, simple modern design is all you need in bathroom.

  • Nita
    hace 6 años

    Believe it or not what should have been the simplest was the most difficult on bath 1, the throne. The rough in, I did not measure, did not think about, did not cross my mind. Had to special order. Bath was gutted, I measured and ordered everything and it was perfect-almost. Orders arrived timely nothing missing or damaged, did not run into issues with mold, wood rot, etc, trying to find a toilet took almost as long as the remodel. Working on bath 2 now, the throne will not be the issue

  • PRO
    Home Reborn
    hace 6 años
    Última modificación: hace 6 años
    • You will never go wrong with white fixtures and white ceramic tile in any size. Cheerful, bright and never out of style.

    • Use darker tiles on the floor, but not too dark (shows dust and water spots), not too light (shows dirt), not glossy (too slippery), and not too uniform in colour (shows dirt) .

    • Make sure the absolute straightest framing lumber possible is used under any surface that will be tiled. Perfectly flat surfaces are the key to quality tile work.

    • Always use smooth and glossy tile in wet areas. Easy to keep clean.

    • Never use white grout. It never stays clean.

    • Ensure that grout lines are as tight as your tile person can manage. Never larger that 1/8". Anything larger looks dated and will get dirty faster.

    • Use the largest tiles you can in the shower area. Minimizing the number of grout lines is the key to a shower that stays clean.

    • For the shower floor, don't reject white fibreglass or acrylic shower bases out of hand. Tiled shower floors look great but never, ever stay clean very long. A fibreglass or acrylic base combined with nicely tiled walls and a custom frameless glass enclosure looks just as custom as an all-tiled shower.

    • Never use tile on the surface of a shower seat, on top of a shower curb, or to frame a shower niche. Always use a solid-surface materials (marble, granite, man-made quartz, etc., custom-cut to size) which present no opportunity for water ingress.

    • If you use marble in a bathroom, remember that it will always need periodic re-sealing to maintain water repellency (almost everyone forgets this).

    • Take cure to ensure that silicone caulk is absolutely perfectly applied to every inside corner of a wet area. Even the slightest gap or bubble can lead to water infiltration and mold formation in short order.

    • Make sure there is a 1" gap under the bathroom entry door or the bathroom ventilation fan will be unable to draw in enough replacement air, and you will get steam and condensation everywhere.

    • Use wall-mounted vanities in small bathrooms to increase the sense of floor space.

    Buy your vanity and make sure it is on-site before any framing or plumbing work is done. Some vanities require structural reinforcement behind the wall, or have drawers and shelves in locations that could interfere with drain and water supply placement, and your framer and plumber won't know where to put them unless the vanity is on-site.

    If possible, buy your vanity mirror(s) and have them on-site as well so that your electrician will know exactly where to place fixture boxes above or beside them. This is especially important with double-sink vanities where knowing the exact distance between the centreline of the sinks is key to placement of light fixtures above them.

    • Body jets in a shower are a waste of time and a source of amusement for about five minutes. A hand shower mounted on a flexible hose is vastly more practical and all you need.
    • Install a heated floor if you can afford it. You will never regret it.

    Always install a recessed light fixture in the tub or shower area. You need light here, plus it highlights nice tile work.

    Don't mount a recessed light directly over a toilet. You don't need to highlight what goes in here.

    • You don't need to spend a fortune on shower controls and sink faucets. Every well-known mass-market brand is good quality, and some carry lifetime warranties.

    Here is a bathroom (in a basement) that has most of the features noted above, will last almost forever, and unlikely to ever look too out-of-date:

  • PRO
    Tile Shop
    hace 6 años

    As a tile salesman I recommend these pieces of advice regarding tiles:
    -- Order 10% more tile than you measure for

    -- Get the tile asap, at least two weeks in advance - you need to make sure it is all there, not damaged by shipping, and looks the way you want it to - natural stone and porcelain can and will look at least a little different than the display pieces owing to dye lots (porcelain) and where the product was quarried (stone)

    -- Keep some extra pieces! - The dye lots and quarried areas mentioned above are important if something happens, you will want to have replacement pieces on hand should something happen to what you have installed

    -- If this is a remodel, have a professional check over the subfloor and behind the walls - a poor subfloor could cause the tile to crack and break in a short amount of time - water damage and mold could require a complete gutting of the damaged area

    -- Keep it simple - Unless you are 110% certain that you want that bright yellow mixing with gray wood-look and calacutta marble, simple is better

    -- In keeping it simple neutral and clean colors such as white, gray, or beige can then be accessorized with towels and decor plus you can replace the accessories for $5-$50 versus paying $600+ to replace the tiles

  • Kim Allman
    hace 6 años

    If you're going to demo your own bathtub, you'll need a bigger sledge hammer. And earplugs. <<,<bbboooooiiiinnnnggg>>>>

  • Betsy Savory
    hace 6 años

    This is absolutely the BEST collection of advice ever! I am down to the studs and waiting. 95% is 100% true and a huge help. Thank you. Betsy

  • Jean Wheeler
    hace 6 años

    As someone who is currently remodeling my only bathroom. I agree with most of these comments. Here's my own:

    -If you are going to tile a shower, take it down to the framing and re-frame as necessary. This will save you WEEKS fighting with tile that won't lay square. Do not leave any plaster wall or sagging wall. It's much easier to demo than to float it level. Just do this first and don't move forward until you do.

    -Rent/buy/borrow/beg/steal the best large table tile saw you can get, from day 1, don't mess around. This will also save you a week before you end up there.

    -Add at least 50% to your budget and if you plan on DIY and then have to contract it out later, your budget will go to pot, as will the method you chose to do it.

    -Plan your tile layout from the beginning, plan around niches, windows. Your niches are dependent on your tile, not where you think you want them.

    -Don't be afraid to demo to the framing. I took my 1920's house down to the studs and joists; removing asbestos tile off of original hardwood is only worth saving if you want the hardwood in the finished product.

    -Small bathrooms are much harder and more $$ than medium sized. If you want to do a small bathroom not cramped, prepare to custom build all your shelves, etc.

    -Toilets "white" is not equal amongst brands. Neither is brushed nickel. Take your color samples when planning these things.

  • markme
    hace 6 años

    Think about where your towels will hang to dry! We didn't and now our beautiful frameless glass shower is the only place for us to hang wet towels.

  • woodteam5
    hace 6 años
    Última modificación: hace 6 años

    Rethink black marble/granite and square sinks. Black marble constantly needs to be wiped from water spots and square sinks are a pain to clean.

  • PRO
    Hal Braswell Consulting
    hace 6 años
    Two simple lessons.

    1. Never begin a DIY bathroom job (even if the only DIY aspect is demolition) on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday because you will get your reward and have to call a plumber at emergency rates.


    2. If replacing a tub or shower walls, ALWAYS replace all the fixture valves hidden in the wall behind the tile. Cheap plastic valves will leak. Chances are that part/all of the tile job will have to be busted out to replace bad valves. While the walls are down to the studs, have a plumber inspect all plumbing and install quality metal valves. Replacing a sink faucet is relatively easy; a shower faucet or on/off, where the valves are in the wall behind tile, can be expensive if not done while walls are already down to studs.
  • PRO
    Masterworks Window Fashions & Design, LLC
    hace 6 años

    We just remodeled two bathrooms and a powder room in recent months. I'm not a kitchen and bath designer, and this was my first experience with bathroom remodeling. I wanted to take advantage of the trade discounts I have with a number of vendors, so I did not hire a bathroom designer.

    The contractor was recommended by someone I trust, and completed all three bathrooms, but I will not use him again for a number of reasons, and I will not refer him to my clients. We finally got the results we needed, but it was more difficult because the contractor was disorganized, and used to doing a lot by the seat of his pants.

    I should have figured this out with the powder room, when he and I reviewed where the towel bar/ grab bar should go, with reinforcement within the wall, where the light fixture would be added, and so on, and then the crew arrived with none of that information. They added the light fixture on the wall, but removed the ceiling fixture, which removal was not in the plan, and I had to get them to bring it back (an antique chandelier which I had bought for the bathroom). They put the reinforcement in the wall in the wrong place, and I had to get them to open up the drywall and move it, so that the towel bar would be installed in the correct location. I used a fluted grab bar which was attractive, but strong enough that someone in the future could use it to pull themselves up if necessary, something I wish I had had in there a while back after my mother's hip replacement. The contractor and I agreed he needed a drawing in the future, drawings I was certainly capable of providing if I had realized he needed it.

    Upstairs, by the time we were doing the second bathroom, I realized that even with one sink, it would be helpful to have a second outlet on the other side of the counter top, for charging electric toothbrushes, using hair dryers, etc. I wish I had thought of it in the hall bath.

    I put grab bars both vertically and horizontally in the hall bath, but they are attractive curved ones which work with the curved lines of the light fixtures, oval mirrors, oval sink, and wallpaper. In the master bath, I have fluted grab bars, and rectangular mirrors, rectangular sink, and straighter lines in the light fixture. There are a lot of nice grab bars out there - don't assume that they have to be the ugly institutional ones. I'll post photos tomorrow.

    We originally had planned to use spot resistant nickel fixtures in both bathrooms, until I realized that the nickel fixtures would not show up against the purple-gray tile of the master bath. I changed the master bath fixtures to chrome, but it was too late to return some of what I had originally purchased, so the Habitat ReStore was the beneficiary of two light fixtures and a grab bar.

    The tile we had purchased (on sale at a high end tile shop which was a client of mine - I did the window treatments and cushions for a waiting room in their showroom) for the hall bath was "rectified tile" - meaning the edges were not rounded but very squared, and sharp to the touch if not totally even on the wall. I had forgotten that the grout size was supposed to be 1/16th of an inch for this type of tile, and my contractor, or at least his tile installer, did not know that, evidently, either. We had a number of tile pieces which had to be reinstalled as a result. The other tile, which was not "rectified" was easier to install, but I still had them do smaller grout than they would have otherwise, and it looks great.

    Also in the master bath, there were pipes in the wall in the master bath which could only be moved part of the way, so the medicine cabinets ended up higher in the wall than planned. As a result, I decided to use mirror tiles around the mirrored medicine cabinets on that one wall, and that turned out to be very elegant. So problems can turn out to be an "opportunity for design improvement".

    Lastly, we had decided to have the contractor remove the tub in the master bath during the week we had planned to be on vacation. Less stressful on our German Shepherds, who took a dim view of all the contractors going in and out without being properly greeted by them... but the contractor, who promised to get a lot of work done while we were out of town, instead pulled his crew off our job half the time we were gone, and I was very disappointed with the lack of progress on our return. I think it would have been better to board the dogs for the days of tub removal, and stay in town, or just have had the contractor work elsewhere for a week until we returned.


  • suezbell
    hace 6 años

    A. Older toilets were shorter and more round; pick those that are more elongated and mid-height. First time I built a home I didn't even know taller ones existed. By the time I built another home, I'm so glad I did. Arthritic knees appreciate it a great deal.

    B. If you're designing a bath with a built in tub/shower combo, pay attention to which end of the tub the faucet will be on because

    (1) whether you're right handed or left handed -- does that give you enough elbow room between the wall and shower door/curtain;

    (2) if you take baths rather than showers, do you really want to sit in a tub with your back against a faucet and/or your head/torso next to a toilet no matter how clean you keep it.

    C. If you're designing a bathroom, add storage room sufficient for the number of people who are using it to keep their toiletries, preferably on separate shelves.

  • Ann Taylor
    hace 6 años

    Do not put toilet next to the sink, eeww.

  • gtcircus
    hace 6 años
    My advice:
    1. If you use natural stone, lay it out before installation to make sure you are happy with the color.

    2. Put heating in the floor and make sure it goes to your feet on the toilet and into the shower - it will keep the shower floor dry.

    3. Install a plug-in for the drawer of the vanity so you do not have to plug and unplug your blow dryer.

    4. On your shower door, make sure the framing is done so it can handle a heavy class door that can swing both ways.
  • Laura Mac
    hace 6 años
    Última modificación: hace 6 años

    1. Tall height shower head! Definitely put your shower head at least 7.5 ft up since they all hang down another 6" or so anyways! We live in CA and everyone is tall now! Nobody wants to duck when showering and remember that you may have a tall athlete in your family soon (high school kids are all 6' -6'8" now), or the next family that wants to buy your home...

    2. Be present during stone install! If you use real stone like marble in your bathroom, be there during the installation of every piece! If you use marble (which I did and absolutely love), pick out every piece and lay them in groups of where you want them used! The tilers will undoubtedly put the ugliest stone piece in the most obvious spot, or lay the veining funny. My 'sahara gold' marble has variations of gorgeous colors, crystals and fossils and a few dozen pieces had a lot of pinks. I put all the pinks on the roman tub wall that faces out since they are spectacular, and then I put the most beautiful crystal tiles and my fossils where I can look at them while showering. The uglier more yellow/black pieces are on the ground around the toilet that is hidden and used for cuts or down low on wall that isn't exposed. Your tile guys are hired by you, so lay out your masterpiece the way you want! It may take a day or two out of your life, but worth it since you won't be remodeling for a few decades, hopefully.

    3. If you have a tight bathroom with no windows like me, use custom cut mirror to ceiling over sink(s). Sometimes a framed mirror over a sink is ineffective if you use the bathroom for shaving/makeup, etc., and it's wobbly and sometimes distorted and hard to clean unless it's hung professionally on a stud (by a stud)! ;-) Once you have all your cabinetry and back splash installed (definitely love a nice 6" tall splash), call a custom mirror/glass company and have them cut a huge piece of mirror (they can cut out a hole for your sconces) and have them install mirror from back splash to ceiling on the main wall above your sink(s) to open up the bathroom! It's beautiful! Add the beautiful mirror to the wall behind you or another spot if you have room. Most bathrooms are small and tight, so full mirror opens it up!

    4. Definitely install grab bars in the shower. Everyone gets a little dizzy in the shower and as we age, even more so....

    5. Yes to a taller, 'elongated' toilet.

    6. Yes to large sinks and make sure the faucet doesn't come out to far so when you bend your head down in the sink to wash your face, your nose doesn't hit the faucet.

    7. No to vessel sinks in a master.

    8. Yes to lots of pull out storage under the sink or a built-in to the ceiling for towels and knickknacks (even if not very wide)....

    9. If you can, yes to ADA complaint doorway and curbless showers! Wider doorway to accommodate wheel chairs and curbless showers in case you are in a wheel chair or for an elderly parent...

    10. No to black granite for a bathroom counter. Too difficult to clean (water spots, toothpaste spots, etc). No to a black sink too. (I bought a really darling pre-fab one with both and hate it (but the vanity part is cute).....

    11. Spend money on a good brand of faucet (valves/stem) since you will use it often, and ask your plumber what brand he recommends. (Go for higher end Kohler and/or Hangsgrohe, and not the off brands or cheap brands). You need good faucets and fixtures! I have beautiful Mico faucets, but my plumbers hate the European fancy-smancy one's cause they can't get parts, and it's true....

    12. Taller sink vanity if you are tall. Have your cabinet guy/gal just make them taller. Easy.

    13. If you are going custom cabinetry (which you should if you can), and a lady that loves all things makeup and hair spray/mousse, be sure to have at least 2-3 custom drawers made that are at least 12+ inches tall. That way the economy tall 10-12" size volume hair sprays and shampoos will fit! I thought this way out in advance for sure! It's the best!

    14. Hole in the counter for trash. I don't have this, but if you are going custom, it might be nice to have a 4-6" hole cut in the counter (between sinks or off to side), and below it (inside the cabinetry), have a trash can (like in hotels). That way, it's easier to throw in kleenex, trash, hair, etc., without using a small, ugly trash can in the bathroom, or having to open and close a cupboard to put trash inside. If I have a large counter in my next remodel, I'm doing this! Otherwise, I love my large plastic trash cans hidden inside my cabinetry doors.

    15. All dimmer switches in the master bathroom — recessed light(s) (sealed) in shower, cans over sink(s), and sconces positioned above/side of head, and a chandelier over the tub!

    16. Tile to the ceiling in the shower, no questions asked! Don't stop with 6-8 inches to go....

    17. Keep the stone in the shower simple (no horizontal bands with liners or crazy backsplash pieces necessary)...cuts it off and makes it look short. You want the shower to look tall. Simple and classic. Or perhaps a wide band or entire wall of glass/mosaic/other stone going vertically. Simple is best.

    18. Definitely pick what moves YOU!

    Attaching a few pics of my frog and vertebrae with crystals in my sahara gold marble! Each 12x12 piece is a work of art! Fun!

    I need to stop, but I'm addicted to Houzz!

    Happy New Year Houzzers!

  • Jeffery Weaks
    hace 6 años

    wasn't as hard as we thought it would be,had great help we were really happy with the end result..

  • pdrobnyk
    hace 6 años

    where can I get these lights?

  • auntthelma
    hace 6 años

    Finished a three bathroom gut last week.

    It WILL cost more than you plan. For us, about 20% more.

    Convince yourself that when you find things in the walls that need repair, it's a good thing because now your house is stronger, safer and more reliable.

    New toilets are bigger than the older models. Make sure the new toilet doesn't stick out so the door hits it!

  • Buzz Solo in northeast MI
    hace 6 años

    @Laura Mac, thanks for the idea of the hole in the counter for trash! Just looking at the floorplan for my future master bath, I wasn't even thinking about trashcans.

    I can agree with the taller toilet. We went with a 16 incher, which is perfect for we taller folk in the family. Funnily enough we were living with the standard 14.5 incher till my 5'1" mom came to visit one Christmas (she had the 18" handicap height installed at her home for my dad ) and asked what in the world were 2 people our height (DH is 6'5") doing with a short toilet?! Needless to say it was installed shortly thereafter.

    I find the 18 in ones too high.

  • cpaul1
    hace 6 años

    Decide where mirrors and towel bars are going to hang so they can be reinforced into something more than just the drywall. Caulk everything, everywhere. Really look at where the faucet holes will be in the counter top respective to the wall behind it and the sink underneath it. Make sure that you have enough room to hang an appropriate sized mirror that can be centered on the vanity.

  • lyndyaz
    hace 6 años

    Work with a architect and not just a contractor. I was ripped off big time by the people who did my bathrooms and flooring, they didn't cleanup my house as they worked and didn't cover with zip walls like they promised in their bid. Now I am left having lung issues due to the dirty air in my home and having to hire someone to clean and inspect the a/c and hepa unit on my furnace. Very bad mojo:(

  • PRO
    Accessible Living Solutions
    hace 6 años
    Última modificación: hace 6 años

    These are all great comments:

    As a professional who remodels more than a dozen bathrooms
    per year, I would like to emphasize what has been said and add a little:

    If you use white grout you should keep it sealed and keep it clean or it will discolor. All tile work needs to be cleaned and sealed on a regular basis. The grout colors that resist discoloration the best are those that are closest to the natural gray color of concrete. I have found epoxy grouts to be the best for holding their color. (Do some reading and make sure you know what you are getting into before you chose epoxy grout.)

    Always install an exhaust fan that is ducted to the outside (not to the attic or basement). Some older houses do not have exhaust fans because it was thought a window will satisfy the ventilation requirement. I do not know anyone who keeps their bathroom window open in the middle of winter while showering.

    1. When installing blocking for grab bars document the locations and keep the document where you can find it when you need it. A stud finder can give a false reading when the walls are insulated, sheeted with cement board, and finished with tile.

    Make sure the tub / shower valve is well anchored and at the recommended distance to the finished wall surface.

    Test all your plumbing before you sheet the walls and leave the pipes charged with water while you are finishing the project.

    Finally, don’t do plumbing unless you have absolute confidence in what you are doing. Ripping out walls and ceilings after everything is finished can ruin a day, maybe even a week or two. Hope this helps someone

    Paul

  • Susan Elgin
    hace 6 años

    Zero clearance showers only work when the floor is modified for such. Our contractor put the drain at the shower door and now the water rolls out onto the polished granite tile floor unless the drain is cleaned weekly.

    Grab bars are helpful.

    Plan the shower height for your tallest person. We use slide bars to accommodate my 5'4" daughter and 6'3" son.

    Black sinks are a nightmare.

    Don't be afraid to add/change if necessary. We changed the paint color most of the way through the project when it was clear the original color would not work.

    Toilet paper holder that is also a grab bar.

    Zero clearance and original paint which is already changed in the grab bar photo.

  • writerinfact
    hace 6 años

    Please, please: Unless you are redoing the bathroom because you are selling the house DO NOT force yourself to live with white-on-white-on-white! I do so because I rent, and thus I will never, ever have white anywhere in my own home unless it is MY white, which is winter white with no yellow tinge. And should I ever buy a resale home with white-on-white anywhere, especially the bathroom, you can bet that I will remove it before ever moving in!

    Susanelgin2012, I really like the toilet roll grab bar; thanks for the photo.

    Thanks to all for the suggestions, tips, and - um - entertainment!

    Incidentally, it would be a major mistake to include a tub/shower combination in a bathroom where you intend to "age in place" since it gets harder and harder to get over even the lowest tub side. My late husband wound up getting sponge baths because, post-stroke, he could not lift his foot high enough, and even with two grab bars, one below the shower head and one on the side wall, he was unable to grab either with his dominant right hand. Think ahead (and yes, this is the time for worst case planning)!

  • miss lindsey (She/Her)
    hace 6 años

    My family doesn't actually have use for two sinks. One just stayed perfectly clean (except for the dust!) The only time it ever got used was to give Baby a bath for the first few months of his life, and to occasionally soak stained clothing. Wasn't worth the added expense and work at all.

  • lcurry1
    hace 5 años

    Agree with everything but want say it again. Plan your electric outlets carefully and thoughtfully. Think through where you place the trash can after remodel. Again , get taller toilets. Add frosted glass doors if you need doors. Buy standard faucets design but higher quality if you plan on living with them. You will not regret it. The whole process will take longer than you think and it will cost more than your original plan.

  • jenna
    hace 5 años
    be sure to allow the space above granite counter to include the height of the vertical granite trim, for outlet placement...
  • Becky Harris
    hace 5 años

    make sure your shower niche will accommodate everything - measure your biggest bottles' heights, for example

    Get heated floors

    Expect everything you order to take twice as long to arrive as you expected.

    Put a ledge in your shower or place the nook low enough to help when shaving your legs.

    If you use clear glass, get the kind that resists water spots.

    A handheld wand makes it really easy to clean a shower and/or tub.

    Think about how you function in the bathroom when getting ready and where you'll need to reach stuff, store stuff, plug in stuff and plan accordingly. There are cool hair appliance and shaving inserts around these days.

    Put lights on dimmers. It's nice for late night showers and trips to the loo.

    If you need to save space in a compact bathroom, consider wall-mounted vanities and faucets.

    Clean out your cabinets by taking every single thing out and analyzing it piece by piece once a year. Gather up samples and put the ones you'll need for trips in your Dopp kit, and if there's a big surplus, gather up like items to use now. You'll save on buying shampoo, conditioner and lotions for awhile. Toss old or unflattering makeup.

    Unless you are planning on moving in the next five years, don't think about resale or other people one single bit. Do what you love.

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