Giving Your Bathroom a Facelift

Nothing dates a house more quickly than a bathroom that time has forgotten. Yet any drab or outdated bathroom can be dramatically revitalized. Bath products abound and can give you as lavish a bathroom as  you could possibly want. Many homeowners want the bathroom to be totally utilitarian, but others want a room in which to pamper themselves. How about you?

Your answer, and your budget, will determine the best way to remodel. Do you want to work within the existing space of your current bathroom? Do you want to expand by taking room from somewhere else? Or would you rather build an addition to house your new bath? All of these are options and all vary greatly in cost.

Renovating your current space will usually be the least complicated and the least expensive. While the layout of your existing bathroom can be altered to some extent, the movement of major plumbing fixtures is the most costly aspect of a remodel. Local codes require minimum clearances between, beside and in front of fixtures to allow for use, cleaning and repair.

If you have an extra bedroom, you could move the bathroom to this space or expand a current bath into a portion of it, this will mean that plumbing must be moved but it will also add a modern spacious bathroom to
your home which will help the resale value. An addition or even a small bump-out could be the solution. This takes the largest investment, but will give you just what you want.

If you’ve decided to remodel, start with an analysis of your existing bathroom:

  • What is the condition of the sink, toilet, and tub/shower? If it’s an older wall hanging toilet, you might want to update the look, perhaps with a low water consumption style. If your tub is basically sound, consider having it reglazed. However, many homeowners are moving up to whirlpool style tubs.
  • Does the sink have a vanity for storage? If it does, but you just don’t like it, consider replacing it with one of the many beautiful varieties that are available today.
  • Does the sink have independent faucets? If so, you know how inconvenient this can be. Why not switch to a single operating lever which is easier to use and gives a better mix of temperatures.
  • Does your tub include a shower? One can easily be added with a combination tub-shower valve.
  • Think about reinforcing the walls, adding grab bars, and widening the doors for those with physical disabilities or for your later years.
  • Is your medicine cabinet small and outdated? Consider the various styles of newer cabinets, perhaps with recessed or decorative lighting.
  • How is the tile? If it is chipped and cracked, and a matching tile is not available, replacement or reglazing may be your best option.
  • If a wooden window is suffering the effects of humidity it may be best to replace it or the older metal variety and a new vinyl window system. And don’t forget deco glass block has made a comeback.
  • Many older bathrooms don’t have adequate ventilation. You may want to add a fan to avoid the buildup of moisture, which can deteriorate materials and add to the increase of mold and mildew.
  • Are electrical outlets a problem? Face it, the number of electrical appliances you use in your daily rituals has multiplied since the time that many houses were built. That means that you probably want more outlets. These and any that are replaced should use protective GFI outlets that are made to shut off at the touch of water.