The Worst Advice We’ve Ever Heard About Bathroom Renovations

If you are considering renovating your bathroom, this article is for you. While many homeowners look for ways to add value to their homes without spending a lot of time or money, some of them end up getting in over their heads and seek professional help after it is too late. We want to save you the hassles and the headaches of a DIY project gone awry and offer some helpful tips that will steer you in the right direction and help you avoid costly mistakes.

First, let’s take a look at what not to do so you can start your bathroom renovation off right.

1. Don’t DIY it. So many homeowners feel that they are competent enough to renovate their bathroom only to find out that they should have called a professional. There are certain aspects of a bathroom renovation that you don’t want to leave to chance. Waterproofing, drain installation and toilet plumbing are three that come to mind. No matter what you see on YouTube, plumbing your own toilet without the necessary experience is a recipe for disaster.
2. Don’t try to skimp on the pipes. If your home has old or outdated plumbing, a renovation is the right time to replace it. You may have been told to ignore the old pipes and that if they don’t leak, they should be good to go. If you take that advice, you could be left spending a lot more money later on when one of those antiquated pipes bursts.
3. While we are on the topic of your pipes, don’t move them. If you have previously installed plumbing and it is up to code, don’t move any of it unless you absolutely have to. You will be better off adding a line then disrupting the originally installed drain flow.
4. Don’t ignore required heights for fixtures, counters and any other installed bathroom accessories. This could be the difference between a successful bathroom renovation, and one that you will end up not liking but having to live with. You may have heard that you can create custom counters to your liking and it is up to you how high they should be. That may not be the best advice as you are trying to add value to your home and if you do decide to sell, those custom counters and odd heights may not be what the buyer is looking for.

Enough of the don’ts and bad advice, let’s take a look at what you should do when renovating your bathroom.

1. Do hire a builder to manage the project and a plumber to complete the necessary pipework and fixture installation. As much as you would like to save money by going the DIY route, hiring a professional will save you money in the end.
2. Do buy fixtures and accessories that comply with local regulations. Too many homeowners thought they were getting a bargain on their bathroom fixtures only to find out during the inspection that the fixtures would have to be removed.
3. Do avoid going overboard and creating too lavish of a bathroom that your budget can’t accommodate. That heated toilet seat or 12 head shower with steam and massage may seem nice, but you may want to choose a shower head that is more budget friendly and a toilet seat without the bells and whistles.

Using this article as a guide, you should be able to plan your bathroom renovation and avoid the costly mistakes others have made when trying to add value to their homes by going the DIY route. Regardless of your skills, calling a professional will make your renovation happen faster and ensure that it is hassle free.