Renovating your Bathroom

The bathroom has undergone a transformation in recent years, not just seen as a room purely used for its obvious functions but as a haven for self indulgence.



The humble bathroom is now an escape from the modern world, waking you up each morning with a sensual shower and washing away the stresses of the day in a deep bath; what you do in between is up to you but the bathroom will always great you with open arms at either end with its peaceful ambiance.

Unfortunately, many of our bathrooms are an uninspired combination of dated modernity and styling chosen from the not so keen eye of the previous house owners and are in desperate need of a renovation.

Renovating your bathroom can be a long process, the journey from the idea right through to the actual fitting can be strewn with obstacles that can be difficult to overcome without the right knowledge.

By following a few simple steps you can not only make renovating your bathroom a smooth process but also a task you only have to do once or twice in your lifetime, giving you perfect results each time without having to worry about another remodel at a later date.

Style

There are three types of bathroom developments, each with their own individual benefits.

Traditional Styling – Hugely popular, traditional bathroom suites are defined by their period details, high splash backs, pedestals, high cisterns, classic brass ware and plug and chain wastes.

One of the great benefits of choosing a traditionally styled bathroom suite is the fact that they always have and always will be popular, providing you with a design that stands the test of time, perfect for those not looking to remodel their bathroom in years to come.

Contemporary Styling – The ultimate statement, contemporary bathroom suites utilise current vogue and sleek styling for a look and feel that is as versatile as it is stunning.

Choosing a contemporary bathroom suite offers a multitude of design options, with minimalist concepts, unique styling and wonderfully technical designs that deliver all the functionality and comforts of a spa.

Modern Classic – Supremely versatile, modern classic styling offers a contemporary look that pays homage to traditional designs, blending the two styles for a look that captures the essence of yesteryear with all the benefits of a modern concept.

After browsing the internet and an entire library’s worth of brochures, you’ll begin to get a good idea of the style you desire for your bathroom renovation, taking into consideration the styling you have trending throughout your home.

Measure Up

With some idea of the features you wish to include in your renovation, it’s time to measure up and discover the different placement options your bathroom offers.

Having chosen a traditionally designed suite, you may want a free-standing bath or toilet with a high level cistern, both of which need a considerable amount of space; you may have the room for that feature but you don’t want to compromise to much floor space, resulting in you shimmying past your basin or climbing over your toilet to finally reach your bath.

In order to make the most of your space it’s important that you measure up every aspect of each feature, for example; when measuring a space for a vanity unit, make sure that you allow for the basin to protrude (if it does) or if you are measuring a space for a basin and pedestal, don’t just measure the floor space surrounding the pedestal, ensure you make room for the basin too.

When measuring up smaller bathrooms such as en-suites and cloakrooms it might be worth considering wall hung features such as a wall hung basin or toilet in order to increase you floor space.

With these points considered it’s now time to make your purchase

Choosing Products

With your notepad of measurements in one hand and your wallet in the other it’s time to hit the streets and visit a few tried and trusted showrooms, or alternatively sit at home with a hot a drink and buy online.

When choosing your bathroom suite most good retailers will offer a member of their team to guide your ideas and turn them into a purchase.

Of course, some people aren’t overly keen on being sold a product but in the bathroom industry it is a good idea to utilise the experience of a sales person as their knowledge can be useful even if you’re not going to make a purchase on that day.

With a good understanding of your space and the style you wish to achieve, sales staff can suggest products based on your ideas rather than having to trawl through an entire showroom of different products aimlessly.

Most good retailers will have full suites from leading brands available to make choosing a bathroom even easier or you can pick and choose from a range within a brand to get the functionality and style you desire.

Delivery

After you've paid for your products, the majority of retailers will offer a delivery service that allows you to tailor your delivery time to your convenience. This is especially important when renovating your bathroom as miss timing the delivery of your suite with the time you schedule your plumber can be disastrous, leaving your plumber twiddling his thumbs on your time and money.

We suggest that you get your products delivered before you book a plumber or developer, this can be easily achieved with a good delivery service or, you can choose to collect your products directly from the store, saving you time and money.

Once your suite is home, make sure you check all of the products before your plumber arrives, transporting pottery can be difficult, so if any damage has occurred to your products you must notify your retailer immediately for them to be replaced or refunded. Again, we suggest you do this well in advance of your plumber’s arrival.

Fitting

Once all your products are home and ready to be installed you can now book a professional to come and fit your bathroom suite.

Unless negotiated earlier, make sure that your room is fully prepared for the renovation with all the old sanitary ware safely removed so that the plumber can begin work straight away, allowing you to pay them purely for the work they do developing your bathroom rather then uninstalling your old suite which can be time consuming and with the occasional and sometimes costly mishap.

Now it’s time to sit back and relax while the fitting takes place.

By following these 5 easy steps your bathroom renovation can be made easy and stress free, just a short journey from an idea to a fully fledged luxury suite ready for you to enjoy.