What Do I Need To Know Before Starting A Bathroom Renovation?

Starting a bathroom renovation for the very first time can be extremely overwhelming. There are heaps of factors to consider like trades, plans, council approval, timing and an ever-expanding product industry. Even though it may seem daunting, there are plenty of tips & tricks that can help you have a pleasant renovating experience, and even leave you wanting to do another!

Firstly, you can save a lot of time and hassle by enlisting the help of a complete bathroom renovation company. One that organises all of the hard tasks for you, and only leaves the fun parts for you, worry-free. It will cost you for the service, but what you gain can be priceless. Keep these points in mind:

• They will come out to your house and give you a free measure & quote – we recommend getting at least 3 quotes as we find the pricing and services can vary dramatically. Choose the company that is most willing to work with your design ideas and not push their own onto you. You will find some have their own range of products for you to choose from, giving you a firm quote with an allowance to spend & eliminating some of the drama involved in choosing your bathroom items. Others will give you the freedom to choose your own products, which appeals to the budding designers-at-heart.
• They have access to RELIABLE trades that will be cheaper than you can generally find on your own – due to the quantity of work they are able to provide, they would have negotiated a good rate which they can pass onto you
• They have the experience of countless renovations prior to yours – as long as the company has good social media reviews, correct licenses (yes, you can ask them to provide documentation) or can be vouched for by someone you trust, they will know the do’s & dont’s, what is achievable in your space, and have extremely handy ideas that you may not have thought about

However, if you are on a tight budget, only doing a small reno or are wanting the challenge, experience and bragging rights of completing your own renovation, keep reading for some DIY points to consider:

Plan Your Space Wisely

Think about what you use the bathroom for, where will you spend most of your time?

• If you are just a single/couple, will you actually use a bath or will an expanded shower with double heads be more useful? When deciding on vanity size, think about if your family fights over the basin and if that is worth affording some extra space or is it only used in a practical sense to wash your hands?
• Is your feature going to be a large stone bath? Make sure your entrance is wide enough to accommodate it, or you may need to consider installing it before the framing is finished.
• If you have a smaller space, think about using as large of a mirror as possible to open the room right up. Opt for larger size tiles to eliminate too many grout lines that may end up looking cluttered.
• Sizes to keep in mind for a standard size bathroom are 900x900mm shower area, 900mm or 1200mm vanity, 1500mm or 1700mm bath and 600mm or 800mm towel rails. Put your shower plumbing around 2100mm high and your finished vanity height will generally sit around 900mm.

Be Product-Prepared

Order your products in advance. Your plumber will need the wall mixers, baths and in-wall toilets first up as these items are installed behind the wall, even before sheeting and tiling begin. Custom vanities can take anywhere from 3-5 weeks to manufacture, so do not leave it to the last minute. If you find yourself in trouble with your timing, keep in mind that Builders Discount Warehouse has the vast majority of products in stock or accessible within 1-2 business days (excluding custom finishes/sizes).

Become Friendly With Your Salesperson

All of us at Builders Discount Warehouse love to share our knowledge, so don’t be afraid to ask us a million questions. A high number of staff have been in the industry for well over 10 years, so we have a lot of expertise that can be provided free of charge. We know the inside scoop on what is trending, how to source unique items, what is a good special or what products are worth spending the extra money. We also know tradie terminology like a second language. Believe me, no question is a dumb question. We have heard them all before, so don’t feel nervous to ask something that might seem common knowledge to everyone else.