The steps to take and what you will need to consider if a bathroom renovation is in your future

Any renovation, big or small, can be overwhelming. Here are some steps to help you get started off on the right foot, and some decisions you can expect to have to make if the renovation you are looking for is a new bathroom.

If you do not have a go-to contractor yet, here is how you could go about finding one and feeling confident in your choice.

• Ask your family and friends if there are any renovators they have worked with and enjoyed. If they didn’t enjoy it, ask them what to look out for or what questions they wished they had asked.

  • Another good source is posting in a neighbourhood Facebook group - those types of posts in mine, always get great results and at least a couple promising leads.

• After gathering some names, take a look at their websites/social media pages and pick a top three based on portfolio, testimonials, qualifications, etc.

• Set up meetings with your top three and have a list of questions ready, along with a budget range and your general goals/vision for what you want from a future bathroom.

  • If you are unsure of this, hiring a designer like myself can help get you a clear goal and floor plan ideas so that when you are getting quotes, they are comparing apples to apples instead of all over the place.

• Make notes as they talk so you can accurately compare your three meetings both via notes but also the vibe. It is important to get a good gut feeling from the contractor and feel comfortable asking them questions, so if you don’t during the meeting - make note of that.

If you still don’t have any leads OR if you would like to source your leads through me, a designer and realtor who has worked with a few contractors in Kitchener-Waterloo, then please don’t hesitate to reach out here!

Now let’s make it beautiful

For one room, there is a surprising amount of decisions to be made, here are some of them to help prepare you.

• Layout:

  • Is the sink, toilet and shower/tub plumbing rough in locations staying where they are, or is there a layout idea you have that could be more functional? In my experience, the toilet is the hardest to move, so even if you can keep that where it is while moving everything else, it could help make things easier and less expensive!

• Flooring/shower walls:

  • In more cases, this is tile, which means you will need to consider colour/pattern, size, grout colour and laying pattern for each location tile is needed.

• Trim, doors and hardware:

  • If you aren’t doing anything else in your house, you may just opt to match the rest of the house - but hey, maybe you want to find a way to do something different, or make it more elevated than the rest of the house. Another option would be to think about what you would want in your home when you do renovate it down the road, and put that in.

• Wall features:

  • If you just want paint, then consider trim colour, wall colour, ceiling colour and the types of finishes for each. If you want to jazz it up further than paint, then wainscotting or wallpaper could be the answer and require decisions on style and pattern.

• Vanity:

  • Determine the size, storage needs, door style, door hardware, number of sinks, countertop material and colour, counter edge profile, counter finish, if there is a backsplash then what size and whether it is custom, mass produced or…there are great options in between now!

• Plumbing:

  • For sinks there are pedestal, over counter, under mount or vessel styles - all with colour options and all with their different pros and cons depending on who and how the bathroom is getting used. For sink faucets there’s single hole, widespread, wall mounted or centerset, also in a ton of different finishes that evoke different styles and considerations for example when it comes to budget and cleaning. For showers, the options are endless when you can configure rainheads, handhelds, body sprayers and more.

• Lighting:

  • Usually there is a minimum of a vanity light, but that can be from the ceiling or the wall and can be above the mirror or beside. Next there could be a flush mount or pot light to further brighten the space, perhaps above the toilet. Others include a possible chandelier over a freestanding or deck tub, and lastly a shower pot light.

• Extras:

  • These could be special things you have seen on Pinterest or in friends houses or something specific to your needs. Examples I have done in the past in this area was shower storage to kids bath toys via framing in deep niches, heated floors or towel storage, extra storage through cabinetry or designing with accessibility for a wheelchair in mind.

As you can see, there are a lot of decisions to make, and then selections to follow that you hope all play well together when the project is complete. If this seems overwhelming, or you still don’t know where to start - that is how I can help!

My design services range from a 2 hour consultation to get you on the right track, answer any questions and suggest tried and true contractors and suppliers - to me helping you through all the decisions, helping you make all the selections and being available to visit the site to help bring it all together.

You can learn more about what service would be right for you by reaching out here.