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Don’t put off those home upgrades just because you don’t think it’s in the budget. PRMI can help you get a home renovation loan or refinance to cover the costs. We’ve also put together a few tips to get you started on that remodel—first up, the bathroom.
Make a detailed plan.
Before you start swinging hammers or buying supplies, come up with your remodel plan and measure everything. You don’t want to blow your budget before your remodel is done or get done with your renovation only to realize the door won’t open because you moved the toilet too close to it. When you have a plan you’re less likely to run into issues that can cause you unexpected delays or to go over budget.
Many remodel materials are priced per square foot, so include all the dimensions of your remodel in your plan. This will help you budget.
If you’re comfortable with the current height of your sink and towel racks, measure how high they’re mounted so you can install the new ones in the same place. If you mount them at a different height, you may find the new position uncomfortable.
Figure out your flooring and shower materials.
Redoing the tile work can make all the difference in a bathroom remodel and may add to the value of your home. But, it can also be cost and labor intensive. That doesn’t mean you should avoid tile—just be aware that it can sometimes suck up a lot of your remodel budget. Sometimes keeping the old tile or going with a less expensive alternative like vinyl, can let you splurge in other areas.
If you’re trying to get the most out of your money, figure out how much it will cost you to get new tile, but then see how far you could stretch that money if you put it into other parts of the remodel like high-end fixtures or décor. Then decide on your priorities.
Choose your sink and vanity.
The first thing to consider with a vanity is the size. Make sure your new vanity will fit comfortably in your bathroom without dominating the space.
Consider how your vanity have will fit with other features of your bathroom. The locations of your mirrors, medicine cabinet and lighting fixtures will all play a role. Make sure things work together.
Your vanity is where you’ll be standing on those groggy mornings before work. So, when you’re shopping for a vanity, don’t be afraid to test out leaning forward over the ones you like. That way you’ll know how they feel when you’re looking closely into the mirror while shaving or putting on makeup.
Also, don’t forget that having a little extra storage is one of the benefits of a vanity. So, if you have a lot of bathroom appliances, get a bigger vanity.
Once you’ve settled on a vanity, make sure it will work with your sink and the location of your plumbing. This is especially important if you plan to replace either the sink or vanity, but not both.
Ask yourself some questions about your sink needs. Do you need one or two? How deep does it need to be? Will it be a basin or built into the countertop? How will the faucet be mounted? Will it require additional plumbing work?
The answers to these questions will help you determine what sink you need.
Don’t hesitate to ventilate.
While a steamy hot shower can feel nice, the resulting moisture can lead to mold if that humidity doesn’t dissipate well enough. Mold can be unsightly and potentially hazardous.
Proper ventilation will go a long way to helping reduce mold. Install a bathroom ventilation fan in your ceiling near your tub or shower and make sure you get a fan that’s strong enough for the size of your bathroom.
You can also increase ventilation by leaving a little space under the bathroom door.
Use the right materials.
Don’t skimp on the building materials. You may think you can just buy the cheapest supplies and it will be fine, but there’s a reason the stuff specifically designed for bathrooms is different. It often has an ingredient or treatment that makes it resistant to mold and water damage.
Also, the moisture fluctuations in a bathroom can mean you need additional layers of materials to protect against warping, especially behind and under tile.
Make sure you use materials specified for use in bathrooms. Going cheap now could cost you big later.
Budget for everything.
A bathroom remodel is no simple task, but it will be much easier if you plan it all out ahead of time and budget properly.
Lay out all your plans and figure out the expected cost for each element before you spend the money. This will help ensure you spend your money where you truly want it.
As far as funding that budget, you have options. A home renovation loan is a great way to pay for home remodels and repairs, but you could also look at a cash-out refinance and use some of your home equity to fund your project.
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