How to Avoid Disaster When Remodelling Your Bathroom

“We’ll laugh about this, one day.” Those fateful words that no one wants ever to have to utter, but which so many of us have been required to…

In tears… With a broken tap fitting dangling in one hand… Water spurting from the pipes and creating an unexpected little pond inside the house on what would normally just be called, ‘the bathroom floor.’

OK, sorry about that. We got carried away with our disaster fantasy for a second, but you know how it is when you start thinking about what could go wrong. Almost makes you want to just leave the bathroom as it is and abandon the entire idea of having a nice, luxury, private space in which to take a hot, powerful and amazingly refreshing shower.

But, then, look at those tiles. Look at that linoleum floor covering. Look at that wooden toilet seat! Armitage Shanks? No thanks! This bathroom has got to go if ever you’re going to have the home you deserve.

So, here are Riluxa’s top tips for avoiding a bathroom remodelling meltdown.

1. Planning, planning and more planning

We’ve all done it. We’ve all walked around showrooms and gone, ‘OMG! I must have that 127cm-long bathtub for my 119cm-long bathroom.’ Okay, well maybe not all of us, but you get the point. Impulse buying for interior design is a very real thing. That’s why the IKEA model of retailing does so well, isn’t it? And that’s fine if you’re buying pot plants or cutlery trays. But bathroom furniture? Please!

You’re going to have to plan every last millimetre of space before you’re even allowed to lay eyes on a freestanding bathtub, sorry. And time, too. If you don’t have a project timeline in place, your plumber might end up waving goodbye and driving off to the next job before your washbasin even arrives.

It doesn’t matter if it’s on Google Calendar, Excel or the back of an envelope – just know what’s happening and when and that’s half the battle won.

2. Find tradespeople who’ll enable, not hinder, your vision

So, you’ve done all your planning and you’ve allowed yourself to indulge in your love for a bit of window shopping. And lo and behold: the perfect Corian® double washbasin in glorious Glacier White.

Then you show it to your fitter and say, ‘I’m going to get this.’ Your fitter replies, ‘It’s not going to work, sorry. It’ll take too long to get here, it’s difficult material to work with, it’s not the season for Corian®…’ Whatever excuses they can find to go to their preferred supplier and get something cheaper that they can get a kickback on.

Vet your tradespeople carefully before you give them the go-ahead to start work. Make sure they commit to working with the suppliers you want and let them know up-front that it’s a deal breaker. You might have to pay a bit more for a real project partner, but it’ll be worth it in the end.

3. Don’t scrimp on materials

You’re getting rid of one rotten bathroom. Whatever you do, don’t replace it with another just so that you can save a few pounds here and there. If you have the money to invest, by all means invest it in beautiful materials that will last a lifetime. Marble, Corian®, solid surface…

Yes, they’re luxurious. Yes, they come with a price tag. And yes, they will instantly make your bathroom the best room in the house. Remodelling is all about turning something average into something drop-dead gorgeous, after all. So pick your products wisely.

And, please, whatever you do… no wallpaper, no linoleum and… shudder… NO CARPET! Are you kidding?

4. Know your home

Where are the load-bearing walls? Where does the plumbing from that en suite shower currently run? What happens if you remove that old disused boiler in the airing cupboard? Can your floor handle the weight of the units you’ve picked out – what kind of capacity are your floor joists equipped to handle?

If you’re working with a project manager you can trust, then they should be able to answer all these questions for you. But, it’s good to know your own home. That way, you can make educated decisions based on their advice. And it will help you in your initial planning stages too. Imagine planning for weeks for a bathroom that, it turns, just can’t happen due to a technicality. Ugh. No thanks.

5. Consider taking on an Architect or Interior Designer

What’s in your head might seem like it’s going to be absolutely magical, but when you actually get it installed and step back and look at it, how close do you think it’s going to be to your inner vision? If the answer is, ‘I'm not sure,’ and if you have the budget, it might be wise to look for an Architect or Interior Designer.

The type of professional you choose will depend on the scale of the project, of course. If you’re practically rebuilding the space from scratch, you might want to choose a visionary Architect who will deliver results beyond your wildest dreams. If it’s more of a straight-up remodel, then an Interior Designer is the way to go. Check out top ten lists of the UK’s hottest Architects and Designers and, if you can afford them, give them a call.