Hasty decisions may increase the cost of your bathroom remodeling project and lead to years of regrets. Before you renovate your Northern Virginia home, keep these potential renovation mistakes in mind.

Poor Planning

Planning is an essential aspect of any project, whether you’re organizing a family reunion or renovating your bathroom. If you plan to change the location of lights or your bathtub, shower or toilet, you’ll want to proceed carefully. In some cases, it may not be possible to move your toilet from one side of the room to the other without tearing down walls in adjacent or first floor rooms. Planning exactly where everything will go and determining if electrical and plumbing changes will be required will prevent costly headaches during the renovation.

Giving the Neighbors’ an Eyeful

Wouldn’t it be nice to gaze out your floor-to-ceiling windows while you relax in your brand new copper soaking tub? Not if your window faces the neighbors’ house or the street. Designing a bathroom with large windows can be a good idea if you live on 10 acres of land and have no close neighbors. Unfortunately, you may reveal more of yourself to the neighborhood than you ever intended if you add large, uncovered windows to your remodeled bathroom.

Luckily, switchable privacy glass offers a simple solution. The window glass instantly changes from opaque to clear in an instant and can be controlled by waving your hand, flipping a switch or using an app. Keep the glass clear while you’re in the tub, then switch it to opaque before you reach for your towel.

Neglecting Storage

A few floating shelves may offer adequate storage for a seldom-used guest bathroom, but pared-down simplicity may not be ideal for your main or master bathroom. When you plan your new bathroom, consider where you’ll store towels, washcloths, toilet paper, beauty products, toiletries and other bathroom essentials. If you don’t include ample storage, you may be forced to add stand-alone storage cabinets that don’t match the décor.

Focusing on Trends

Cabinet, tile and fixture manufacturers rely on changing trends to stay in business. After all, they wouldn’t make much money if everyone decided that the colorful tile and toilets from the 1980s were still in style. Although you’ll certainly want to update your bathroom during your remodel, don’t rely too heavily on trends. If you don’t plan on remodeling again in the near future, choose neutral tile, finishes, flooring and fixtures that won’t look dated in just a few years.

Not Consulting an Expert

Experienced remodeling contractors can identify issues you’ve never even considered, like ventilation  or circuit panel upgrades to ensure that the lights don’t go out when you use your chromatherapy tub, waterproof TV and electrical in-floor heating at the same time. They can also help you keep your costs in check and offer creative solutions that will improve your new space.

Our team of designers and builders at Schroeder Design/Build can help you avoid these common bathroom remodeling mistakes. Contact us for more information on our home remodeling services.

Sources:

HGTV: 12 Clever Bathroom Storage Ideas

Bob Vila: Pro Tips