If you are a first time bathroom renovator, the task may seem daunting, and figuring out where to even begin can be overwhelming. Here are some useful tips and tools to think about and help you on your quest of bathroom renovating.
Beginners Bathroom Renovation Guide: Useful Tips & Tools
First Time Renovator?
First Time Renovator?
If you are a first time bathroom renovator, the task may seem daunting and figuring out where to even begin is overwhelming so here are some useful tips and tools to think about and help you on your quest of bathroom renovating.
The first step for every renovator whether you're a beginner or a pro is to plan! Make sure to think of every little detail from measurements to design. Planning is a crucial step in assuring your first time renovation will be successful. Here are questions to ask yourself when planning:
- What type of bathroom do I have? Is it a powder room, full bathroom, three quarter bathroom, quarter bathroom or an ensuite.
- What are my bathroom renovation costs? Have I allocated a budget and considered every possible expense such as trades prices, tools, accessories and types of fixtures you were after such as bathtubs, showers and toilets.
- How long do bathroom renovations take?
- Have I considered a practical timeline for when everything will be completed?
- What are some tools available that can help me better plan my renovation?
- What are my bathroom renovation ideas?
- What type of design or feel was I after?
Here are some descriptions of the different types of bathrooms, so you can better plan and research your needs:
Powder Room/Half Baths: Features a toilet and sink only
Full Bathroom: Features a toilet, sink, shower and bathtub.
Three Quarter Bathroom: Features a Toilet, Sink and a separate Shower or Bathtub
Quarter Bathroom: Small room containing a Toilet or Shower stall usually installed by the owner.
Ensuite or Primary Bathroom: Features a Full or Three Quarter Bathroom.
Three Quarter Bathroom: Features a Toilet, Sink and a separate Shower or Bathtub
Quarter Bathroom: Small room containing a Toilet or Shower stall usually installed by the owner.
Ensuite Bathroom or Primary Bathroom: Features a Full or Three Quarter Bathroom.
Cost
How much does bathroom renovation cost? The average amount Australians pay for a full bathroom renovation is between $18,000 - $20,000.
Bathrooms don’t have to be an expensive renovation. How much a bathroom renovation cost depends on many factors such as materials, labour/ trade, tools, accessories and fixtures you select.
Choosing high quality products from an Australian trusted retailer is the best way to ensure a high standard and value for money and if you plan on keeping costs low, think about some DIY bathroom renovation jobs you can do (besides any plumbing or wiring jobs) to stay within budget.
Plumbing costs can be significantly reduced if you keep existing plumbing outlets where they are.
Take advantage of natural lighting as this can save on not only costs of purchasing lights but also on trade.
Setting a budget is an important first step before you begin your bathroom renovations. What’s even more important is sticking to it. “You need to know your boundaries, along with knowing what you really want to achieve with your renovation,” says CEO of The Blue Space, Josh Mammoliti. Failing to do this could mean not being able to fully enjoy your new bathroom because of how much it ended up costing.
Time
How long do bathroom renovations take? On Average, it takes 3-4 weeks to complete a full bathroom renovation however, there are factors that can affect the time it takes to renovate a bathroom. This includes;
Bathroom Size: Are you planning small bathroom renovations as this will possibly mean a shorter renovation timeline
Availability of trades people: Timeline of your renovation may depend on when trades and labourers are available
Arrival of products/ materials - Consider shipping times and if your products are custom designed, these may take longer to arrive
Space
Consider how much space you have before picking out important fixtures and work out where everything will go. Understand the amount of space you have, the size and placement of your fixtures. Also remember that when measuring, bathroom products are usually measured in (mm). Miscalculated measurements can cause costly delays.
Here are some tips when thinking about space;
How much storage is required?
The Blue Space offers a range of vanities that can accommodate a variety of bathroom sizes and storage spaces.
How much storage is required?
The Blue Space offers a range of vanities that can accommodate a variety of bathroom sizes and storage spaces.
Indirect lighting such as mirrors with added LED lighting also adds to style and functionality of your bathroom if you want to avoid adding extra lights in your bathroom.
When measuring, bathroom products are usually measured in (mm). Miscalculated measurements can cause costly delays.
How much storage is required? The Blue Space offers a range of vanities that can accommodate a variety of bathroom sizes and storage spaces.
Indirect lighting such as mirrors with added LED lighting also adds to style and functionality of your bathroom if you want to avoid adding extra lights in your bathroom.
If you have a large bathroom, try a freestanding bath for that luxury designer look. For small bathroom spaces, an inset or back to wall bath is a perfect for your bathroom space.
If you have a large bathroom, try a freestanding bath for that luxury designer look. For small bathroom spaces, aninset or back to wall bath is a perfect for your bathroom space.
Planning Tools
Here are useful tools that will better help you visualise and understand your bathroom reno ideas;
Mood Boards
Mood Boards are a valuable tool and resource throughout the design process to keep the style and aesthetic consistent with your goals and expectations.
Mood Boards
Mood Boards are a valuable tool and resource throughout the design process to keep the style and aesthetic consistent with your goals and expectations.
The Blue Space’s 3D planner allows you to replicate a 3D animation of your bathroom online from building your room shape, to furnishing your room with some of our products to give you a general idea of what you want.
The Blue Space’s 3D planner allows you to replicate a 3D animation of your bathroom online from building your room shape, to furnishing your room with some of our products to give you a general idea of what you want.
The Blue Space augmented reality allows you to see a 3D view of a range of bathroom products such as shower heads, taps and other bathroom accessories to further help you visualise and understand how products will fit and look in your bathroom.
The Blue Space augmented reality allows you to see a 3D view of a range of bathroom products such as shower heads, taps and other bathroom accessories to further help you visualise and understand how products will fit and look in your bathroom.
Things to Consider as a Beginner
Attempting DIY
We love the opportunity of DIY and its quick fix solutions, however there a few things to keep in mind. While you can teach yourself just about anything on YouTube these days, it doesn’t mean you have become an expert across all functions. Some fixes such as updating cabinet handles or roller blinds are a great and affordable way to increase your homes value and add a touch of class.
However, CEO Josh says: “The attractiveness of a DIY price tag and potential satisfaction of doing a job ourselves can sometimes over run our abilities.” Doing so could end up costing you more in the long run. “Keep in mind that often when attempting to do a specialist trade job yourself, you will end up spending more in the end because getting the specialists to fix up mistakes comes with a high cost,” says Josh. This is particularly relevant to jobs involving heavy installation processes, of which many require licensed tradesmen.
A Style That Matches
We are all guilty of saving numerous different styles and looks across multiple moodboards on Pinterest & Instagram, however, creating a cohesive look from this for your next bathroom renovation may be simpler said than done! Choosing a colour palette and mood that suits your vision is sometimes best achieved with the help of a second opinion. We suggest reaching out to one of our helpful, in-house interior designers to assist in your decision-making process!
“Make sure you choose colours and tones that are timeless, not jarring. If you get stuck, check out our social media pages for inspiration”.
Having Unrealistic Expectations
Renovating a bathroom involves hiring a lot of different tradespeople, so at the very least allow for delays. Realistic expectations are essential to avoid frustration or panic should things start to become delayed. Remember, you will have many different people coming in and out of your project, often at different times, so it is best to create a calendar that will outline who will be in and where.
