How Long Does a Bathroom Renovation Take?
How long does a bathroom renovation take? In general, our Sweeten contractors say that the construction period for a bathroom project will average about two to three weeks. Overall, expect the renovation to take between six weeks to three months for the planning, execution, and wrapping up loose ends. If you plan to move plumbing or electrical, be prepared to apply for city permits and board approvals, the biggest culprits for lengthening renovation timelines. Sweeten, a free renovation service matching homeowners with vetted general contractors, breaks down a bath renovation step-by-step.
PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE
While the attention is usually on the most visible construction phase, a lot needs to happen before picking up that sledgehammer. Here, the details on each box that needs to be ticked before you break ground on the project.
Close on your property (1-3 months)
While some renovators already own, a significant number of homeowners are in contract or preparing to close on a property when they begin planning a renovation. You should wait until you have closed on the property, with keys in hand, before doing anything. If you’re in a hurry, wait until you’ve at least signed the contract before beginning the design process.
Post your project (1-3 days)
First things first: Post your project to Sweeten and begin soliciting bids. On the Sweeten site, add the details about the space you want to renovate, your inspiration photos (optional but useful for our matchmakers), and any other information that would help in finding your perfect contractor. This guide is a practical read about what information to supply your contractor with so that he or she can provide an accurate bid. You will receive 3-5 matches within three days, and you can check out the contractors’ profiles online. Now’s your chance to take a look at reviews from clients and photos of their past projects to see whether they might be a good fit, and indicate who you’d like to be introduced to.
Schedule site visits and solicit bids (1-3 weeks)
After you’ve previewed the Sweeten contractors’ profiles, decide who you’d like to set up a meeting. An on-site visit is the best way for a contractor to understand the scope of the project, the physical possibilities, and limitations of the space, and for the two of you to see if you hit it off. After you schedule your on-site visit, check out our blog post about how to prepare for the meeting. You should expect a written bid within 5-7 business days after your visit.
Small bathroom renovations: clever design tips
Getting the design right for your small bathroom can mean the difference between a cramped, awkward space and a heavenly, cosy sanctuary where you can breathe a sign of relief at the end of a long day.
Keep it clean
Small spaces are easily cluttered with too much detail. To keep the area looking light and clean, select large format tiles. Using large tiles means clean lines, continuous colour and fewer visible grout lines to break up the space. This immediately gives the illusion of a larger, more luxurious area. Stay away from too much pattern and details that can look busy and crowded when combined.
Consider your bath selection
While we all know and love the feeling of relaxing in a big bathtub after a hard day’s work, when designing, remember to allow for the additional space you need around freestanding bathtub to ensure that it’s comfortable to hop in and also clean around. A small room may not provide the space for the visual appeal a freestanding bath demands. Back to wall bathtubs are much more compact, allow for easy cleaning and, if the space is really tight, can double as a shower.
Walk-in shower
In tight spaces where a bathtub would be impractical, we often recommend tiled floor, walk-in showers coupled with a frameless shower screen to create the illusion of space. Add some luxurious fixtures such as a rain shower to create that sense of opulence and perhaps a wall niche for shampoos.
Custom made cabinetry
In a small bathroom, correctly sized cabinetry is critical to getting the design right. In small spaces we often use compact custom made cabinetry to ensure that we make optimal use of the spaces and add some drawers around the plumbing for extra storage. Medicine cabinets that are recessed inside the wall are a clever space saving tip. When installed, the cabinets look like a flat mirror on the outside but can give you a few centimetres of storage depth inside.
There’s a Small Bathroom Design Revolution and You’ll Love These Rule-breaking Trends
Tired of your small, dark and uninspiring bathroom? Are you ready to finally give it an overhaul? Well, there’s no better time to give your small bathroom a fresh look. Small bathroom design is finally stepping out of the cookie-cutter bathtub, sink cabinet, mirror and toilet combination. The latest small bathroom design ideas are fresh and revolutionary, rethinking what we all expect a bathroom design to look like. Wall-mounted toilets and sinks defy gravity. Cabinet doors are gone. Bold texture and patterns take over a small bathroom space. Get ready to break some rules and open your mind to what your small bathroom should look like with the following nine concepts.
You don’t need as much bathroom storage as you think
The first small bathroom design idea for 2017 is a big one: you really don’t need more storage, just a more minimalist attitude! Think about this one for a minute. Those large vanities with the deep cabinet space under the sink are really an inefficient use of space. Things get lost at the back of the cabinet. And the scale takes up so much real estate in your small bathroom design that your bathroom ends up looking smaller. So how do you solve the issue?
Get rid of clutter and unnecessary items. How many towels, cosmetics and hotel toiletries do you really need?
Replace the clunky bathroom vanity with a floating sink or cabinet or narrow open shelves. You’ll be less tempted to clutter your bathroom when the stuff is on display. And you’ll open a lot more visual space in your bathroom.
Instead of adding storage, add function
Once you clear clutter and replace the oversized bathroom vanity with something more minimalist, think of all the useful things you can do with the space. Like adding an all-in-one washer and dryer. Or creating a vanity space.
Small bathrooms mean you can splurge on finishes
Some of the most expensive items in a bathroom design are the fixtures, tile and finishes. Since you’re working with a smaller space, you need less. It’s time to break out of thinking that a small bathroom isn’t worth the money. It’s time to splurge on making your small bathroom design look like a million bucks!
tips for your next bathroom renovation project
Bathroom renovation costs
How much does a bathroom renovation cost? An average new bathroom suite costs around $10,000 however the total renovation project cost depends on whether you’re opting for DIY and fitting the bathroom suite yourself, whether you’re remodelling the space and moving fittings to different positions and the level of luxury that you want to install.
Once you’ve decided on the suite you’d like to install, the next largest cost tends to be labour. You’re likely to need a builder, a tiler, an electrician and a plumber. Most bathroom fitting companies tend to have all skills in their team. Ensure your contractor is experienced in tiling and plastering as this is where the time (and cost) can surprisingly increase if this piece of work slows down.
Vital measurements
Grab a ruler, pencil and notepad! It’s important to measure your bathroom carefully before you start the bathroom renovation project. Measure the length of each wall, the height of the ceiling and the centre line of each wall. Door and window positioning should also be included. Note on your diagram the exact positioning of the existing plumbing pipes.
Planning the renovation
Firstly, you’ll need to decide which contractors are going to work on the project. Ask friends and neighbours for recommendations as well as checking companies on Checkatrade or RatedPeople and other reputation services.
Choosing bathroom fittings
The first thing to decide is whether you want a traditional or modern design. Typically, you would choose the right type to match the rest of your house. Traditional style bathrooms include roll top baths and Victorian style taps whereas modern style bathrooms have sleek lines and come in many different sizes, making the modern styles more suitable for many homes. Most people opt to modernise their bathroom when renovating.
Top tips for an affordable bathroom renovation
We’re all secretly guilty of judging people on the state of their bathroom and although we don’t usually spend that much time in the bathroom each day, it’s often one of the most important rooms when it comes to deciding if we will make a property purchase or not.
A clean, stylish bathroom is a big selling point for most buyers, who will be relieved at not having to spend their own money on a renovation. And of course, you can enjoy a great looking bathroom while you’re living in your property.
While some homeowners spend thousands refurbishing their bathroom, we believe that you can create an attractive, relaxing space spending just a fraction of that. So, here are our top tips for an affordable bathroom renovation.
Upcycle what’s already there
The colour and style of your bathroom suite can instantly date the room and depending on when it was installed, you may be desperate to remove it and start again. But this can be costly, even when choosing the cheapest fixtures, as you will need to factor in the the cost of a plumber.
Fake your flooring
An affordable alternative to stone floor tiles is tile effect vinyl flooring, which gives exactly the same aesthetic at a fraction of the cost.