Renovating a bathroom can be a scary proposition. However, your family crowded around one sink every morning is even scarier. If you are thinking about taking on this challenge, here are a few tips to help keep you on track.
- Know Your Risks
Planning to keep your family safe and your home functioning is your first priority. Ask yourself if are ready for the mess and disruption to your daily routine that will come with a renovation. If you only have one bathroom, you need to figure out how to make that work. If anyone in your family has respiratory issues, a bathroom renovation poses some health risks. Because of the moisture level in bathrooms, it is a prime spot for mold. Mold can cause skin rashes, sneezing and runny nose. It can also be an asthma trigger. Indoor air quality testing Austin can help you deal with mold and other pollutants in your home.
- Stick to Your Budget
The average bathroom remodel costs about $10,500, but only you know how much you can spend. Start with that number and work backward, but first reduce the number by 15% to cover the unexpected costs that always come with renovations. Prioritize your needs and wants at the beginning of the project and use that as your guide if you need to make tough decisions in the middle of the remodel. Make sure that you and your indoor air quality testing companies Austin are on the same page about costs and what to do when things don’t go as planned. Create a spreadsheet and track the expenses. Hold yourself accountable, and don’t rely solely on your contractor to monitor spending.
- Design for Your Family
Unless you are preparing to sell your home, the remodel design should be tailored to your family’s needs. You want to get the most out of your investment, but resale value only matters if you are planning to sell your home in the near future. If you are planning to stay in your home, make it function for you. If no one in your family ever takes a bath, you don’t need to install a large free-standing tub. Just don’t take it too far. Purple tile and sinks probably won’t make you happy long-term. There are lots of ways to add your favorite color without making it a permanent fixture.
If you follow these tips, you will have the bathroom of your dreams that will serve your family’s needs for years to come.