15 Tips for a Seamless Arlington Bathroom Remodel
Grab your hammer and your helmet! It's time to break down the old and replace it with the new. It's time for a bathroom remodel!
As exciting as it is to remodel a bathroom, planning for a bathroom remodel takes a lot of work and effort. If you had the power to snap your fingers and be done with it while getting exactly everything you want, then you would, but you can't.
Unfortunately, no one has powers quite like that, but you can get pretty close if you know how to plan for and complete a seamless bathroom makeover. A seamless bathroom makeover is one that involves a stress-free approach while ensuring everything is done as desired.
Below is our guide on how to get through a bathroom remodel in Arlington, Texas without disrupting your life. Continue reading to find out everything you need to know!
1. Use Design Models for Inspiration
Before you can get into any of the remodeling plans, you need to know what design you're after. Use a few design models for your inspiration. There's no way to tell what tiles you want to lay or what kind of vanity you want to install without a design plan in mind.
Trying to buy each item one by one and coming up with a design as you go is possible, but it'll leave a lot of strain on you throughout the process. To avoid this unnecessary stress, be sure to do some searching online, in person at home decor stores, or in-home magazines to find design ideas that you love.
Once you find your inspiration, you can then begin to create your own idea. You don't need to do exactly what the designs have, but you can use these other designs to help guide you and keep things organized.
2. Shop All Different Options
Be sure to take the time to shop for all different options before selecting the right ones for your bathroom. Check local home improvement stores, warehouses, and independent suppliers for all remodeling options. If you only shop at one of these locations, then your options will be quite limited.
Take the time to shop at each location, looking at all of your different options. Many countertops and other remodeling aspects of your bathroom can be custom made to fit your design flawlessly. Don't forget to do a little shopping online as well.
Shopping online could help you save money and give you more wonderful ideas!
3. Place Your Orders First
After you've completed your shopping, and you know everything that you want, start the ordering process. Do this in the early stages of the remodel, if not way before. You'll need to keep in mind that many large-item pieces can take a while to order and ship.
The last thing you want is to be in the middle of the remodel and still waiting for a certain item to be delivered. Get this done ahead of time and save yourself the stress. Special-order tile and customized countertops are just a few examples of items that might take a while to get to you, so don't start tearing your bathroom apart if you don't have everything you need on hand.
You want your bathroom to be useable for as long as possible, this will make the remodeling process easier on you.
4. Remove Underlayment With Floor Covering
The thought alone of having to remove old flooring tiles or vinyl flooring can be enough to stress you out. Both of these tasks are difficult to do and can also be time-consuming. Rather than spending time stressing out over old flooring, remove the underlayment with the floor covering.
The underlayment is a thin piece of plywood that can be easily sawed into and removed. To make the process even simpler, you can cut the flooring into sections and remove the sections one by one.
You can use a circular saw blade to cut into the plywood with ease, just be sure not to cut too deep. Underneath the plywood underlayment is the subflooring. You want to leave the subflooring untouched.
Once you remove the old underlayment and flooring, you can then install new plywood and flooring. It's a much easier process and gives you a clean slate to work with when installing your new bathroom flooring.
5. Know What Your Storage Need Are
Always know what your storage needs are before you begin your remodel. Your bathroom should have optimal storage options to create a functional bathroom. Think about how much storage you need and how you can build your storage into your design.
Think you have enough storage placed into your design? Don't call it a wrap yet. Do some research on different storage ideas for bathrooms and see what you find.
Have you considered installing built-in storage in your shower for all your shampoos, conditioners, soaps, and other shower necessities? This will eliminate the need to use those bulky shower caddy. Imagine having a small section built into your shower wall where you can neatly tuck all of your items and keep them hidden away but still in arms reach.
6. Select a Few Accent Tiles
When you begin to select all of your design elements for your bathroom, don't forget to select a few accent tiles as well. With so many different aspects to consider and remodel, it can be easy to forget about the small things and all of the little details.
It's the little details, however, that make a design come to life, and they help tie everything together. Use your accent tiles as a border in the shower or spread them out in any pattern you'd like. Accent tiles can be expensive, but the best thing about them is that you only need a few to make a big impact.
7. Consider a Toilet Flange Spacer
Here's something that you might not think about before your remodel: changing the flooring might change the height of the flooring. If the new flooring that you install makes the height of your floors different from before, then a toilet flange spacer could come in handy.
Rather than letting a little hiccup like this upset your entire day, have a toilet flange spacer nearby. This is common for those replacing vinyl flooring with tiles. Once you install the flange, you can then install the toilet as normal without any issues.
8. Find the Right Light Fixtures
The lighting in your bathroom is an essential aspect that you don't want to skimp on. You don't want to have a brand new bathroom with light fixtures that are outdated. Spend a good amount of time deciding what light fixtures to include in your new design.
Be sure to plan your lighting design early on. In some cases, you'll need to run new cables for the new lighting. You can even consider installing recessed lighting above your bathtub or shower for a better bathing experience.
As long as the lights are made for the bathroom, they'll work wonderfully!
9. Install Ventilation
Installing ventilation in your bathroom is another must. Without proper ventilation, mold and mildew can grow in your bathroom with ease. If you don't want mold or mildew ruining your newly remodeled bathroom, then it's best to add in some proper ventilation to your design plans.
You can install these fans in a discrete way as newer models are quieter than their predecessors.
10. Be Selective With the Colors
If you plan to add colors to your design, then this is another design aspect to take into consideration ahead of time. You don't want to have a beautiful new bathroom design with paint you don't love or colors that make the bathroom look too small.
If you're working with a lot of space, then you can go with darker colors in your bathroom including the paint on the walls and the colors of the fixtures and cabinetry as well. If you don't have a lot of space to work with, then you're better off selecting lighter colors, which will help make the bathroom seem more spacious.
11. Have Your Budget Written Out
One of the main causes of stress is money. Having to remodel a bathroom can cost a lot of money. If money is a stress point for you, then it's a good idea to have your budget written out ahead of time.
What are the most important design aspects of the remodel? These should be your top priority and placed first on your budget list. Follow these aspects with the next most important and go down the line.
Is there something you can compromise with? Is there something you can't compromise with? Be sure to know what all of these things are and how much they cost.
Know how much money you're able to spend on the remodel and then don't forget to leave a little room for mishaps as well. You never want to make design plans that reach the very top end of your budget. It's always better to leave a little wiggle room in there just in case.
You never know when a certain countertop you wanted might end up out of stock and force you to purchase a different one that might be more expensive. You might find along the way that you end up liking a different type of flooring, which costs more as well.
Have the extra money in your budget to accommodate times like these.
12. Splurge on an Item or Two
Sticking to your budget is a great way to keep your stress at bay. What you don't want to do, though, is not give yourself enough room in your budget to splurge here and there.
It's okay to splurge on a few things, especially if those are the items that are going to make the bathroom come together or items that are important to you. Think of something that you really want to have in your bathroom.
Think of something that'll turn your ordinary bathroom into a luxurious spa-like oasis. This could be a heated towel rack or heated tiles on the floor. Whatever the item is, give yourself some slack.
It's okay to splurge on an item or two if it means it'll create a space you never want to leave.
13. Call in the Professionals
Remodeling a bathroom is a big job. It's not for the faint of heart. Not everything will go exactly as planned and there will need to be room for setbacks here and there.
To ensure the remodel is as lightweight on you as possible, you should consider hiring professional handyman service to get the job done for you. Leaving the hard work to the professionals will take a lot of the burden off of your back, and will ensure the task is done right.
When you hire professionals, you can also rest your mind because you know that everything will be done in a professional manner. Be sure to speak to them about your design and any other ideas you have before the project gets started.
What Will Your Bathroom Remodel Look Like?
With all of these amazing tips to go by, do you have an idea of what your bathroom remodel will look like? Use this guide to help you along the way and throughout the entire process. Remodeling any part of a home can be stressful, but it can be less stressful when you plan accordingly.
Are you ready to remodel your bathroom in Arlington, Texas?
Contact Mr. Handyman of Arlington and Northwest Mansfield today to see how our highly-skilled remodeling professionals can help bring your design plans to life and make the job as easy on you as possible!