A bathroom renovation can cause high costs. To ensure that everything runs as smoothly, quickly and stress-free as possible, precise planning is important.
The tiles in the bathroom no longer please, a new shower faucet would be nice and the sink has cracked? High time to renovate the bathroom. But this is a complex project that costs a lot Bathroom Renovations of time, money and nerves. That’s why planning and preparation are the be-all and end-all. Homeowners can usually start without consultation. If you live for rent, you have to coordinate bathroom renovations with the landlord. Bathroom renovation: “Everything from a single source” or do it yourself?
Renovate or renovate the bathroom – with these alternatives it can go:Alternative 1: commission a bathroom renovation in the complete package “Everything from a single source”. For all the work come craftsmen. Mostly from specialist companies, but also some DIY stores offer so-called craftsman services.Alternative 2: engage individual craftsmen for the respective work – from tilers to plumbers and electricians to drywallers and painters. But beware: Construction manager is then the bathroom owner – he or she must coordinate all appointments and work with the various craftsmen. This usually costs time and nerves.Alternative 3: Bathroom owners are skilled craftsmen and do some of the work themselves, such as demolition or painting work. The more difficult tasks – mostly plumbing and electrical installations – are done by craftsmen. This can save money, because a bathroom renovation quickly costs more than 10,000 euros.Alternative 4: Do everything yourself – but that’s only something for really experienced do-it-yourselfers. Inventory: floor plan, connections and heating
First of all, it must be clarified: Will the floor plan of the previous bathroom be retained? Or should something change fundamentally, such as the bathroom being enlarged?
If the previous floor plan of the bath is retained, it is time to measure exactly:LengthsWhere is the door and one or more windows? What is their opening radius? Are the sinks, toilets or tubs to be installed in the way?If there are no windows: Is there a ventilation system and where is it located?Is there a sloping roof?Where are the connections for washbasin, shower, bathtub, toilet?Which sockets, light switches and lights are available?What heating is there? Floor? Radiator?Create a 3D plan of the new bathroom
Important: make an exact plan for the new bathroom.
The data from the inventory belongs in a true-to-scale planning sketch of the new bathroom: for example, on graph paper or in an online planning tool. This is offered by bathroom outfitter companies and furniture stores, usually free of charge, as well as on-site consulting. This is particularly useful for larger conversions. If, for example, water and electricity connections need to be renewed or laid, the help of experts is necessary.
In the online planning tools, a 3D view of the new bathroom and its equipment is gradually created, which can be viewed from above and from all sides – a good impression of the newly furnished room. Â If you want to stick to graph paper, cut the new bathroom furnishings to scale to see how it fits best into the existing floor plan.
Tip: Get ideas! In bathroom exhibitions and furniture stores, bathrooms of all sizes are set up and furnished. Are new connections, heating and pipes necessary?
Where are the pipes in the bathroom?
Before the conversion starts, it must be clarified what needs to be changed in heating, power cables and water pipes. Otherwise, there can be nasty surprises when home or craftsmen are already in the middle of it.
Possible questions are:How good and safe are water and electrical pipes? Do they need to be renewed?What is the water pressure? On which floor is the bathroom located? Does a circulation line have to be installed?Do water and electrical pipes have to be laid, for example because the sink or shower will be elsewhere?Have the water pipes been rushing for a long time? And if so, wouldn’t now be the best opportunity to suppress these noises with sound insulation?What about sound insulation during water inflow and outflow?Should the radiator disappear on the wall and instead a cozy underfloor heating in the floor?Is specialist knowledge sufficient for personal contribution?
Who should take over which work in the bathroom renovation?
At least now the decision must be made, what do I do myself and what should craftsmen do? Or should the new bathroom be completely commissioned?
Tip: Always honestly assess your own abilities when making your own contribution. While craftsmanship is sufficient for demolition, specialist knowledge is required for tile and installation work. Electrical installations should generally be done by a specialist. And always remember – craftsmen need to give a guarantee for their work and repair what is not in order. There is no such guarantee for own contribution.Possible own work during demolition are, for example: removing the shower cubicle and / or bathtub, removing tiles, painting work, possibly work on drywall construction such as filling and plastering.
Please note: Clarify with the craftsmen involved in advance:Do they accept DIY work? This can cause problems if personal contribution is the basis for the work of the craftsmen, for example because the plumber is to mount the underfloor heating on a wavy DIY screed. If different craftsmen are to be hired, discuss the cooperation. For some, it is problematic if not everything is from a single source.Agree point by point who procures which material and what the exact type designation for the parts to be purchased by yourself is. Otherwise there are problems, for example if parts of the bathroom equipment from the Internet or hardware store do not match the parts that the craftsman brings.Inform neighbours and provide washing facilities
It can take several months from the first planning sketch to the finished bathroom. Demolition, filling, re-plastering, gluing tiles, laying pipes and installing sinks, showers and toilets – this can take several weeks – depending on the size of the room and the extent of the renovation work. The neighbours also notice this: a bathroom renovation always makes noise. Therefore, better inform the people next door in advance. If there is only one bathroom in the house or apartment, then plan exactly who can shower regularly when and where – with friends, neighbors or in the swimming pool.
