Tricky bathroom
I’ve recently bought my first home and one of the first things I want to renovate is the bathroom. It’s a total gut job as there is no water proofing, the shower leaks and according to my building and pest inspector, there is a lot of moisture that needs rectifying.
I see this all as an opportunity to not only modernise it, but also make the space more functional and invest in it (I don’t know how long I’ll hold onto the place for but it will be many years).
As with anything, there are some challenges in my ground floor abode. All the walls and ceilings in my apartment are solid brick/ concrete and load bearing. This wouldn’t normally be too big of an issue for me but as you can see from the attached floor plan, some of the load bearing walls are awkwardly positioned. In addition, the door to the bathroom is extremely narrow; only 62cms wide.
Other considerations are that I need space for a toilet, shower (a large-ish frameless, modern one without a door), vanity and washing machine. No bath is needed.
I had a structural engineer out recently to help me understand what I can do/ can’t do but it wasn’t as fruitful as I hoped (apparently a lot of structural/ architectural plans weren’t retained for apartments made in the 1960s like mine- only basic drawings like the attached). In summary, he wasn’t sure that I could knock down / move anything without doing all sorts of (potentially) exxy tests to understand the concrete strength, reinforcements etc. And that’s not even including the installation of support beams etc.
With those things in mind, I want to make the bathroom nice and functional but not overcapitalise (I am a first homeowner after all!). Luckily my brother is a good plumber and will lend his skills to my renovation so at least my plumbing costs are limited to materials only.
My question is- what would be the best way/s to maximise the space and layout (given the constrains and opportunities of the project)? Or would it make more sense to just spend whatever $$$ are needed to knock down the awkward walls and make the space more appealing for a prospective buyer/ renter (mind you, this last part is very very far away so I’m looking at it from an investment lens). Also. I’ve never renovated before so that’s also something to keep in mind…
Comments (18)
bigreader
2 years agoShaun
2 years agoHi Bigreader, yes I have already spoken to the body corp about my intentions to renovate and what I’m considering doing (I made sure to communicate this early on so that there are no surprises when I press play). I’ve also done a bit of reading and understand that I may also need council approval too if there is anything major that I intend to do (friends who have renovated tell me that this is also a lengthy part). I think that with all of the planning, I may not be able to actually do the renos until later this year.
The apartment is huge (see attached) so I don’t want to sell it short by not investing in a well laid out bathroom.
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Help with bathroom plans... for 4 children (2m2f) 8yrs between them
Comments (25)Hi Emma, As you say, whilst it's lines on a page, you have a precious window of opportunity to get it right - before you make all these choices and decisions permanent ones you are forced to live with. So I hope you'll appreciate my honesty, and not be offended by it. I am incredibly passionate about helping people create homes that make their lives better, and I want you to achieve the best outcome possible for your home, your budget and your life, and that's why I don't mince words. I have such concerns about this floor plan generally Emma. I can understand the desire to maximise the view however I believe that the everyday use of your home, traversing all those stairs, and being disconnected from your garden (especially with small children) is consequently being compromised, and will be challenging and frustrating. I think the multi-purpose rooms appear to be space for space's sake ... they lack thought and intention for their use, and the way you need to circulate through or across them will compromise their functionality, furnishability and sense of space. It's interesting that there's no furniture shown in them on these floor plans, whereas the other areas are all furnished. With family homes, I would consider the following: supervision of gardens from indoor living areas has such a dramatic impact on the usability of the home overall, and your ability to get stuff done whilst kids play etc a study nook or somewhere near living areas where kids' use of computers can be supervised, and you have a home 'command station' of sorts is also good the ability to acoustically close off a lounge area - which is the kids' TV / play area is very helpful for long term use I wouldn't split the bathrooms - I understand what you're seeking to achieve, but replanning to group them in one area will consolidate plumbing and your wet area finishes and be more efficient overall consider creating a floor plan that works with access / circulation etc between living areas and garden, and then having an upper floor living area or retreat where you can enjoy the view One of the biggest challenges with homes in Brisbane is that they are completely divorced from their gardens because they have prioritised the view. As a mum to 3 young kids, and having helped truckloads of clients with family homes (and families of all ages), I know this for sure ... the connection to garden ... the ability to move in and out with ease, safety and enjoyment ... is one of the things that pays dividends long term. The view is the immediate and early 'wow' but the inconvenience of having to take a packed lunch each time your kids want to use the yard or pool is infuriating. With clever design you can have both convenience and enjoyment of the view. Your home design dictates the lifestyle you lead in it. Focus on functionality and durability and it will create a home that works now and always. There is no northpoint on these drawings, so I can't comment as to the success of the planning in terms of the orientation - which is something to be aware of also. I'd also be doing a budget check. There are A LOT of wet areas in this home because of how they're being distributed throughout the floor plan. Best wishes with the creation of your new home, Regards Amelia Lee, UA www.undercoverarchitect.com amelia@undercoverarchitect.com...See MoreBathroom (upstairs) design help for 2700 x 1800 set in sloping roof
Comments (10)Hi all thank you for your comments, the bathroom is 2700 wide (window wall) and 1800 deep- looking at 2D plan from doorway, less the boxed in area to the left of the window which is 700 x 800 which creates the fixing wall for the shower head, and and an alcove for the basin area. As you can see it is a planning nightmare and all your suggestions are very useful, I had thought of closing in the window all together & putting in a skylight, but externally it would mess up the appearance of the upstairs windows that are all the same and look nice from the street view.Always a balance between one decision and another. All other options for placing the shower = claustrophobia and given the room is already so poky, at least a shower floor area of 1370 x 800 will give some sense of space. Ive read up on so many design ideas for small areas, thank you angelasusanm, I'm shuffling papers all over the place as I love proportion and a bathroom with many angles is difficult, especially for tiles to look good. This bathroom is not a redo - its never been completed and so there are no skirtings or wall tiles or anything, the pic has a piece of wood looking lino on the floor....See MoreBefore and After Bathroom Reno
Comments (1)That is a really unhelpful before/after. The window isn't in the same place, not even sure it's the same house....See MoreGetting walkway spaces right in a narrow bathroom
Comments (16)It's a little unconventional badobbs, but have you considered a toilet with in-built basin and tap - these are very sustainable (although not for everyone!) and are perfect for tight spaces. https://specify.caroma.com.au/products/toilet-suites/profile/profile-5-toilet-suite-deluxe-with-integrated-hand-basin. To answer your question, usually you need min 800-900mm or so for a fixed panel for a shower, however normally walk-in open showers are located perpendicular to a room, so that splashes and wet floors are contained to one end. Think of when you drop the shower head and it sprays water everywhere! In your case I would advise selecting a well made frameless hinged door - so you can still have a walk-in effect but a bit more protection from water spraying out everywhere. Try Reece; https://www.reece.com.au/assets/brands/244000/custom-glass-brochure-v1.pdf The vanity depth is going to be the issue here, usually we advise min 800-850mm clearance (although can go down to 700 as per Dr Retro House Calls) and can see from the plan that with an 800 bath and 700 clearance you only have 250 depth for your vanity when it's near the bath. You could get a vanity made up at 250mm deep with a semi-inset deeper basin centrally - that way you can make the vanity a little longer but with a workable basin. https://specify.caroma.com.au/products/basins/luna/contemporary-luna-semi-recessed-basin-without-tap-landing Good Luck!...See Morebigreader
2 years ago
C P
2 years agoShaun
2 years ago
Kate
2 years agome me
2 years agoC P
2 years agoShaun
2 years agobigreader
2 years agooklouise
2 years agolast modified: 2 years agoC P
2 years agoShaun
2 years agoShaun
2 years agook, so here are the measurements I
've taken for the bathroom. As you can see, the ceiling is a different height in the WC area vs the actual bathroom. Also, the plumbing is along the right and top walls so I'm obviously limited to where I can move things and maximise the space.
Shaun
2 years agoKate
2 years ago
C P