12 Vital Considerations Before a Big Bathroom Renovation
If you want your bathroom to change with the times, weigh up these points BEFORE you grab the sledgehammer
Bud Dietrich, AIA
22 May 2014
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. I am licensed to practice architecture in Illinois, Florida, New Jersey & Wisconsin. Since 1996 I have worked from my home office and provide full architectural services exclusively to the single family residential market. My passion is to transform my clients' houses into their homes. I strive to have the "new" home accommodate my clients' lives without fighting them at every junction. I look to add curb appeal to encourage a beautiful streetscape. And I design any addition to look and feel like it has always been there.
Our projects have won numerous design awards as well as having been featured on television (CBS News Sunday Morning, HGTV, CLTV, etc.), in magazines (Better Homes...
Houzz Contributor. My name is Bud Dietrich and I am an architect located in the Tampa... More
Let’s say you live in an older house, built prior to the 1980s. The bathrooms were, at the time the house was built, state of the art and everything your parents and grandparents wanted. But we’re in the 21st century now, and those bathrooms just don’t bring a smile to your face. Perhaps it’s because the vanity is too low. Perhaps it’s that the shower valve was made prior to the advent of anti-scalding valves. Perhaps it’s the lighting, which makes you look old and tired when you’re standing at the sink shaving or doing your make-up.
Whatever the reason, reworking a bathroom can go a long way towards making your home much more enjoyable – and valuable. We don’t live in an age of excess anymore (that was so eighties). What we do want is to be smart about what improvements we make, to invest our money wisely in the things that really matter, to create bathrooms that are wonderful retreats without looking like a room in Versailles.
To do this you’ll want to have a checklist of what’s possible. Then move forward with incorporating the stuff you really need to make your bathroom function – and saying no to the rest. Here are a few things to consider.
Whatever the reason, reworking a bathroom can go a long way towards making your home much more enjoyable – and valuable. We don’t live in an age of excess anymore (that was so eighties). What we do want is to be smart about what improvements we make, to invest our money wisely in the things that really matter, to create bathrooms that are wonderful retreats without looking like a room in Versailles.
To do this you’ll want to have a checklist of what’s possible. Then move forward with incorporating the stuff you really need to make your bathroom function – and saying no to the rest. Here are a few things to consider.
1. Is that bathtub really necessary?
For many years homeowners have been told they have to have a bathtub in a main bathroom. It didn’t matter that no-one would ever use it. And it didn’t matter that the cost of the tub – from building the extra area needed to house it to all of the long-term costs – would put a real dent in the homeowner’s wallet. What mattered was resale and having that tub to make sure the house could be sold.
So ask yourself if you really want that tub. If you’re a bath person, ask yourself if the bath has to be in the main bathroom, or if you can do with a nice-size tub in an ensuite.
For many years homeowners have been told they have to have a bathtub in a main bathroom. It didn’t matter that no-one would ever use it. And it didn’t matter that the cost of the tub – from building the extra area needed to house it to all of the long-term costs – would put a real dent in the homeowner’s wallet. What mattered was resale and having that tub to make sure the house could be sold.
So ask yourself if you really want that tub. If you’re a bath person, ask yourself if the bath has to be in the main bathroom, or if you can do with a nice-size tub in an ensuite.
2. Mind the height
If your home is more than a few decades old, your bathroom vanity is likely to be about 75 centimetres high. While that height can be great for smaller children, it really doesn’t work for adults nowadays. The standard now is 90 centimetres, which is comfortable for most adults.
If a 90-centimetre vanity is too high for you, and you don’t want to invest in a custom vanity, consider a floating one. These can be placed at just about any height you’d like; simply adjust the space between the floor and the vanity. Just make sure you have enough support in the wall so the vanity can easily hang without coming loose.
If your home is more than a few decades old, your bathroom vanity is likely to be about 75 centimetres high. While that height can be great for smaller children, it really doesn’t work for adults nowadays. The standard now is 90 centimetres, which is comfortable for most adults.
If a 90-centimetre vanity is too high for you, and you don’t want to invest in a custom vanity, consider a floating one. These can be placed at just about any height you’d like; simply adjust the space between the floor and the vanity. Just make sure you have enough support in the wall so the vanity can easily hang without coming loose.
3. How will you shower?
Today’s showering experience has almost unlimited possibilities. Standard showerheads are just a starting point. There are body sprays, handhelds, rain heads and more. Keep in mind that each of these items will increase the cost of your project, as each will increase both your rough and trim plumbing costs as well as your fixture costs.
And while you’re at it, plan out the location of each of these elements. For example, consider placing a standard showerhead up higher on the wall if you’re tall. And if you plan on having a shower bench, why not make sure the handheld can be used while any females in the family are shaving their legs?
And please don’t put the controls in a place where they can’t be reached without getting into the shower. Getting dowsed by that initial spray of cold water is something you can live without.
Today’s showering experience has almost unlimited possibilities. Standard showerheads are just a starting point. There are body sprays, handhelds, rain heads and more. Keep in mind that each of these items will increase the cost of your project, as each will increase both your rough and trim plumbing costs as well as your fixture costs.
And while you’re at it, plan out the location of each of these elements. For example, consider placing a standard showerhead up higher on the wall if you’re tall. And if you plan on having a shower bench, why not make sure the handheld can be used while any females in the family are shaving their legs?
And please don’t put the controls in a place where they can’t be reached without getting into the shower. Getting dowsed by that initial spray of cold water is something you can live without.
4. Grab on for safety
Whenever I think of safety rails, I imagine hospital bathrooms. But these really useful and terrific safety elements don’t have to be afterthoughts that give your bath an overly institutional aesthetic. There are many designs that are quite striking and, when placed judiciously, can be beneficial to anyone raising themselves from the tub or shower bench.
Make sure you provide adequate blocking in the walls if you do want to include safety rails in your project. These are not the kinds of elements that can be attached to a wall with a plastic anchor. You’ll want to make sure they are securely anchored into something solid so they will last for years.
Whenever I think of safety rails, I imagine hospital bathrooms. But these really useful and terrific safety elements don’t have to be afterthoughts that give your bath an overly institutional aesthetic. There are many designs that are quite striking and, when placed judiciously, can be beneficial to anyone raising themselves from the tub or shower bench.
Make sure you provide adequate blocking in the walls if you do want to include safety rails in your project. These are not the kinds of elements that can be attached to a wall with a plastic anchor. You’ll want to make sure they are securely anchored into something solid so they will last for years.
5. Do you need a place to rest?
A shower seat isn’t just a comfy place to relax; it can also provide support for shaving your legs. For a small shower where you don’t want to have the seat permanently taking up much-needed floor space, consider a folding bench, which can cost a few hundred dollars.
As with a safety rail, you’ll want to make sure a folding bench is securely attached to the wall.
A shower seat isn’t just a comfy place to relax; it can also provide support for shaving your legs. For a small shower where you don’t want to have the seat permanently taking up much-needed floor space, consider a folding bench, which can cost a few hundred dollars.
As with a safety rail, you’ll want to make sure a folding bench is securely attached to the wall.
6. Find your niche
A great way to provide space for shampoo bottles, conditioner bottles and even items such as candles is to create a niche or series of niches in the wall of a shower or bath area. These niches are a welcome alternative to a plastic shower caddy or the shower floor, and since they are inexpensive to construct, there’s a lot of value to be had.
The trick to having these niches is coordinating their placement with the tiling pattern. It’ll mean selecting your tile early, not changing your mind, and having the wall framed to accept the niche.
A great way to provide space for shampoo bottles, conditioner bottles and even items such as candles is to create a niche or series of niches in the wall of a shower or bath area. These niches are a welcome alternative to a plastic shower caddy or the shower floor, and since they are inexpensive to construct, there’s a lot of value to be had.
The trick to having these niches is coordinating their placement with the tiling pattern. It’ll mean selecting your tile early, not changing your mind, and having the wall framed to accept the niche.
7. Do you shave in the shower? I’ve always found the shower to be the best place to shave. If you do, too, consider spending a few hundred dollars extra to add proper lighting, a fog-free mirror and a place for a razor and shaving cream.
8. What about make-up?
Do you stand at the vanity to put on your make-up? Would you rather have a place to sit to do so? A place with a big mirror and all of your cosmetics stored neatly at hand? If so, consider a make-up desk. If you choose to integrate one with your vanity, you’ll have to factor in the height difference – a make-up desk is usually about 15 centimetres shorter. If you really want a large, uninterrupted benchtop, then you’ll want to look into a seat that’s stool height for the make-up desk.
Do you stand at the vanity to put on your make-up? Would you rather have a place to sit to do so? A place with a big mirror and all of your cosmetics stored neatly at hand? If so, consider a make-up desk. If you choose to integrate one with your vanity, you’ll have to factor in the height difference – a make-up desk is usually about 15 centimetres shorter. If you really want a large, uninterrupted benchtop, then you’ll want to look into a seat that’s stool height for the make-up desk.
9. Forgo the threshold
While creating a zero-threshold shower (ie. no ledge to step over to climb into the shower) during a renovation can cost extra, it could well be worth the added expense to create a shower where you can age gracefully in place. And the cost, depending on structural issues, could be as low as a few hundred dollars – a small price to pay to not have to ever trip on a raised shower sill, something you’ll appreciate every time you get in and out of the shower.
While creating a zero-threshold shower (ie. no ledge to step over to climb into the shower) during a renovation can cost extra, it could well be worth the added expense to create a shower where you can age gracefully in place. And the cost, depending on structural issues, could be as low as a few hundred dollars – a small price to pay to not have to ever trip on a raised shower sill, something you’ll appreciate every time you get in and out of the shower.
10. Time to get steamed
Steam showers were all the rage for many, many years. It seems that I didn’t do a main bath without one. And the bigger, the better. Some steam showers were large enough to accommodate a party. And while there’s less demand for steam showers today, you should always consider one, especially if you have a home gym you use regularly.
Keep in mind: steam showers can easily add several thousand dollars to the cost of a project. And don’t try to save money by undersizing the steam generator. Make sure you calculate the cubic volume, not just the square footage, of the shower space and then go by the manufacturer’s recommendation for size. Also, make sure the generator is located in an accessible spot – a place that workers can get to easily. Steam generators are machines, and any machine can fail, no matter how old.
Steam showers were all the rage for many, many years. It seems that I didn’t do a main bath without one. And the bigger, the better. Some steam showers were large enough to accommodate a party. And while there’s less demand for steam showers today, you should always consider one, especially if you have a home gym you use regularly.
Keep in mind: steam showers can easily add several thousand dollars to the cost of a project. And don’t try to save money by undersizing the steam generator. Make sure you calculate the cubic volume, not just the square footage, of the shower space and then go by the manufacturer’s recommendation for size. Also, make sure the generator is located in an accessible spot – a place that workers can get to easily. Steam generators are machines, and any machine can fail, no matter how old.
11. Keep reading material nearby
Yes, the best seat in the house is where some of us do quite a bit of reading. So why not have a place for those books, magazines, newspapers etc. that always seem to find their way to the throne room? This is a fairly inexpensive thing to do and a way of keeping the room neat and tidy.
Yes, the best seat in the house is where some of us do quite a bit of reading. So why not have a place for those books, magazines, newspapers etc. that always seem to find their way to the throne room? This is a fairly inexpensive thing to do and a way of keeping the room neat and tidy.
12. Don’t forget hooks, towel bars and the toilet paper holder
It seems that the placement of these things, always a necessity, is the last thing to be considered. They really shouldn’t be an afterthought, especially when they can be such fun design elements. So when planning your project, think about where the hooks, towel bars, toilet paper holders and the like will go so that you can get that all-too-often-overlooked blocking installed in the wall.
It seems that the placement of these things, always a necessity, is the last thing to be considered. They really shouldn’t be an afterthought, especially when they can be such fun design elements. So when planning your project, think about where the hooks, towel bars, toilet paper holders and the like will go so that you can get that all-too-often-overlooked blocking installed in the wall.
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Like Jill Krol, I too, am long legged with a short torso.
We bought our house in 1982. The main floor bath is 10 x 10, and back then it had a tub shower combo. Kids were all under 7 at the time so usage wasn't an issue. At pre-teen and teen ages usage did become an issue. In 1994 I had it remodeled to avoid the banging on doors, standing in line issue with the kids. Installed a jet tub, separated the shower and toilet areas with walls for privacy to each. Contractor was doubtful about the floor plan, as it wasn't something popular back then. But it worked for many years!
From what I'm seeing here on Houzz, that separation concept is growing in popularity.
And just as it's becoming more popular to make the toilet area private, I've just recently had the walls removed to open the space back up. The reason: wheel chair accessibility.
It's not something we think about when we're young but it can happen at anytime, to anyone, at any age. It's happened to us.
If you're redoing a bathroom, no threshold showers should be a must, but it's wise to include space around the toilet for easy transfer from a wheelchair. Our tub area would be a better space for larger shower but we're keeping it because it's great for soaking and we feel it adds to the selling point when that time comes.
Who needs reading material? Didn't I just bring in my cell phone and click my HOUZZ icon? Besides, there's no waiting with my super-duper bidet with adjustable spray pressure. Ah, how quickly times change…
Ok, seriously… 36" height is now standard vanity height, but my plumber/carpenter asked if he could make it 34" to allow for my selection of a wall-hung faucet. I also chose a floating vanity, so that should be ok, right? And the ceilings are only 7'6", so it should all be sorta ok, right?
I never had a niche before. This will be exciting… or disappointing… because they are so hyped. Candles? Ok...
I like the idea of having a heated mirror in the shower, perhaps in the niche, for shaving, but only if the person shaving is considerate enough to grab the hand-held shower and rinse afterwards. No…wait…I've seen what happens to all those little tiny hairs in the sink. They all coalesce into a wad of black goo that I can loosen only with a plunger. How will I ever clean them from the linear drains in my shower? How do you clean linear drains anyway?
So much to consider and so much packed into such small spaces. It's really nice to have an article that brings some of them up, and other HOUZZ friends to comment and suggest more.
I'm waiting for the day when step-down tubs with steam function in the walls is the standard...yes to the hand rail. Ahhhhh..... Great finish to a long day of working outside in winter and the water from a shower would be cold by the time it ran down from my shoulders to my calves.