Remodeling your bathroom is not only for personal preference, but it can increase the value of your home should you want to resell it. However, it is a costly endeavor and it can disrupt the normal routine for your household for a few months.
How much does a bathroom remodel cost? It largely relies on factors such as size, style and extent of remodeling. For a minor remodel of a small to medium-sized bathroom, where you only fix some parts, it could cost R2000 to R4000. For a major remodel and making it look totally new, you could spend more than R150,000.
If you want to make the most of your remodeling project without going overboard with your budget, you need to get ideas and inspiration and design your bathroom early.
For starters, here are essential questions you need to ask yourself, which will make the design process easier:
- Why do you want to remodel your bathroom?
- Is it to make it more functional or is it to change the look and the style?
- If you want to change the style, what style do you prefer?
- Will the style match the existing style of your home?
- Who will use the bathroom?
- How do you use the bathroom?
- Are you fast-paced or do you spend a lot of time relaxing in the bathroom?
All the above questions and other questions similar to these will help you determine how the bathroom will look like. It will also impact the remodeling cost and your expenses for fixtures and accessories.
If you need help in putting together the design, you can hire a designer. Show him or her ideas that you have gathered from magazines and online design blogs. Give as much information as you can so the final design will be exactly how you want it. The designer will lay it out in working drawings that will be easy for the contractor to understand. This way, there will be no room for errors.
The next thing that you should decide on is whether you want custom-built or store-bought accessories and cabinetry. Custom-built items are usually more expensive but it gives you the control when it comes to how your vanity, countertop or mirror will look like. Specialized contractors will usually charge you by the material used and the length of time to finish the work. As long as it is within your price range, then you can have everything custom-built.
If you’re on a tight budget, there are affordable pre-assembled vanities and mirror that you can buy at the hardware store. Accessories like lighting, towel rods, toilet holders and fixtures like sinks and toilets are store-bought. Find a hardware store that has plenty of options for you to choose from. Your contractor might help you with this as they usually have special discounts from suppliers and builders stores. It’s because they have built a relationship with their suppliers over the years.
Again, it is best to think of remodeling ideas and accessories as early as possible. This will make it easier for you to find the right contractor for the project. Just remember to ask questions, give detailed objectives and ask for cost estimates and a remodeling schedule.
