remodeling your bathroom is an exciting adventure.
These tips are for design clients that have:
- Completed the design process;
- Engaged with a contractor who is ready to begin work;
- Ordered and received a majority of the materials;
- Are ready to prepare their home for selective demolition of their space.
CONGRATULATIONS! Transforming a bathroom that’s ended its service life into a fresh space that better suits your current needs, lifestyle and wellness goals is a worthwhile investment in your home’s value and in your personal comfort.
1ST: CLEAN. Clear your household items completely from the area of work. This includes everything from the cabinets, closets, tub and shower area, wall art, pictures, rugs, and any nearby valuables that you want to remain safe.
If your closet is included in the scope, you will want to choose clothing to keep out during the remodel and store the rest in a safe location away from the dust and debris.
EVERYTHING MUST BE REMOVED FROM THE SPACE.
TO KEEP OR NOT TO KEEP? This is a great time for purging and getting rid of unwanted, unused items. This can be a silver lining during all of the mess and upheaval that a remodel can cause.
Be sure let your designer and contractor know ahead of demo day if you have a way to repurpose any part of your bathroom, such as cabinets, so that they can set them aside.
Some individuals wish to donate to organizations, friends, family and as long as your team is aware ahead of time, they can take extra care to prevent damage as much as possible.
RELOCATE. Since your bathroom will be out of commission for a period of time, it is important to set up the bathroom that you will use in the interim. Doing this a week ahead will allow yourself time to adjust your routine.
If your bedroom is being updated or within the work zone, sleeping in another room ahead of time may help in that transition.
Any remodel can cause upset and frustration, but planning ahead can ease some of that stress and help your family continue to function.
VACAY TIME? Your daily routine will be greatly impacted while one of the most used areas of your home is being remodeled. This can be a good time to take a vacation or stay with family and friends during the main construction phase to eliminate the headache of trying to work around the mess and noise.
While this is not an option for everyone, it is worth considering in order to alleviate some of the stress related to demolition and initial installations. It is advisable to stay out of the home during any painting and staining as chemicals and fumes may be strong and cause headaches. Although the contractor will be diligent in using fans and trying to increase airflow in the space, it is best to give a day or two for the area to cure before returning to the space.
EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. No matter how well planned out a remodel project is, unexpected things will happen. Maybe it is a structural issue that isn’t discovered until after demolition, or there is an item that you want to change along the way. Address the change as soon as it is detected. Understand the financial and timing cost associated with a change. Adjust accordingly. When a problem comes along…
NOW, HURRY UP AND WAIT!
Certain aspects of your project will take more time than others. It may be in product production and delivery, or in the installation process. Here are some notable timing considerations:
- Cabinets can take 8 to 10 weeks to be fabricated from after the date of final approval. Most cabinets should be ordered AFTER the new structure/walls are complete so that measurements can be exact. Then add shipping time from the factory to your home.
- Countertops can take 3 to 6 weeks to complete the entire process of templating, fabrication, delivery and installation. This work is scheduled after all of the the cabinets, or other sub structures are set in place.
- Setting tile is a process that requires focused attention by the tile setter. There are layered steps and certain curing times to complete the whole process. This is not the place to make up time on the schedule!
- Glass shower doors can me accurately measured only after the shower wall tile is set and then it will take a few weeks to be made and installed.
Please consider that some of the time frames are out of our control, and that we are equally anxious to see the completed project!
