Successful Tips for Bathroom Renovation

With today’s home values having soared in the last 10 years and the renovation market showing little signs of abating it makes sense today to invest in a quality bathroom renovation built to last.
Here are some of the major points to consider when planning this type of renovation and selecting a firm to do the work.

A) Is the contractor a bathroom specialist or does he/they do many different types of renovations. If the firm does all types of contracting then find out how many bathrooms they have renovated in the last one to three years. Often it makes sense to hire a specialist who works in bathroom(or any particular) renovations all the time Just as you would go to a medical "specialist" when you have a particular type of problem(i.e. a heart surgeon when you need heart surgery and not a general surgeon). The bathroom renovators are more familiar with the problems associated with the bathroom renovation that can and often do crop up while the renovation is under way. With bathroom renovations there can be many different types of plumbing depending on the age of the home and they require different approaches to modifying to accept/accommodate modern materials.

B) Does the renovation company have the proper subtrades that are licensed/necessary for a proper/safe bathroom renovation, (i.e. the plumber and the electrician to name two important ones) and properly insured. If the contractor is using subtrades which is the norm they (the subtrade contractors) are required to carry their own insurance and WSIB coverages. If not and there is a flood or fire or jobsite injury you the homeowner could be held liable. As well does the contractor himself carry the proper liability insurance coverage for his own company, you the homeowner should not be afraid to ask the contractor to show you the policy itself(make sure it is current). Some bathroom renovation companies use their subcontracted general labour/renovators to do both plumbing and electrical in your bathroom renovations and often this work is not done to proper building code and can be potentially dangerous for the homeowner, beware of this type of firm as you may have problems and/or damages down the road with potentially no recourse at that time.

C) In the firms' written quotation to you (which is an absolute must when you are spending thousands of dollars for a bathroom renovation) does it specify clearly the "scope" of the renovation (i.e. what is being done in the bathroom) written in clear and concise layman’s language. The building trades are often notorious for having their own individual jargons that are often indecipherable to the average homeowner. Any firm that is unwilling to provide a written detailed quotation is not reputable and the homeowner should be immediately wary, verbal quotations today for a substantial renovation like a bathroom are simply not acceptable in today’s market.

D) What type of materials is the contractor using in your bathroom renovation, is this specified in the contract or quotation that homeowner and contractor have signed. They are great disparities in cost of different materials used that can significantly alter the overall quality and durability of your bathroom renovation. Do not under any circumstance hire a firm without a written detailed contract.

F) Ask the contractor for references, they should be able to furnish you with at least 3-5 references and you should contact each one (or even visit these previous jobs to see actual examples of contractors work). Ask questions of these references such as "was the contractor neat and tidy when working in your home", did they show up each day? were there any big gaps in the work (i.e. did they start and then go away and come back days or weeks later)? Did the contractor give you a timeline or expected date of completion i.e. two or three weeks, did they meet that projection? Was everything done according to the job description as outlined? If there were brand names of plumbing fixtures specified or agreed to do they install these. Often it is best to have the contractor specify which model/make of fixture he is installing or providing as part of the renovation thereby preventing substitution of an inferior product.

G) Establish a realistic budget/timeline for your bathroom renovation. Do not expect a bathroom renovator to be able to begin your project next week. As mentioned, the good contracting firms are almost always booked in advance sometimes months in advance depending on time of year. As well custom cabinetry normally used/specified in a good renovation generally takes 4-6 weeks to produce from time of order so your contractor will need that much advance time before beginning your renovation. Typically today a complete small bathroom renovation where everything is stripped and rebuilt (including, floor and ceiling) with good quality fixtures will run 15-20K; this will include all fixtures including high quality ventilation and recessed ceiling potlighting. Medium sized bathrooms often with separate stand-alone showers will run 20-25K and larger bathrooms will run 25K+.Remember you can spend as little as $200 for a good basic faucet in chrome finish or you can spend up to $2000 dollars for a designer European faucet. The same goes for shower valves, rainheads and tile choices, there is a huge variance in prices depending on your tastes and budget. You don't have to use "over-the-top" fancy designer materials/fixtures to get a good bathroom renovation, often your contractor will be willing to take you shopping for these components or direct you to reputable retailers as they are familiar with the products and can often steer you away from making poor choices (i.e. a toilet that does not flush well or a shower valve that does not have good flow rates). You as the homeowner have to invest a certain amount of trust in your contractor to guide you. Another reason to choose a bathroom renovation specialist who deals in the associated materials/fixtures on a regular basis.

In summary with these guidelines and other information gleaned from magazines, internet and word of mouth you can in all likelihood successfully complete your bathroom renovation in a timely manner with minimal disruption to your family. With the exception of kitchen renovations, bathroom remodeling will give you possibly the second highest return on investment of any remodeling project in your home today, the benefit: you get to enjoy a beautiful bathroom every day and when you sell your home you get your money back and usually more (especially when adding a new bathroom to your home), what a deal!!

Article Submitted by:
Bob Beal
Artisan Bathrooms
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