The Guide on Bathroom Redesign

If you are unhappy with the way your bathroom looks, or are not to keen with its overall atmosphere and ambiance, perhaps you could consider remodeling your bathroom. While the very thought of a complete remodel may seem intimidating or even impossible, it may be something to explore, especially if you have a particular concept in mind. 

Upon deciding to have your bathroom remodeled, you will have to decide on a professional contractor to perform the work. A professional contractor can accomplish a remodel much faster, as compared to doing it yourself. Perhaps you are on the fence, and may want to do it yourself, while letting a contractor do the rest. In any case, hiring a contractor is the best option – you don't want to mess anything up and possibly depreciate your home's value. In addition, perhaps it is not the whole bathroom that you would like to remodel, but only the vanity?

Many homeowners do not realize that an entire bathroom can be uniquely transformed by simply replacing the bathroom vanity area and nothing more. This, of course, would save you a lot of time and money, all the while providing a striking, impressive new look to your bathroom. 

How far you want to take your remodeling job will be completely up to you. But, with that said, what should you look for in a contractor, and what are your responsibilities before you actually go about selecting one? 

Where To Look For An Ideal Contractor 

There are several ways for you to find a contractor in your area to work on your bathroom. The best ways to find them are the old fashioned ways:

Get a Referral From a Friend – Friends are great sources of information concerning home improvement. The word of a satisfied customer is worth 300% more than what any contractor may claim for himself. If possible, ask several of your friends for advice, and you'll probably end up with more choices than you asked for. If it is possible, ask for references from these contractors to help solidify their testimonials; also, see if they have a portfolio of the work they have done and what they specialize in. A second or third opinion NEVER hurts either.

A Family Member – Perhaps a family member can do this – even if not a professional. Many of us know those family members who do something else by day, yet it seems as though every weekend or any free time they have, they are always working on their house or someone else's. Perhaps they would like to make extra money on the side, and save you money in the process. No references needed here – you are familiar with their work already, and if they do something wrong or slack on you, you know where to find them! Definitely a lot of flexibility exists with this option, but it may not be the best.

A Referral From A Hardware Store or Home Improvement Store – While going this route certainly has some risks, many of the bigger stores have references readily on hand for you to check out, as well as work portfolios for you to flip through.

Whichever route you choose, just make sure you do all of your homework diligently and choose accordingly.

Pricing and Your Budget

By now, you should have already done your homework, and chosen a contractor on the following criteria:

Combined Years Of Experience

Availability and Speed Of Completion Proposed And Deadline

Photos or Portfolio Of Past Work

Confirmed Testimonies

Areas Of Expertise

This same criteria should also factor into the price – find the best deal you can and apply all criteria to each contractor – make a chart if you have to. What you are mainly looking for here is the area of expertise(vanities), years of experience, and availability and speed. While another contractor may be cheaper, he may have no experience with vanities, so it would not be wise to choose him. 

While we should all be price conscious, it may be worth it for you to pay a little more, as the old adage, “you get what you pay for” applies appropriately. As long as you do your homework with determination, you will undoubtedly find the right contractor to meet your needs.

Choosing A Layout

Now that you have a contractor, it is time for you to discuss with him the ideas and concepts you have in mind. 

The first thing you should both discuss is your layout. It would be helpful for you to draw out a makeshift blueprint – no matter how rough it may be – and submit it to your contractor. As you are not trained to see any potential problems in your plans, he may be able to work with you in regards to what is possible and what may not be possible at all. 

If a discrepancy arises, it would be wise to follow the advice of your contractor, and try your best to reach a compromise on what would be the most ideal solution, all the while complimenting your concept. After all, you do not want to cause any type of structural damage to your home – which would depreciate its value – and neither does your contractor! More often than not, your contractor has a few tricks in his bag to make it work as close to your concept as possible, as experienced, seasoned contractors have many techniques that they simply “pull out of their hat,” and apply with no problem. 

The issue of a deadline should come up around this point. Ask your contractor how long it would take to complete everything agreed upon, and set a target date of completion – make a checklist of what you expect, how it should be done, and what progress should be made in reference to your deadline. You don't want your bathroom inaccessible any longer than necessary.

By practicing good communication, you and your contractor will be able to find an appropriate compromise in a short period of time, as long as you put your two heads together and discuss the issues. Who knows? He may have a better idea for your bathroom that you may have never realized.

Choosing a Design

Once you've ironed out any quirks in your plans, now it is time to communicate your design. Typically, there are three types of designs homeowners choose from: antique, contemporary and traditional:

Antique – As the name implies, these designs resemble older, classic designs. All aspects of the bathroom are made to look older. That means the fixtures, floor tiling, toilet, tub/shower etc. all with a nostalgic flair.

Contemporary – Sometimes confused with the Modern style of bathroom, as they are closely related, Contemporary designs have a layout much the same as an antique design, however, the overall look and atmosphere is updated to the current time period. The fixtures may take on a variety of shapes, and the toilets and the tub/shower can take on another design of their own, if that route is chosen. These are very sleek, and attractive looking – almost art deco. 

Modern – The Modern style of bathroom is open to interpretation, and can sometimes take on the form of a hybrid between the other two designs. Generally, the layout is completely different from all other bathroom designs, and they can seem to be just another room of the house – some of them even look like living rooms, complete with TVs, radios, etc. Many of them that are classified as Modern designs look quite exquisite, and can be quite costly. They are also mainly based around a jacuzzi, and other non-traditional fixtures. While being very attractive in design, they may seem somewhat gaudy to guests, and your guests may feel a little out of place. 

Choosing between these three types is simply a matter of your personal taste. If you are more of the traditional type, then the antique design is for you. If you would like something that still looks like a traditional bathroom, but with an updated look, then the contemporary design is what you should go with. If you want to look like you came out of “The Lifestyles Of The Rich And Famous,” the Modern design is definitely for you. 

The best bit of advice: Be absolutely sure that the design you choose is the one you truly want – it will pretty much be set in stone and you'll be stuck with it!

Now that you have a contractor, and have selected your choices in the design and layout, now it is time to pick out your vanity and other bathroom fixtures. At this stage, you can breathe a sigh of relief, as this will prove to be the last decision process that you'll have to deal with in regards to remodeling a bathroom.

Naturally, you want the vanity to complement the design and layout that you've chosen. There are several different vanities you can choose from – here are some tips to help you choose one quickly to suit your needs: 

Be yourself and think out of the box – don't just buy the first bathroom vanity you see and try to force it into your concept. The best designed vanity that complements the looks of your design is your best bet. Use some originality to make the vanity more attractive overall.

Be open to new ideas – when shopping around, you may find several vanities that complement your layout and design, but there are many transitional styles to choose from that mix different designs together and blend them into a hybrid. Some of these can look quite nice, and can stand out from the crowd.

Patience – you may find yourself extremely excited to get started on remodeling your replacing the vanity – it is important to stay patient. Because your dealer and/or contractor may need to customize the vanity to meet your needs, It may take a little more time than expected in order to make you happy.

Complement Your Design – Whatever you do, make sure you choose a vanity that complements the design and layout that you have chosen. While you want your vanity to be an attention getter, you don't want it to stick out like a sore thumb. 

Single or Double?

Another important option for your vanity is whether to choose a single sink or a double sink. This choice may be the easiest one, especially if there are space constraints involved. If you are dealing with a tight space, then you will want to stick with the single variety. However, if you have room to branch out, a double sink variety can be handy for various reasons. For example, they are very useful for multitasking. You can have one thing going on in one sink, while you do something else in the other; or, your spouse can be doing one thing at one sink while you use the other – eliminating the need to wait for them to finish, or argue about the bathroom. In this respect, double sink vanities are definitely the way to go. Talk to your contractor and try to fit one in, as you will reap these benefits quickly.

Vanity Materials To Choose From

Concerning the materials which the vanities are made out of, you have another myriad of choices. There are those are made of wood, metal, as well as synthetic materials. Although we have yet another choice, this one should be easy, as it is dependent upon the particular design you have chosen, as well as your particular concept. Do not fret or occupy yourself too much with this choice, as it is fairly automatic, as certain materials will not complement the design you have chosen. Of the three options, synthetic may be the most economical and the easiest to maintain.

Other Fixtures and Accessories

As you have probably figured out by now, it would also ideal for you to switch out any type of fixtures to accessorize your new choice of vanity. Soap dishes, toothbrush holders, towel rods, and cabinets are all things you would want to consider replacing in order to complement the new design. Generally speaking, when you pick out the vanity, there are generally accessory packs are available to choose from; so again, this choice is not as hard as it seems and is virtually done for you, according to the design you pick.

Being determined and dedicated to your project is the ultimate key to selecting an appropriate vanity for your remodel job.

Congratulations! We have now reached the remodel phase and have arrived at the point where we get to work and start transforming your bathroom into a new one, with your new vanity.

Although you may not have all of the supplies at hand yet, as there may have been delays in delivery, the contractor should already be preparing the bathroom for your new vanity. Any type of rearranging and minor construction work should be taken care of now, so that the vanity can simply slide into place, and the contractor can do his magic.

As most of the items that you have chosen are probably going to be shipped directly to you, just give them to the contractor and he will know what to do. Make sure to double-check all packages, and reconcile everything according to the packing slip. Go over everything meticulously, because if you discover an issue after everything has been completed, or even while everything is being done, it may be too late to switch anything out – or, it could cost you more money to do so.

If there are any mistakes or discrepancies, call the company involved immediately, and request that anything needing replacement is done overnight – you choose and negotiate with the company in regards to shipping. However, since they messed up, they should cover the shipping for you, or at least cover it one way. 

While it would be okay to ignore the little things such as faucets and towel racks, the main materials you are concerned about right now are the ones that work hand-in-hand towards the progress and efficiency in which your bathroom is remodeled and your vanity is successfully installed. For example, if the cabinet doors are the wrong color or wrong material, this could pose many problems for you and cause a delay in completing everything. This may cause you to have to adjust your deadline accordingly. Also update your checklist in regards to whatever comes up that may be an obstacle in completing the remodel on time.

Once everything is been squared away and everything is perfect, and ready to begin, check in on your contractor from time to time. Although it is unfortunate to say, many contractors – especially experienced ones – know how to milk the clock and and work just slow enough to get the job done by the deadline. While you don't want to give the impression necessarily that you are checking on him every minute, just do simple things – such as offering a glass of water, a snack, or even a break. This will give you ample opportunity to check up on his progress, and by just a mere glance, you will have an idea of the progress of your new vanity being installed.

You also have an even better opportunity when the contractor is gone to meticulously go over everything that has been done up to this point. Take your checklist out and write down any questions you may have, concerns, or comments regarding the progress of this project. By staying in direct communication with the contractor, and not just leaving them alone to do his work, you are establishing a solid, firm demand that the job be done right and, improving the efficiency with which it is done.

As you are getting an idea of where the progress level is, you should also be able to ascertain how close to the deadline you are. If it looks as if the contractor is working too slow it may exceed the deadline significantly, it would be best for you to ask what the problem may be. For example, a contractor may be experiencing problems due to some natural problems with the construction of your home. These are things you may need to know about, and the sooner they are detected, the better – this would ultimately save you many headaches and repairs in the future.

An experienced, professional contractor will always keep in contact with you and keep you updated every step of the way, so there may be no need for you to check up on your contractor constantly. Reasonably sporadic “pop-ins” on the contractor will give you sufficient information with which to determine the degree supervision. 

We have now arrived at the completion of the remodel phase. 

On the day before the contractor is due to arrive to put the finishing touches on the project, you should pull out the checklist, and go over everything once again to make sure everything is in order. This time, however, it is necessary for you to pay attention to every minute detail of the functionality of the new vanity and everything else. There may be issues with plumbing or with electrical wiring, that your contractor may be unaware of, and he may not have the proper expertise to deal with them.

Rather than call him and tell him about it over the phone, wait until the next day and discuss it personally. He should be able to recommend somebody who can handle any problems – or, you could choose to hire someone yourself.

At any rate, check all light switches to ensure that they are operational. Turn the cold water on, the hot water on, and both of them at the same time to make sure they work to the fullest extent. If you have a double vanity, do the same with the other sink, and run both sinks simultaneously to make sure there are no complications there either. Make sure that the hot water heater is heating up water properly, and check the shower as well.

Look for any type of minor flaws in the floors, the cabinets, and the walls – such as scratches, mismatched or non-intact tile, loose screws etc.; and, most importantly, make sure that the mirror is mounted straight and level.

Check for any leaks that could be caused by loose fixtures or loose connections. Pay attention to all detail including even the smallest trickle of water, and make sure that there are no drips once the water is turned off on both the sinks and the bathtub.

When the contractor has arrived the next day to finish everything up, ask your contractor to go over your list with you. This is extremely important, as once a contractor has finished the job, and has left your house, it is extremely difficult to get them back if you discover something later. This of course, depends on the terms of your contract. Many contractors will offer anywhere from 30-90 days guarantee of their work -- depending on how involved the job is.

If you happen to be working with an excellent professional contractor, he should be more than happy to go over everything with you, and even be able to point out any mistakes that he made along the way and tweak some things to make the job complete. As most professional contractors are perfectionists, they love to show off and enhance their work, as word of mouth recommendations travel fast, and more recommendations mean more jobs for him. 

You should not be afraid to go over everything with the contractor, or feel as though you are nitpicking him or being a nuisance. After all, you are the boss; and, his job is not only to satisfy you with your remodeling project, but to make you happy and completely satisfied with the finished product. If not, then he will feel as though his job as a contractor has failed. Most contractors will take pride in what they do, and will take the most drastic measures to make you happy -- no matter what it takes.

Once it has been determined that everything is fine and dandy, sign your paperwork, make your payment to the contractor, and thank them for a job well done. It would also be extremely generous of you to give him a gratuity on top of the premium, in accordance to your level of happiness with the job done.

Do you remember all the steps you took in trying to find his contractor? Well, you should do the same for other people as well. Offer to your contractor a testimonial of a job well done, and offer to be a reference for him if it is ever needed. Allow him to take pictures of your bathroom, and use it in his portfolio to promote himself, with whatever contact information you would like to be contacted. Generally a cell phone or an e-mail address would do just fine. You never know, some contractors give an additional discount if you do just that.

Now that you've completed your bathroom with your new vanity, you can now rest stress-free and be confident that the job is completed. If there is anything that you should walk away with from this guide, it is that you must do your research, do your homework, diligent planning research and enhancing the creative mind will go a long way in providing you with the exact bathroom vanity to meet your needs.