Top Mistakes in Bathroom Renovation

In any house or apartment there is always a separate toilet and bathroom, or a combined bathroom. Usually they try to equip them so that they rarely think about repairs - but from time to time you have to change plumbing, transfer communications, remove old finishes and rearrange everything. Unfortunately, bathroom renovation is often accompanied by unplanned expenses and loss of time. We will tell you about the 10 most common mistakes in bathroom renovation.

The number and layout of tiles.

The same applies to other types of decoration. Trying to save money, many people carefully calculate, literally piece by piece, how many tiles they will need for the bathroom. And then anything can happen: during transportation, some of the tiles will be defective or even broken, and during the finishing of the walls and floor, the tile laying by the hired master will be performed poorly or with the use of inappropriate materials. In fact, accurate calculations are useless: there should always be a reserve, in case of damage. But the layout and installation should be done by a qualified specialist, the more experienced the better.

Incorrect connection of communications.

The outlets of water supply and sewage pipes must be positioned precisely in height. You can move the plumbing from the base before installation, but excessive or insufficient height will add trouble with the connection. Most often, such errors occur when changing the direction of connection: for example, there was a floor-standing toilet, and when replacing it, the owners wanted a wall-mounted one, and they had to move the pipes. Or like this: they also chose a floor-standing one, but of a different design - it does not connect to the old outlets.

Errors when installing a bathtub and/or shower tray.

In such cases, you should not believe the advertising that it is supposedly very simple and can be done by anyone. Yes, it can, but it will not be used for long. Professional bathroom renovation is a guarantee of no problems for years to come. Modern plumbing is manufactured with a fairly high accuracy and a small margin of safety, counting on a professional approach. Any errors during installation can lead to a rapid depletion of this reserve - and it will no longer be possible to repair it under warranty.

Important Note: From Drab to Fab: Real-Life Bathroom Makeover

Lack of waterproofing. 

The enviable properties of the advertised new types of finishing tempt people to do without thorough insulation of the bathroom. People simply do not think that protection against moisture completely falls on this finishing, and any errors during installation or damage during use will immediately cause harm - because there is no general basic waterproofing.

What does premature tile laying lead to?

Poor ventilation or its absence.

When planning a bathroom renovation, homeowners do not always remember the general renovation of the house, during which the engineering networks and ventilation were changed. If the system has become different - for example, exhaust instead of supply - this must be taken into account when renovating the bathroom, otherwise there will be constant dampness and an unpleasant odor. Even worse, if the air ducts are completely or partially blocked when laying tiles - even a system that is working normally will immediately receive an excessive load.

Abandoning a towel dryer.

A typical situation: you decide that you don't need it (you're tired of the design, there's not enough space, etc.), you cover the walls with tiles - and then it turns out that it's still difficult to do without this device. You'll have to knock down the finish, cut holes in the walls for cables and/or pipes, connect the towel dryer and lay the tiles again.

Problems with access to networks.

You should always remember that any decoration, including tiling, is the very end of the repair. Before this, it is necessary to check whether there is free access to pipes, valves, cables, junction boxes, etc. It is not for nothing that false walls were invented for bathrooms a long time ago.

Problems with soundproofing.

They often forget not to do it at all, but to check its effectiveness in advance. If the first use of the sewage system occurs when all the bathroom renovations have already been completed (and the tiling too), there will be no budget ways to reduce the noise from the riser.

Lack of outlets.

A common problem when buying new household appliances is having nowhere to plug them in. You either have to buy extension cords or do cosmetic repairs after installing additional outlets. Therefore, it is always better to plan at least one in advance, in each room – and in the bathroom too.

Nowhere to put things.

And who would have foreseen the place and fastenings for cabinets, shelves and bedside tables? Plus all sorts of hooks, hangers, racks, etc. This is another argument in favor of professional repair work and standard projects.