Remodelling or renovating your bathroom is an exciting prospect, but also filled with many crucial decisions. Proper upfront planning is vital to finishing your bathroom design on schedule, on budget, and optimised for your precise needs.
This extensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know for total success planning and executing bathroom projects in the UK.
Mapping Out the Optimal Bathroom Layout
The physical layout and flow of your bathroom serves as the foundation for all other plans and choices. Start by evaluating common layout options:
- Single End Layout: All fixtures lined up along one wall. The easiest to plan but quite limited on available space.
- L-Shaped Layout: Provides two adjacent walls for installing bathroom fixtures while efficiently using space. Allows for some flexibility.
- Rectangular Layout: Fixtures across from each other along facing walls. Creates ample walking space for multiple concurrent users.
When deciding which direction to take your layout:
- Thoroughly measure your existing bathroom space and sketch various potential footprints
- Double check legislation for minimum size and clearance requirements
- Account for proper clearance zones around toilets, showers, doors – don’t cram items too tightly together
- Carefully assess prospective layouts for ease of access and use, especially by disabled or mobility-impaired users
Locking down an optimal bathroom layout marks a major milestone. This early architecture decision will pay dividends through enhanced ongoing ease of use and pleasure for years to come.
Picking Fixtures and Special Features
The fixtures and accoutrements selected establish much of the look, functionality and cost profile of your bathroom. Conduct in-depth review of the following:
Essential Fixtures
- Toilets: Go with comfort height, elongated bowl models for comfortable sitting and standing use. Modern dual flush mechanisms significantly conserve water usage.
- Sinks: Evaluate tradeoffs of vessel, pedestal and vanity sinks styles regarding space utilisation, storage, splash. Undermount sinks maximise counter space.
- Showers: Assess shower-tub combo, neo-angled or fully enclosed showers. Grab bars improve accessibility and safety. Curbless showers ease walk-in access.
- Faucets: Options span single handle faucets to hands-free touchless tap systems. Select finishes and spill-over shapes matching your decorative vision.
Splurge-Worthy Special Features
You may elect to include indulgent special features such as:
- Radiant heated flooring
- Steam shower enclosures
- Integrated Bluetooth audio systems
- Dimming lighting schemes with accent lighting
- Waterproof Ultra HD televisions
While opulent extras impress guests, they escalate costs. Carefully pick only features providing enduring value for your needs and budget.
Don’t Neglect Essential Bathroom Storage Space
In the exhilaration of planning stunning showers and striking finishes, it’s remarkably easy to overlook more mundane bathroom storage needs. Ensure you incorporate sufficient spaces to neatly stow all required toiletries, medications, accessories and cleaning supplies. Assess adding:
- Vanity Cabinets: Installed under most sinks, these enclosed cabinets neatly organise a plethora of products.
- Medicine Cabinets: Mounted cabinets including shelves and mirrors maintain items accessible but out of sight.
- Free-Standing Storage Furniture: Provides standalone enclosed storage against walls or in corners where plumbing permits.
- Wall Shelving: Floating or mounted shelves, racks and ledges open up space for folded towels and decorative items.
Take time planning logistics like drawer configuration, interior organisers and shelf heights/depths best suited to your expected contents.
Choosing Bathroom Flooring Materials
Bathroom floors endure near constant exposure to water from showers, tubs, sinks and cleaning. Flooring must stand up to moisture while providing traction to prevent slips and falls. Shop top options like:
- Ceramic, Porcelain or Glass Tile: Extremely durable and available in endless colours, textures and patterns
- Natural Stone Tile: Materials like granite, marble, slate trade affordability for unmatched elegance
- Resilient Vinyl Sheet or Plank: Budget-friendly to install and keep clean. Technology advances deliver stunningly realistic aesthetics.
Ensure proper underlying floor preparation and use appropriate non-permeable grout and joints. This seals the true waterproof barrier keeping liquid from seeping below tile or plank into vulnerable subfloor substrates. Consider treating areas under tubs/showers with redundant layers of moisture barrier protection like cement board or hot mopping.
Pick Wall Finishes That Stand up to Moisture
Ideally coordinating with your flooring, select bathroom wall finishes suitable for standing up to routine splashing and consistently high humidity. Evaluate options like:
- Ceramic Wall Tile: A versatile classic. Water-resistant and allows easy cleaning of splatters.
- Gloss Paint: Use high-sheen moisture-resistant paints above tub and sink areas for easy soap scum wiping.
- Waterproof Drywall: Specialised drywall designed for damp areas like bathrooms using embedded fibreglass mats or wax additive moisture barriers. Greenboard works where mould concerns are elevated.
- Wainscoting: Mid-height wood, tiles or water-resistant MDF panelling topped with moisture-guard paint. Preserves some warmth.
Aim to unify floors and walls with a coherent style and colour scheme or intentionally contrast aspects like vivid mosaic tub surround tile against neutral plank flooring.
Ventilation Critical for Temperature, Humidity and Odour Control
Proper ventilation warrants priority planning to whisk away warm moist air, prevent mould blooms and evict unpleasant odours. Seriously consider installing:
- Potent Exhaust Fan(s): Strategically install high CFM bath fans to rapidly clear steamy airborne moisture. Operate on switch or automated humidity-level sensor.
- Heated Lamps: Position adjustable heat lamps over showers or tubs. The gentle infrared warmth accelerates evaporation of lingering dampness on enclosure glass and surrounding surfaces.
- Dehumidifier: For amplifying whole-room moisture removal, compact dehumidifier appliances actively condense abundant ambient humidity.
- Operable Windows: When possible, open windows improve cross flow ventilation rates.
Research and Fulfil Building Codes
In the UK, bathroom remodelling projects must comply with pertinent electrical, plumbing, ventilation, construction and accessibility stipulations in the Building Regulations 2010 for England and Wales (2019) or Scottish Building Standards.
- Seek qualified experts able to navigate pertinent codes and call out any needed adjustments during planning
- Be ready to make provisions to meet access requirements
- Only hire certified specialists for major structural modifications, electrical and plumbing work
Enlisting an experienced bathroom designer London like the pros at Design and Build early in conception can ensure your design checks all regulatory boxes permitting prompt project green-lighting.
Realistic Budgeting Guidance
Typical bathroom remodel costs in the UK float £2,000 – £6,000 with the average around £4,000 according to recent HomeOwners Alliance data. Expanding size, relocating plumbing, or installing luxury fixtures can push budgets up substantially. Keep spending under control by:
- Performing due diligence setting realistic caps based on your home value
- Collecting multiple binding contractor quotes to gauge accurate pricing
- Offsetting indulgences in some areas through value choices in others
- Evaluating DYing suitable portions yourself, such as painting or shelving
Careful planning and prudent product selection facilitates achieving bathroom dreams without overinflating budgets.
Conclusion and Next Steps
Remodelling your bathroom stands as a multifaceted potentially daunting undertaking. However, arming yourself with this start-to-finish guide throughout the planning, product selection, contractor hiring and project execution processes positions your endeavour for affordability and excellence. Lean on additional assistance from professional bathroom designers where needed.
Investing in a bathroom remodel is an investment in your comfort and well-being. If you live in the capital city in the UK, consider hiring a reputable bathroom installation London such as London Refurbishment Company or Design and Build. They can help you create the perfect bathroom for your space, needs, and budget.Then enjoy the fruits of your labour for many years ahead!
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