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How to
Plan and Estimate Costs for a Bathroom Remodeling Project
Remodeling a bathroom can
be an exciting and fun experience, particularly if your
bathroom has outdated baby blue or pink tile covering the
walls. Planning and estimating bathroom remodeling costs
prior to starting the project however is critical for
ensuring a completely positive experience.
Today many new bathroom remodeling jobs include Jacuzzi tubs
or whirlpool baths, along with separate showers. In addition
there are a multitude of toilet, vanity, countertop and sink
styles to choose from. Costs for these items vary widely.
If planned properly a bathroom remodeling project can be
accomplished on a shoestring budget and still look like
you’ve completely transformed the room. It depends only on
your creativity and level of sweat equity. All new bathroom
fixtures are not critical in remodeling a bathroom. Many
fixtures can be restored to a brand new appearance with just
a little time and sweat equity. In some cases, such as with
toilets, it is frequently the preferred route. Older toilets
use more water per flush than the new models. Though the new
ones are environmentally friendlier, they have a reputation
for clogging and thus many people choose to preserve their
older toilets in a bathroom remodeling project.
The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in the
house. It is usually where you start and end your day. Thus
the return on investment for remodeling a bathroom is fairly
high. Consequently it makes a great deal of sense to spend
some money and remodel a bathroom, even if you do not plan
on being in the house for a long time.
A bathroom remodeling project however can be a messy and
annoying home improvement project. Frequently bathrooms are
right off bedrooms or in the master bedroom. Consequently
they can cause significant disruptions and cleanliness
issues with your home. And the length of the disruption can
take as long as a month or more, even when well planned out.
To mitigate the disruption of a bathroom remodeling project,
planning is absolutely essential. The first item to consider
is whether you will do it yourself, or hire a general
contractor. Regardless of what route, a homeowner needs to
first sketch out some bathroom remodeling ideas to ensure
the bathroom design and cost estimates will meet their
targeted functional requirements and budget. If a general
contractor is to be hired these initial sketches will be
helpful in communicating your bathroom remodeling plans and
ideas.
During the planning phase, you should identify the main
objectives of the future bathroom. Is a Jacuzzi or whirlpool
tub desired? Is a pedestal sink preferred over a traditional
vanity? You should research the latest products on the
market including: cabinets/vanities, countertops, toilets,
shower/tubs and flooring. Also, homeowners are now more
frequently using tile in bathrooms, both on the floors and
walls. Tile adds a look of elegance to a bathroom that is
not captured with vinyl or Linoleum flooring materials.
It is also important to consider any structural changes to
the existing bathroom area. In particular, if a Jacuzzi or
whirlpool tub is to be installed a deck area will probably
need to be framed in. In addition, if overhead lighting is
desired then soffits may need to be framed in.
Your initial sketches of your bathroom remodeling plan
should include the basic layout of the bathroom with the
toilet, shower/tub and vanity locations identified. In
addition, dimensions should be included in the sketches.
Also, if there are already known preferred manufacturers for
the various bathroom utilities then they should also be
included on the sketches. Once the sketches have been
completed it is time to contact a remodeling general
contractor. They should be able to work from your sketches
to develop a firm fixed quotation on the bathroom remodeling
project.
For more help on remodeling your bathroom, see
HomeAdditionPlus.com’s Bathroom Remodeling Bid Sheet. The
Bathroom Remodeling Bid Sheet will help ensure that your
bathroom remodeling project goes smoothly and you get the
finished bathroom you are looking for. In addition, it will
help to ensure that your remodeled bathroom will be
accomplished on time and on budget.
Over the past 20+ years Mark Donovan has been involved with
building homes and additions to homes. His projects have
included: building a vacation home, building additions and
garages on to existing homes, and finishing unfinished
homes. For more home improvement information visit
http://www.homeadditionplus.com and
http://www.homeaddition.blogspot.com
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Donovan
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