A great bathroom can allow you to relax, is very clean, and in turn makes you feel clean and very comfortable. While renovating your bathroom is not the easiest of feats - a great bathroom renovation is never impossible.
Some of the questions you might be asking yourself are “do I need to tear my current bathroom down and start from scratch?”, or “would a couple simple touch ups suffice?” There are a few telling signs that will indicate that you will need to do a full teardown and rebuild. Things such as leakage, mould build up or a general lack of comfort or safety in the design would usually necessitate a full strip down of your current bathroom. In such cases it’s best to contact an experienced bathroom renovator to get your bathroom up to proper standards.
This article will highlight some common issues homeowners have with their bathrooms as well as explore some fixes that will make their bathroom more modern and inviting. If you find that most of the following renovation tips apply to you… then it’s time to consider a full overhaul of your bathroom.
1. Improper Lighting
Are parts of your bathroom too dim? In the morning, is everything properly visible? Is the inside of the shower properly lit? It is vitally important for safety reasons that your bathroom be equipped with proper lighting. A bathroom with a solid lighting design plan will safely light everything up, as well as contribute to a great atmosphere and mood for the room.
2. Darker Wall Colours
Because it’s usually difficult to get natural light into a bathroom, it’s one of the hardest rooms of the house to choose a wall colour for. If your wall colour is darker, it will become much harder to properly light. The best advice for painting your bathroom is to choose softer and brighter colours. Any variation of white is always a safe bet. Soft greys or blues are also a great choice.
3. Lack of Storage
How many people use your bathroom? Everyone should have a drawer to put their make-up/toothbrushes/razors/deodorant/etc. in. If you are finding there is no option to accommodate everyone's toiletries, then it’s time to consider installing more practical shelving. Look to see if there’s any unused space and evaluate if your current shelves are maximizing your storage potential.
4. Power Outlet Locations
Are there a lot of hair dryers, electric razors and toothbrush chargers lying around your sink area? Some bathrooms are not up to code and have unprotected outlets. With so much water being used in the bathroom there is the risk of electrocution if your outlets are not to code. Consider having this checked and adding more outlets for convenience and adding better storage locations for electrical appliances.
5. Improper Ventilation
When you flip on your fan, is there proper ventilation? Is there a fan in your bathroom at all? Proper ventilation is absolutely important in a room that uses so much water. A lack of air exchange in your bathroom during periods of high humidity risks mould damage to your bathroom surfaces as well as contaminated air.
To save energy you can install an automatic fan switch that will operate the exhaust fan when the humidity is high. It is a cost and energy efficient way of protecting your bathroom. It’s also vital that if you do have a fan installed, that it be cleaned semi-regularly. Dirty fans with built up dirt will become ineffective over time.
6. Water Leakage
When you flush your toilet and there are small puddles forming on the floor, it’s definitely time to ask yourself some serious questions. Is it better to just install a new toilet? Or are the pipes in my older house the issue here? If you don’t know off hand if your pipes are too old or may be structurally flawed, it’s time to get in touch with a renovation expert.
Any type of water leakage, if not taken care of immediately, can not only harm your bathroom, but areas of your house. It’s better to pay for a better bathroom now, than a renovation project of your living room and kitchen as well.
7. Lack of Energy Efficiency
Millions of litres of water are wasted each year. Older conventional toilets can use 20 to 25 litres per flush. If you think some of the new environmentally friendly toilets can be more expensive, than you should consider that some of them can use less than 6 litres per flush. Over a long period of time, you may find that eco friendly toilet will also be quite friendly to your wallet as well. There are many other areas of your bathroom that could benefit your utility bills as well as the environment.
8. Consider Bathroom Luxuries
While we’re on the point of discussing ways to better your bathroom, why not consider some nice luxuries that will optimize your bathroom for the ultimate comfort. Things like heated floors and a sound system will make your bathroom the coziest spot of your house and the hardest to leave.
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Whether you’re looking at large or small bathroom renovations, Bryant Renovations has the expertise you can trust. If you’re considering some of the renovation ideas mentioned above, then you may want to contact the most qualified experts in bathroom renovations Toronto has to offer.