What You Can Expect When Remodeling a Bathroom

Of all the projects that will make your house more family-friendly, bathroom remodeling consistently ranks in the top five with many a home improvement contractor. Although it may not have the instant curb-appeal of new siding or roofing, bathroom upgrades are just as important in making a house more functional and efficient on a daily basis. Remodeling takes on added significance if you plan on selling your house or if you want to just upgrade; a dingy, cramped-for-space bathroom will leave a very negative impression on visitors or potential buyers!

Plan Beforehand

Making a detailed list of ways to improve the efficiency and appearance of your bathroom is a great idea, and will give you a good head start on the time-consuming process of choosing various features and fixtures. It really helps to shop around, and if possible visit a remodeling showroom, either in person or online to see how the items on your list could be incorporated into existing bathroom plans. If you’re on a tight budget, a mock-up of what you have in mind will result in a more accurate cost estimate.

Bathroom Remodeling Contractors in Lancaster, PA

The following tips and advice relate to what most homeowners can expect to encounter when tackling a bathroom remodeling project:

    • For such a small room, this is a major undertaking, so now is the time to make your bathroom more efficient. Installing a double sink will keep space usage issues in your family to a minimum. Separating the tu from the shower will make for easier clean-up, and better access to the shower for disabled or reduced mobility household members. Other areas to consider are building-in lots of storage areas in unused space, and if your bathroom doesn’t already have it, by all means upgrade to a 20-amp electrical service to handle any extra loads.
    • Before deciding on a home improvement contractor, check out examples of their prior work, and look for strong, independent referrals. Visiting and interacting on their website is a good way to test the waters first. Because bathrooms contain several different service aspects such as plumbing, electrical, HVAC, etc., be sure to get a detailed cost estimate on the materials involved and the time to install before signing anything.
    • Be prepared to set up a temporary shower and toilet arrangement, if you don’t have a second bathroom in the house! Pick an area like the basement or garage that has a floor drain for the shower, and rent a “port-a-potty” service for toilet facilities. If this is not an option in your area, you might need to prevail on nearby family or neighbors.
    • Choose and order all new components way ahead of time, so the job won’t be delayed for lack of supplies. This is one home remodeling job you want done as quickly as possible! Everything that you need to personally pick out for the task, such as plumbing fixtures, lighting, tile, etc should be onsite ready to install from day one. Any possible delays will then relate to the services trades (electrical, plumbing), and are out of your control.
    • Expect a lot of noise and dust, ideally plan the work to be done during mild weather, so the dust can be vented to the outside via fans, and all the construction debris can be hauled out without disrupting the inside temperature too much. Be sure to cover your floors with drop cloths leading from the bathroom exit all the way to the door the tradespeople are using to enter the house.
  • When dealing with an old house bathroom remodeling job, plan on all sorts of unexpected issues cropping up. Corroded, leaky plumbing is probably the most costly thing that could be exposed. It’s one thing to have nice new fixtures set to go in, but if the pipes leading to them leak, you’ve got major problems. Another budget-buster is whether hazardous materials like lead paint and asbestos in the tile mastic are discovered. Old bathrooms are typically undersized for today’s needs, so any expansion to accommodate new features will be very expensive as well.

Eyes on the Prize!

Throughout the whole ordeal that total bathroom renovation sometimes represents, keep reminding yourself just how much more user-friendly your new facilities will be, and with all the new features, how much more you’ve added to your home’s resale value!

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I would give Choice 10 stars if I could. The folks at Choice Home Remodeling have replaced all 31 of the windows in our house over the past year. They are incredibly professional and deliver an outstanding final product. The replacement windows look better than the originals and I get compliments on them all the time! The inside temperature of the inside glass on a 55 degree day has improved by 8 degrees! I am looking forward to seeing what the differential is once the weather turns cold. Their pricing is fair and the quality is second to none. I recommend them 1000%.
We absolutely love the new door we just had installed from Choice! We had such a great experience with Choice from start to finish. Tim was great and helped us pick out the perfect door for our home and didn't try to sell us the most expensive model and was honest, not pushy. Everyone we came in contact with was friendly and professional and the work was top notch.
I bought my windows from them. Everyone one was so nice and professional. Christie was very helpful. Thank you, will use again for other projects
So pleased with our bathroom renovation by Choice Home Remodeling! Alyssa Hayes did an excellent job in designing a functional and attractive way to best utilize our small space. Our kids are thrilled to have their own sinks! Alyssa patiently guided us through the design choices, made recommendations and outlined the construction process. The construction phrase was very timely, and Ken Brown was available for any questions and kept us informed of the schedule and what part of the project was happening when. I was very impressed that the job was finished very close to the scheduled completion date. The Choice staff and subcontractors were all respectful of our space and did a thorough job.