Homeowners often worry about spending money on a bathroom renovation only to have it all turn out wrong. Mistakes can be big or small. Your bathroom can quickly become dated and worn out with leaks, rust, mold, and water stains. If you want to avoid costly mistakes with your bathroom renovation, plan everything carefully. Hiring a professional bathroom contractor who knows what they’re doing will minimize mistakes throughout the process. Let’s talk about some bathroom renovation mistakes that you must avoid.
Not making it easy to clean
Many people choose fittings for the bathroom based on the most appealing design without considering the maintenance aspect. How to clean your bathroom fittings is rarely a concern. Do not fall into this trap. You should think about how the fittings will be used and how they will be cleaned.
For instance, it is much easier to clean an under-mount sink when water is not puddled around the sink, then drips down to the floor. It takes a lot less work to wipe the counter around an under-mount sink. One-piece WC toilets are much easier to clean than two-piece ones since they don’t have many curves or corners.
DIY waterproofing
Bathrooms are very humid and very wet rooms. This means waterproofing is vital to avoid problems. Working with uncertified professionals or attempting DIY waterproofing will only lead to reworking the entire renovation. You do not want your bathroom to have a peculiar odor due to water leaking into inaccessible places and causing mold to grow. Furthermore, you do not want to incur high water bills due to leaky toilets and showers.
It’s best to work with a certified contractor to do your waterproofing so you don’t have to repeat the work later. You must hire professional services so that you get everything installed correctly the first time around and avoid issues in the future.
Using non-anti-slip tiles
Pay close attention to the tiles that you choose for the floor and walls when you are doing a bathroom renovation. It’s dangerous to have wet floors or a wet shower area, especially if you have kids or elderly family members
You should pick anti-slip tiles with a texture or rougher surface so they won’t get slippery when wet. For the walls, you can get more creative. The surface can be created by selecting ceramic glossy tiles or even fancy mosaic tiles to create a feature wall, or by simply applying glossy 1′ x 2′ tiles to all walls to create a sleek appearance.
Poor ventilation
A bathroom must have adequate ventilation. Installing proper ventilation will prevent the growth of mold. You never want to see a moistured bathroom, having high levels of moisture in the bathroom can cause black spots to grow or paint to bubble.
Install an exhaust fan in the bathroom to keep bathroom smells from spreading. The fan will get rid of the musty smell and moisture, so it can dry faster, be less stuffy, and stop mold and mildew growth. If you take a shower, run the bathroom fan for at least 15 minutes to reduce condensation.
Not ensuring proper drainage
In Canada, old houses usually have just one drain hole near the shower. However, modern bathrooms usually have separate dry and wet sections. If you renovate an old bathroom, make sure to have a drainage outlet in each section (wet and dry).
One of the most popular arrangements is to have one drain hole inside the shower cubicle and to cover up the wet area with a glass screen. Then, in the dry area, you can create another drain hole to eliminate the water during cleaning. Furthermore, when installing the tiles, ensure that they slope towards the nearest drainage holes so that the water can be easily discharged.
Using the wrong materials
Choosing waterproof materials for your bathroom is a smart move since the bathroom gets a lot of moisture. In the long run, non-waterproof materials swell, rot, or discolor. Moreover, materials that aren’t waterproof will lead to mold growing in your bathroom.
Make sure that the material like porous stone or hardwood is sealed properly to keep it from collecting moisture.
You have to make sure all the stuff being used in your bathroom is waterproof even if you’re working with a pro. This includes the wall paint, fixtures, and flooring.
