Bryan Baeumler Reveals Top 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Renovating Your Bathroom

Before any big project, you must first establish a budget. Depending on the scale of the renovation, the cost can vary. As a rule of thumb, it’s always best to have 10% of your renovation budget allocated for unexpected expenses.

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Don’t make the mistake of beginning your renovation without a plan. Before any project, it is important that you have done the appropriate research and made a concrete plan before you bring out the tools. Sit down and figure out your budget, timeline and what resources you’ll need in order to get the job done.

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When renovating a bathroom, you must consider the ventilation. Poor ventilation traps in moisture, which leads to bigger problems in the home, such as water damage, mould and mildew. Before beginning your bathroom renovation, be sure to consider the location of the ventilation and that it is sufficient for the space.

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A mistake to avoid when renovating your bathroom is putting the appearance before the functionality of it! If your bathroom looks great, but has an improper layout, no ventilation and unskilled finishes, it will only lead to greater issues. A bathroom layout needs to be practical and comfortable. For example, there should be at least 60cm of space in front of the toilet and the towel rails should be within easy grabbing distance of the bath or shower. Especially in smaller bathrooms, it’s also important to consider how the cupboard and shower doors open without anything obstructing it.

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Without proper lighting in the bathroom, it can alter the overall look and value of the space, while also being inconvenient. Not to mention, this could also be a safety hazard. Especially in bathrooms with smaller or even no windows, lighting is an important feature to the room. Ensure that you are investing in lighting fixtures that are bright, white and are sufficient for the size of the space. In addition to any overhead lighting, I would also consider task lighting surrounding the mirror in the bathroom. This will bring brightness to the room, while also helping you to see what you’re doing in the mirror.

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Making sure that you have a sufficient amount of storage is crucial for any bathroom renovation. Especially when the size of your bathroom is smaller, it is important to consider storage that can help to maximize the space, such as built-in cabinetry, a shower niche for shampoos and soaps, under-the-sink storage and shelving.

Taking on aspects of the project by yourself can often be beneficial to the budget and ensure things are done quicker. However, there are areas of the project that I wouldn’t recommend to someone without the proper skill. Any type of changes to the plumbing in the bathroom should always be handled by a professional. Being able to judge what part of the renovation is something you can take on yourself (and what you cannot) is an important aspect in a successful bathroom renovation.