The Bathroom: Remodeling With A Mission
On Friday my husband and I encountered something we weren’t expecting. My oldest son found water all over the floor of 
his bathroom. We quickly found a crack in the toilet tank (not near any bolts or holes, just a random middle of the road crack) and my husband was thrilled. Why you ask? Because this was the room we’ve been waiting to remodel since we bought the place and we finally had the motivation to get started.
As we wandered the home improvement store and started throwing out ideas, the tension got thicker and we realized we were not on the same page with this rennovation. We both have different visions, ideas and priorities in the whole project. Remodeling can be a fun way to get a high return on investion (ROI) in your home. But it can also be frustrating, overwhelming, and downright stressful. Let’s take a look at how to make the process more excited and less exasperating.
Why the bathroom? Of all the rooms we spend our time in, why is the bathroom a great place to remodel? Every article I have ever read in my years of real estate interest always includes the kitchen and bathroom at the very top of the list. According to Demesne.com (an online home magazine) you can usually anticipate nearly 80% return on investment (ROI) on a bathroom remodel and HGTV reports similar numbers as well.
1st- Think about resale. I know, I know, it’s YOUR home, but if you’re not planning on staying there until the next remodel (in our case we aren’t), then think about what this is going to be like when you sell it. If you LOVE animal prints this is the time to buy leopard print accessories, not a custom leopard print counter. If you’re a huge sports fan, while you would love to get a tile pattern to reflect your favorite NFL logo, it might be a tough sell a few years from now.
So when it comes time to choose your design/decor think about choosing a neutral theme when it comes to the long-term items (counter, vanity, bath tub, tile, etc.). On a side note by neutral I do not mean white on everything. White everything tends to look cheap and outdated – throw some beige’s and other neutral colors in there. Kick it up a notch with the decor or easy to change items like paint, wall paper, towels, shower curtain, etc.
2nd- Choose your scope. How crazy do you want to get on this project? Is it a complete overhaul of the room or is it a small rennovation. This is the time to set and really look at your budget. Price things out and dont’ forget to check online. You’ll probably find some great tips and tricks on how to create the look you want for a good price. One of my favorites is www.homedecoratorsoutlet.com . You can find some steals there! Also, don’t forget to google “coupons” for any place you might be ordering from as to find great deals. Also look in the clearance sections of your major home stores. I have found many a bargain from such places.
This is the point where many seem to get pretty overwhelmed. Remember to keep things in range. If you’re rennovating the bathroom in your 2 bedroom condo, you probably don’t want to spend $25,000 doing a complete overhaul with all the fixings and top of the line vanities, granite countertops, etc. It just doesn’t fit the scope of your home. You will get a much higher ROI by putting in low to moderate priced items that match the rest of your home. If you live in a 3,000 Sq Ft, newly remodeled single family home with all the fixings, you’re probably going to want to put in some higher end items to match the rest of your home.
3rd- Get moving! This is the time to run with the project and get going. Don’t forget to take some before, during and after shots to document your journey!
