When was the last time you gave your bathroom a makeover? Often, we overlook the wear and tear that occurs in spaces we frequent daily. However, refreshing your bathroom shower can easily rejuvenate its appearance, all while keeping costs to a minimum.
A newly revitalized bathroom shower makes the entire bathroom look new and luxurious. Even if the vanity and sink need updating, your shower sets the scene for the bathroom. Here are six things to think about before you begin your bathroom shower remodeling project.
1. Even if you have a good idea on the design you plan to use, take a moment to search the Internet for bathroom remodeling pictures. You’re sure to find some neat ideas that you might want to work into your shower remodeling project.
Magazines are a great source of inspiration on bathroom remodeling ideas. Usually the examples shown in magazines are so over the top – it’s up to you to figure out how you can downsize plans to work some of those ideas into your shower space available.
2. Once you have some ideas for your new design, it’s time to contact a reputable contractor and see if your ideas fit into your budget. Fixtures, materials, and labor will all need to be accounted for. Be prepared to scale back plans if the budget is tight, or splurge on some wish-list features if you’ve got more room in the budget..
3. One important decision to be made first is the type of shower you need. Shower inserts are available in standard sizes. They virtually eliminate any potential for tile problems or leaks for many years. But inserts are often very plain and lacking in any aesthetic feature. Or you might need a tub/shower combo for the versatility. These are often tiled from the tub up the walls. On the other hand, if you don’t need a tub, then filly tiled is the way to go for a spectacular luxurious shower space.
Whether you remodel your shower with tub/shower combo or fully tiled, tile offers endless combinations of colors, accents and design patterns. This is where magazines come in handy again – for tile designs and pattern ideas.
4. Fixtures are an important part of a shower remodel. There are two types of shower plumbing fixtures. There are basic inexpensive fixtures, and there are extremely expensive fixtures costing hundreds of dollars. Some of the nicer shower fixture combinations include a on-off valve separate from the temperature setter. These let you set the flow without changing the temperature.
As with any bathroom remodeling decisions, you have countless options for fixture design color and finish. But be prepared for a hefty price tag for high quality fixtures.
5. Then there’s the shower doors to think of. You should always install a shower door. Shower curtains will always lead to premature need for repairing and remodeling the bathroom all over again. Just like fixtures, there are inexpensive units available at every home improvement store, and these are easily installed by the homeowner. Or you can decide to have a very nice shower door installed and these need to be done by a qualified professional.
6. Tiling is something that every homeowner can do. If you really need to save money for the things that require a contractor for, consider doing the tile work yourself. For example, if there’s any water damage that needs repairing, or plumbing in new fixtures – these are the kinds of tasks best left to a professional contractor. But tile work is well within the reach of anyone remodeling a bathroom shower.
If the idea of doing your own tile work makes you nervous, there are tons of instructional videos available for free – and very high quality instruction is available on-line for minimal fees – minimal compared to the savings of doing the work yourself.
