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Planning Your Remodel

Remodeling your bathroom can be very difficult. There are a lot of things to think about, plan ahead for, and make sure of before getting started. 

The number one problem that people have when remodeling their bathroom is they didn’t plan ahead and instead jumped right into the removal of their old bathroom. 

Follow these steps to avoid any mistakes and to get started on your new bathroom.

Deciding On A Budget

Bathroom remodeling costs are separated into two areas: The cost of hiring someone to work on the bathroom, and the cost of the materials being installed. Depending on the team you go with and what you want installed in the bathroom, these costs are often split 50/50.

How To Set a Budget For Your Bathroom Remodel

One of the most expensive areas of the bathroom to remodel is usually the bathtub and shower area. This is because in order to have this section redone, the previous bathtub or shower walls often have to be removed entirely. 

Since remodeling each part of the bathroom is priced differently, this means setting your budget can be difficult. The best way to figure out how much you can expect to spend is to get quotes from different companies. By doing this, you can figure out what products will be used, how much it’s going to cost, and how long you can expect them to take.

Get your first quote from Five Star Bath Solutions today. You can have a free in-home consultation or do it virtually to speak with a consultant about the different options and what to expect.

Safety And Comfort Come First

Did you know that the bathroom is the most dangerous room in the house? While most people think it’s the kitchen, it’s actually been proven that more accidents happen in the bathroom than anywhere else in the house.

Accidents and injury in the bathroom are most common because of slippery floors in the water and shower, along with injuries sustained by those dealing with joint pain or arthritis.

Study Done by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention

Luckily for you and your family, there are many products that can be installed in your bathroom to help protect against these accidents. Below are some of the most requested safety and comfort features.

Full Bathroom Remodel
Grab Bars
Shower Bench
Shower Benches
Shower Mats
Anti-Slip Mats
Walk-In Tub
Walk-in Tubs

Deciding On A Bathroom Design

For most people, this is their favorite step in the whole remodeling process. It’s here that you get to choose a style for your bathroom and decide on the look that you want. The easiest way to figure out what design you want for your bathroom is to do your research online. 

For example, try going to fivestarbathsolutions.com and browsing the gallery of past jobs and potential designs.

Are you looking for something clean but also trendy? Below is a list of the top 10 most popular bathroom styles. 

TOP 10 BATHROOM STYLES

Alaskan Ivory Wall Shower
  • Contemporary
  • Traditional
  • Modern
  • Transitional
  • Beach
  • Farmhouse
  • Mediterannean
  • Rustic
  • Eclectic
  • Industrial

Each style has something different to offer you and brings its own style preferences and benefits. It’s up to you to decide what is most important to you.

If you’re not sure of the difference between each of the styles or what they have to offer, you can find a styling guide complete with examples at the end of this remodeling guide that will walk you through the top three bathroom styles, what they can offer, and how they are different.

To help you in deciding what kind of design you want for your new bathroom, take a minute to answer these 8 questions.

  1. Is this for a full bathroom or half bath?
  2. Do you like the look of stone, wood, or tiles better?
  3. Are you trying to create more space?
  4. Do you like straight lines or curved edges?
  5. Would you want wainscoting or moulding on the walls?
  6. Do you prefer lots of bathroom decor or a few simple items?
  7. What do you like better, floating vanities or furniture-like vanities?
  8. Are you going to be using a cloth shower curtain or glass shower door?

When talking with a Five Star Bath Solutions consultant, they can also walk you through the different styles and designs and help you settle on one that would be perfect for your bathroom. 

DIY vs. Professional

If you are looking to save yourself some money right now and there isn’t a lot to be done in the bathroom, you might consider doing it yourself.

If the bathroom is in serious need of a makeover though, you should probably look into letting professional remodelers step in to help you out.

DIY Bathroom Project

Bigger projects like full bathroom remodels, vanity installations, and tub-to-shower conversions are things that should only be done by professionals and those who are well trained. 

Often, homeowners think they can do these big projects themselves and when they are finished, they find that water is leaking or the installations weren’t done correctly. 

It’s in these situations where homeowners are having to pay double. Once, to do the project themselves, and again to have experts come in and fix it for them.

Consider the following when deciding whether to do it yourself or hire an expert.

Your Expertise

The bathroom should be your place of zen. An escape you can come home to after a long day to relax in the tub or shower. For this reason, the quality of the work done in the bathroom is very important. 

Your expertise can affect two main things: the look of your bathroom and the length of time it will take you to complete the bathroom.

A lot of homeowners get started on remodeling projects thinking they know how to do it themselves only to get halfway through and realize they aren’t sure of how to do something or they don’t have enough experience in working with certain tools or products. They then have to look into hiring a professional, forcing them to take even longer and spend more money.

It’s important to know what you are and are not able to do before you get started on your remodel. Knowing what you can do and what is needed from a professional will save you time and money.

Products 

Retail home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowes are so successful because they usually buy the cheaper products like ceramic tiles, vinyl flooring and grout to resell to their customers. While small amounts of these cheaper products used in smaller projects are not a bad idea, when it comes to bathroom remodels, you only want the best.

While less expensive items may help your budget feel better at the moment, they don’t offer much for you in the long run. 

Most homeowners experience this when they install a tile shower or vinyl flooring in their bathroom, and while it may be done quickly, in a few years they’ll start to notice bubbles in the floor that lead to cracks and the grout starting to crumble or stain.

While it may be more expensive initially to go with the higher end products, it will save you time and money later on.

Time 

One of the biggest fears that troubles most homeowners when they think about remodeling their bathroom is the downtime they experience. The average bathroom remodel takes about 23 days, which is about 3-4 weeks.

When redoing the bathroom you and your family will experience things like the water being shut off, noise from people working in the bathroom, and the bathroom itself being closed off for weeks. You might not be able to afford all of these interruptions and distractions because that might be your only bathroom, or it might lead to your family sharing a single bathroom. 

To reiterate one more time, the planning step of your bathroom remodel is the most important. You need to decide if this will be a DIY project or if you’ll need a good team to help you out. When planning for your bathroom, make sure you are planning for the quality of the bathroom, the products being installed and the amount of time it will take to be finished.

Costs

Remodeling your bathroom can be expensive, depending on what you are doing, but doing some of it yourself can often help you save money. One of the biggest misconceptions though is that doing it yourself will always help you save money.

Many people think that no matter what the project is, buying the products, tools, and materials yourself and completing the project without professional help will help you save money. A scenario that often occurs is the person doing the remodel will look at how much they spent after completing their project only to find that it would have cost the same or even less to hire a professional.

It’s important to look at what it will take to complete your remodel and every single cost involved before getting started. That way you can know whether it is worth it to do it yourself or whether it would be more beneficial and time saving to have a professional come in and do the job for you.

Talk to a Five Star Bath Solutions Consultant

Now that you have your budget set and you’ve looked at any and all safety features needed for your bathroom, it’s time to talk to a bathroom remodeling specialist who can walk you through the remodeling process and will talk to you about what you want in your new bathroom.

Before ever getting started on a bathroom remodel, whether you are hiring someone to do it or you will do it yourself, it’s important to talk to a bathroom remodeling consultant. They can talk you through what is to be expected and help you figure out exactly what is needed in your bathroom.

To schedule a free in-home consultation with an expert estimator, visit fivestarbathsolutions.com/locations to find the location nearest you. From there, you can call in to schedule a consultation or you book one using the easy, calendar booking on the website.

When talking to the consultant during your free in-home consultation, the four main things the consultant will go over with you are:

  • What you want done in the bathroom
  • How much does it cost to remodel your bathroom
  • What you can expect during the bathroom remodel
  • Setting a date for the remodel

What You Want Done In The Bathroom

The reason you decided to remodel your bathroom is because there is something in your bathroom that you want fixed, changed, or redone. You don’t have to know everything that goes into making this happen, you just simply need to be able to explain what you want done in the bathroom.

It’s during this step that you can share your vision of what you want your bathroom to look like and explain the colors and designs that you want used throughout your bathroom. If you are still unsure of what you want done in the bathroom, don’t worry. Five Star Bath Solutions has an extensive array of color combinations, stone designs and patterns, textures, and layouts for your bathroom. 

Whatever the reason, your bathroom consultant will be able to work off of that and offer you the solution needed to fix the problem.

How Much Does It Cost To Remodel Your Bathroom?

The average bathroom remodel costs between $10,000 and $50,000 depending on what you are planning to do. Obviously, the more you want done to the bathroom, the more it will cost. 

At this point, you should discuss with your consultant your set budget. Using your budget, your bathroom consultant will be able to tell you what is feasible and what can be done to maximize your budget.

All Five Star Bath Solutions consultants have years of experience helping people remodel their bathrooms and they will be able to accurately tell you how much your bathroom remodel is going to cost. While every bathroom is different and the process of remodeling the bathroom will always be different, you can rest assured that you have someone who can take care of you.

What To Expect During The Bathroom Remodel

It’s important to know exactly what is going to be happening during your bathroom remodel. Often, bath remodelers will try to hide the steps they are going to take or the process they go through in remodeling your bathroom so that they can take as much time as they want or increase the price. 

To make sure you feel comfortable during your bathroom remodel, make sure to get a step by step breakdown of what is going to happen during the remodel, what products will be used, and how long it will take. This will allow you to trust the people working for you and plan ahead for how long your bathroom will be out of commission.

Don’t forget to ask any and all questions you may have. You should have all the answers you need before getting started. This will eliminate surprises during the remodel and ensure you can be relaxed during the remodel.

Setting A Date For The Remodel

The last thing your consultant will do is schedule a date for the actual remodel. Something that might be helpful for you to do is check your availability before talking with a consultant. This will help you to have a good time in mind that you will be available. 

While the Five Star Bath Solutions’ remodelers work on several jobs a week, you can trust that they will be able to find a time for you. 

Step 2 may be the most important step because this is where you get all of your important information and you can find the answers to all of your questions. You should never start on a project as big as remodeling your bathroom without having all of the answers about what products will be used, who the remodelers will be, and what the remodeling process looks like.

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