Plan your budget
Consult the professionals
If you’re new to the bathroom renovation game, you need to ensure your renovation goes as smoothly as possible and you end up with the bathroom you’ve always dreamed of.
Have your bathroom plan and budget sorted before you begin consulting the professionals. These can be used as a guide when discussing the finer details of your bathroom renovation and help you keep costs in check throughout the process.
For a first-time renovator, managing the project yourself can be overwhelming and potentially costly if mistakes occur. Consider engaging the services of a builder or project manager to oversee the project and order the correct sequence of trades. Having the process run smoothly and minimising the risk of errors could actually end up saving you money in the long run.
Always employ the services of licensed and insured tradespeople. In doing so you can have the confidence that the work will be carried out to required standards, and you will be legally and financially covered in the event there is a problem with the job. Depending on the extent of your bathroom renovation, you will need;
- a plasterer to repair any wet-area plasterboard that was damaged during removal of an existing bathroom
- a plumber to move and/or install pipework, taps and fittings
- an electrician to carry out all electrical work
- a bathroom water proofer for the wet areas
- a tiler
- a cabinetmaker – if you are having a custom vanity made to fit your bathroom
- a glazier to manufacture and install a shower screen
Work with your project manager to develop a bathroom renovation timeline so you have an dea of total time involved and when progress payments may be due throughout the process.
Ensure you obtain at least two or three quotes for each trade involved in your bathroom renovation – don’t just accept the first quote. This way you’ll have a good idea that what you’re paying is reasonable. However, remember you often get what you pay for, so make sure you also feel comfortable with the people you are dealing with.
Before ordering your bathroom fixtures and fittings, talk to your project manager, plumber or trade specialist about the specific products you’d like, to ensure they meet Australian or New Zealand standards and that the measurements, quality and configurations are suitable for your bathroom space.