Should You Remodel Your Bathroom? Top Things to Consider

Before you decide to tear apart your bathroom to remodel it, know what you are in for.  Most of the time, home renovation projects do not go as planned.  There are many reasons to update your bathroom, including the fact that you just want a new look or you want to install plumbing that actually works. 

However, the decision to remodel can be a big one.  Here's how to decide whether or not to take the plunge (pardon our pun).

Remodeling Considerations

Before you make the decision to hire a plumber to get started, realize that there is often more to this project than you may think.  The following are some things to keep in mind:

* The bathroom is one of the busiest places in the home.  Having to shut the water off for large periods of time can make life very awkward for your family for days, weeks or even months, depending on the size of the remodeling project.

* When making the decision to remodel, realize that the return on the investment may not be as high as you thought.  In other words, you are not likely to get a 100 percent return on investment for making this change when you come to sell your house.

* However, if you plan to sell your home and want to do so quickly, this is one area of the home that will increase your chances of a faster sale, since people want to buy a home with an updated and stylish bathroom.

* If you are living in the home, and this is the only bathroom in it, realize that you will need to keep it working at all times.  This can be difficult, especially when you plan to tear it out completely.  Realize that you will need that functioning system in place as long as possible.  If worse comes to works, plan to rent a Porta-Potty for your garden for the duration of your project.  Understand that your neighbors might not appreciate this decision.

* Know your own skill level before you decide to take this project on.  Not everyone will have the ability to manage this 'do it yourself' project, since electrical, plumbing and hardware installation work can be a pain.  However, you can hire building contractors to do the work for you. 

How to Make the Decision

The ultimate decision in whether to tackle the bathroom remodeling project is one that must take into consideration all of the above questions.  Realize that if this room of the home has significant underlying problems, especially structural problems with damage to the underlying wood, plumbing, electrical or ceiling, you may spend a significant amount of money updating it.  However, not doing so may be more risky in the long term to your and your family's health and safety.

Check the costs associated with this bathroom update before you make it.  Often, you can get an estimate of the cost for the replacement or updating of the space from a trusted provider, but there is no way to know what the underlying structure quality will be until you pull out those cabinets and flooring to find out.  

The amount of time it takes to update a bathroom will also range depending on how extensive you plan to take the renovation.  Tile work, flooring, new sinks and tubs can be expensive, but often it is worth the investment.