The bathroom is an oft-overlooked area of your home. After all, you don’t invite guests over to see your bathroom; you showcase your new pool or backyard area, or that new kitchen. Still, the bathroom is a place you spend time in every day, so why not give it a makeover?

In a previous article I mention how to turn your bathroom into a spa, and that’s exactly the mentality you should have. You should feel comfortable in your bathroom. I’ve put together some basic tips for examining your bathroom to see if you should remodel. Here are some things to investigate:

•  Size: you never want to feel cramped or claustrophobic in your own bathroom. While you might think that there’s nothing you can do about the size (” it is what it is”), you’d be mistaken. By knocking down walls, moving appliances and rearranging storage space you can make the bathroom seem bigger. All you need is a little creativity.
• Age: Take a look at the tile or wallpaper, then look at the appliances. Has this bathroom not been updated in decades? Does it have an unintentional “retro” feel to it? Changing light fixtures and the sink may be an inexpensive way to modernize your bathroom, but if that doesn’t help you’ll want to remodel the entire bathroom.
• Storage: You need to have sufficient storage space for toiletries, towels and more. Maybe you can elongate your shower and add cabinet space by re-positioning the layout of the bathroom. Or maybe you can re-position the sink and toilet. This is where a savvy contractor can help maximize space.
• Appliances: Like your kitchen, it’s important to have modern appliances. They can not only save you money by lowering your water bills and electricity bills, they can really enhance the look and feel of your bathroom.
• Damage: Whether you have water damage on the floor or a mold issue on the ceiling, remodeling your bathroom addresses these issues before they get worse.

Now, once you’ve decided to remodel your bathroom you need to determine your budget (probably something you should at least think about while your determining if you need to remodel). According to Remodeling magazine’s 2005 Cost vs. Value Report, a mid-range bathroom remodel is approximately $10,499, and that number can be higher or lower depending on where you live (and how you define mid-range). Most remodels cost between $10,000 and $20,000, with some minor fixes falling below that range and some major overhauls going above. Any kind of water damage, dry rot, or other common bathroom problems will only raise your total cost.

Once you have a budget in mind then you can start saving, and once you’ve reached your savings goal (or milestone) you need to start researching contractors. It’s important that you select several contractors and review their website, as well as their third party reviews, very carefully. Also, look for actual evidence of their work. This means checking their work out in person, or at least in their online video collection.

Make sure as you narrow down your contractors that you continue to do more research to find the best one for the job. Any concerns, such as materials, appliances, and available space, can be discussed with each of the contractors you’ve narrowed down your search to.

If you’re in the greater San Diego area and you’re considering remodeling your bathroom then give Greyhound General a call at 800-568-7108, or leave us a note here.