Let me say this: too long has your bathroom gone neglected.
I, too, once neglected my bathroom, faux-cleaning it once a month by dousing every surface with Comet and running an ever-dirtier rag around the toilet and sink. That was until the U.S. housing market crash. See, in 2007, I was trying to sell my house, thirty-minutes outside L.A., to relocate to an apartment downtown. Then the housing bubble burst and I was stuck. In the following years, I did everything possible to make that house the most sell-able, enticing piece of property in the greater state of California.
I, too, once neglected my bathroom, faux-cleaning it once a month by dousing every surface with Comet and running an ever-dirtier rag around the toilet and sink. That was until the U.S. housing market crash. See, in 2007, I was trying to sell my house, thirty-minutes outside L.A., to relocate to an apartment downtown. Then the housing bubble burst and I was stuck. In the following years, I did everything possible to make that house the most sell-able, enticing piece of property in the greater state of California.
Along the way, I remodeled the bathroom.
A bathroom says a lot about a guy. From the type of aftershave in the cupboard to the amount of water marks on the mirror, a bathroom shows how much a guy values cleanliness and hygiene. Your lady-friend? You had better believe she's going to pay attention to how well you maintain the bathroom. And a bathroom says a lot about a house, too. When home buyers inspect a house, they pay most attention to the places that will make them feel comfortable: the kitchen, the bedroom the bathroom. Getting your bathroom into shape will have good results when it comes to impressing lady-friends and potential buyers. Here's how to get started.
- Make Some Decisions:
There are basically three degrees of renovation when it comes to remodeling your bathroom: a little, a little more, and a whole lot. Surface changes or "a little" involve cosmetic changes like retailing the floor and painting the walls. A little more renovation might include changing the layout. A whole lot of renovation might be necessary if there is structural damage to the bathroom caused by water leakage and moisture. Spend some time assessing the state of your bathroom and decide how much you can budget for renovations. In some cases, you're going to need professional help. - Get Ready to Gut:Maybe you can re-carpet the living room without worrying too much about tearing electrical wiring or breaking a water main, but the bathroom is a different story. It's important to know the layout of the plumbing before you make any changes. This is also a great time to check your circuit breakers to make any necessary replacements and to create a map of the bathroom electrical wiring.
- Gut Responsibly:Do you really need any more encouragement than this? Well, don't go crazy. If this is the only bathroom in the house, it's important to recognize that the renovation is going to take longer than a day. In the meantime, you're going to still use the bathroom. So schedule your work in advance and plan the days when you might not have running water.
- Moisturize:
Your primary concern with any kind of renovation to a bathroom should be moisture. Unlike any other room in the house, the bathroom is exposed to fairly constant moisture steam, run-off, shower and bathwater and the floors, walls and ceilings should be remodeled with this in mind. You'll want to evaluate how well the bathroom has held up to the moisture so far inspecting for cracks in the tub, rot in wall studs and you'll want to use moisture-resistant materials like green board drywall when you rebuild.
Every bathroom project will be a little different. The best damn advice I have is to take things slow. Think hard about how you want your bathroom to turn out what you want your bathroom to say about you. The traditionalist guy? The modern? Or the guy who starts renovation projects and never finishes them? But, hey, you're not that guy. Don't be that guy.
Be the guy who has a killer bathroom.
Maire lives in the Indianapolis area and writes home interior design, remodeling and everything that comes with it including acquiring proper permits to checking your circuit breakers. She also loves dark chocolate and Scottish Terriers.
Be the guy who has a killer bathroom.
Maire lives in the Indianapolis area and writes home interior design, remodeling and everything that comes with it including acquiring proper permits to checking your circuit breakers. She also loves dark chocolate and Scottish Terriers.
