15 most common mistakes people make in bathrooms houzz

“Labor for installation and construction always ends up being a lot higher than people think, and it is a huge mistake to try and cut corners because you could end up with leaks in your wall or mildew growing behind tile.”Īnd sometimes, he says, there’s a tendency to blow your budget on these features and then end up not using them a few months later. “The price for stone, tile, and plumbing may only be about a third or a quarter of the total cost of the bathroom,” he says. However, Cutler notes that this is a particularly common problem with bathrooms. There’s a tendency to underestimate the budget on any renovation project. “In essence, DIY enthusiasts often put the cart before the horse, or the aesthetic before the function,” she says. “For example, people often research at length the grout color, but they fail to consider if the tile requires sanded or non-sanded grout, or if the grout must be sealed versus unsealed.” Wynter also points out that it’s possible to spend hours searching for the perfect tile, but then fail to determine how much space is required between each tile for the proper adherence and to resist cracking.

However, Charmaine Wynter, design principal at Charmaine Wynter Interiors in Southlake, Texas, warns that it’s a mistake to spend less attention and energy on the less glamorous parts of the renovation. It’s understandable that you’d want to focus on the finishes. “Now you have the option of creating almost photorealistic renderings that show every detail of the design.” Cutler admits that some of these renderings cost “not an insignificant amount of money.” However, he says that they can save you countless hours and thousands of dollars in the end. “Years ago, it was a bit of an act of blind faith because you would have drawings, samples of materials, etcetera, but a lot was left to the imagination about how your room was going to end up,” says Mark Cutler, cofounder of L.A. Technology has made it even easier to fully plan your bathroom reno, and it would certainly be a mistake not to take advantage of the digital tools at your disposal. Not visualizing what the design will look like “Putting in this extra work at the beginning of the project will help you avoid any undesirable, unintended consequences later on,” he says. “It can be very tricky to fit in all the various elements you want to include in your new bathroom in a way that (1) makes sense, (2) looks good, (3) functions properly, and (4) conforms to your area’s building codes.” Pallrand recommends drawing up as many different iterations of the bathroom layout as you need to be confident that you’ve considered everything. His view is shared by Stephen Pallrand, founder at CarbonShack in Los Angeles, who recommends taking the time-and hiring the right professionals, if budget allows-to draw up a really good, carefully considered layout. “You need to be well aware of the plumbing and electrical, understand the different flooring and surface materials… Even a few coats of paint could cause problems if you don’t have good ventilation.” In order words, you need to think through all of those components and more before embarking on a bathroom reno. “You can wake up on Saturday morning and decide to paint your bedroom or dining room and be successful, but the same is not true with a bathroom project,” explains Jeff Andrews of Jeff Andrews Design in Los Angeles. Some projects don’t take a lot of thought and planning, but this won’t be one of those. Here are 18 things to look out for, according to design experts.

But beyond that, there are certain mistakes you’ll want to avoid while renovating your bathroom. If you need some help, you should look for the warning signs of a bad contractor in any type of renovation project. However, a bathroom reno, although exciting, is more complex than remodeling some of the other rooms in your home.

15 most common mistakes people make in bathrooms houzz