We’ve seen and done a lot of bathroom remodels over the years and also seen our share of bathroom renovation mistakes along the way. This list isn’t in any sort of order, or ranked in any way, but if you can avoid these 7 bathroom renovation mistakes you will save yourself a lot of frustration and regret.

Bathroom Fan

It can be easy to overlook the importance of your fan in your bathroom renovation planning, but don’t. Without proper ventilation from an appropriately sized fan, humidity gets trapped and creates the perfect home for mold and mildew, and allows paint, grout, and metal to deteriorate. Make sure you choose a fan that’s powerful enough and vacuum the vent clean before switching the fan on in your new space.

Lacking a Plan

Benjamin Franklin is credited with saying, “failing to plan is planning to fail!” He may well have been speaking about bathroom renovation mistakes. Instead of figuring out your bathroom’s needs after you’ve started demolition, or basing them entirely on what’s on sale, make a plan and take precise measurements. Account for all anticipated costs, materials, and your own personal sense of style. Better yet, have a bathroom renovation checklist to follow.

Dull Lighting

The smaller footprint makes lighting extra important in a bathroom. You also have multiple spaces to consider and one type of lighting is rarely a solution for all of them. You want recessed lighting in the shower area, so you don’t feel like you’re showering in a cave. For the vanity, choose lighting to minimize shadows on your face. For this, we like a combination of wall sconces and overhead pot lights.

Ignoring Small Mistakes

Small errors in a new tile floor or a gap in a bathroom vanity might seem minor at the time, but you’ll know it’s there and it will eventually become all you see when you enter the bathroom. Avoid bathroom renovation mistakes like this by checking your progress with a critical eye and always fix your mistakes.

Shower Tap Placement

This one may sound strange, but it’s always seemed silly to us that placement of the shower head and taps can sometimes mean you can’t turn on the water without getting wet. If the shower head is at the far end of the shower from the door and you can’t reach it without stepping into the shower, maybe consider a different placement.  

Not planning for enough storage

When it comes to bathroom renovation mistakes this one will drive you crazy and ruin the look of your entire job once you start using it. We won’t say never forfeit function for form, but don’t do it blindly. Sleek, modern vanities can be stunning, but don’t forget you need somewhere to put your stuff. Build in storage for your toiletries, towels, brushes, and hair dryers.

Being Trendy

Bathroom remodels are a big investment. Second to kitchen renovations in terms of cost. It’s tempting when flipping through magazines, to long for the bathroom of the rich and famous, but make sure the look you choose will last for years. Go for neutral colours and clean lines.

Avoid buying a tub and toilet in the “Colour of the Year”. It’s okay to go trendy with your painting and accessories, which can be easily updated, but keep the big stuff classic.

If you can avoid these bathroom renovation mistakes, your project is sure to provide years of pleasure instead of frustration and regret.

If you’d like to talk about how you can get your bathroom renovation done without paying when you are getting ready to sell, ask us for a free consultation and we’ll show you how you can do just that.