There aren’t many people who would turn their nose up at having just one more bathroom in their home, and some people are able to make that dream a reality. Getting a new bathroom is easier said than done, however, and it’s important that you’re aware of what it takes before you get started. Here are 4 essential steps involved in adding an additional bathroom to your home.
Zoning
Weird as it is, homeowners need to talk to the city before making major renovations in their house. While changing an existing room into a bathroom may not require a permit, adding an additional room onto the house for the bathroom typically does. If you’re building that bathroom from scratch to attach to your home, make sure that you get a building permit from the city before you start hunting for contractors to build it.
Plan the Plumbing
The main purpose of a bathroom is the running water that makes the sink, shower, and toilet function. Because of that, you can’t just pick an empty room in the house, throw in some hardware, and call it a bathroom. You need to work with a plumber to evaluate your current plumbing system and figure out how to connect your bathroom essentials to it. If you’re using an existing room, you’ll have to work through the walls, floor, and sometimes ceiling to put in additional pipes to connect your new bathroom features. This is not something to do on your own without a serious background in construction and plumbing.
Choose a Style
Once you know how you’re going to get your water into the bathroom, you should decide on a style. Will you be going with a porcelain tub or standing shower? Will your tiles be natural stone or glass mosaics? Coordinate the colors, the layout, and the materials of your bathroom features to make sure that you can make it all fit in budget before you start setting up. The last thing you want is a mismatched sink or toilet because you didn’t plan ahead for the material costs.
Find a Contractor
The reason that this is given as the last step is because it’s only now that you have all the information you need to give to a contractor. You know what materials you want, you know what your plumbing expectations are, you have a permit, and you can easily get a cost estimate before you sign anything at this point. Even if you end up changing your mind on things later as you discuss the nitty gritty details with your contractor, having a vision to begin with will save you lots of time and help you make decisions more quickly.
Getting a new bathroom is a major home renovation that should not be taken lightly. Before you begin, take the time to plan it out from start to finish. This will prevent unnecessary delays, unexpected costs, and ensure that what you expect is what you’ll get.
