Bathroom renovations are a challenging task, thanks to their plumbing connections, water-proofing requirements, and sometimes, unusually shaped spaces to work within. Add to this the fact that bathrooms are used very differently depending on the needs of their individual households, and getting your bathroom right becomes even more of a challenge. Young families may desire easy nappy changing countertop space and infant bathing areas, while elderly couples may be considering adding additional hardware to their bathroom to accommodate their accessibility needs when using the bath and shower.
But there are some things that every bathroom renovation needs to take into account, whether you're growing your family or looking for ways to include a bathtub in a compact space.
Here are some mistakes to look out for when planning your dream bathroom.
Not thinking about tap positioning
Taps are one of the easier installations to customise within a bathroom, but too often people focus on other areas, which can leave you with poorly-positioned taps that get in the way of what you need to get done. A striking feature tap coming out from the middle of the wall above the bathtub might look great, but if you are bathing young children, it can pose a risk due to how easily they can accidentally hit their heads. Think about how every space in your bathroom will be used in a practical way, and adjust your tap positioning to match.
Poor pipe planning
The last thing you want is a mess of hard to maintain pipes under your bathroom, posing all kinds of sanitary and structural risks. If you're thinking of shifting things around, start by considering where your toilet will be located. It will need to connect to the soil stack, which carries away all waste water from the room. Smaller pipes will need to join up with it too, from your sink to your shower drain, so planning their locations early will avoid issues later on.
Getting rid of your bathtub
While removing your bathtub may save space, there can be times where a bath is much more practical to use than a shower, especially if you have an injury that makes it difficult to stand, or you're bathing younger children. Rather than ditching the bathtub entirely, you can always choose to integrate a tub with a shower, or choose a deeper tub with a smaller footprint, such as one designed for sitting upright rather than lying down. These give you the best of both worlds, while still helping you save space in the bathroom.
Not checking the weight your floors can support
A heavy, freestanding bathtub can look amazing in a well-designed bathroom. But when completely filled with water, it can put a lot of stress on your flooring and what lies beneath. Be sure to check that the structures immediately under the heaviest fixtures in your bathroom can handle the load!
Choosing incompatible bathroom fittings
We love the sound of a rainfall shower just as much as you do, but it takes more than just buying the showerhead to ensure that you get the experience you're after. You may need to upgrade your pump, boiler or water tank in order to get your plumbing up to the job of handling your new bathroom requirements.
We can make your bathroom installations a success
If any of the above sounds intimidating, then don't worry – a professional plumber can help you get all of the above sorted out, so that you can get on with enjoying your new, updated bathroom. Our fully licensed plumbers have all the tools and training to help get your plumbing up to scratch for your renovation. Get in touch with us today, for an obligation-free quote!