So, lucky you ... you are renovating your bathroom!
And, congratulations as well–you’ve nailed down a contractor (no easy feat these days) who will be starting in a few months.
Now what?
Well, to start it’s important to have a comprehensive sense of what you want done. Things like: tub, shower or both? Niche or shelves? Vanity or console sink? Double or single? And how about lighting? The list can go on, but worry not, you don’t have to decide right now what any of these things will look like, you just need to know basically what’s going where. And only to the best of your ability at this early stage, you can always make changes. But the more accurate information your contractor has, the more accurate their quote will be.
So, create a Pinterest board, or flip through magazines. Scroll through pictures on the internet, and screen grab pictures on Instagram. Take some pictures of your friend’s gorgeous bathroom and ask them about the decisions they made. Think of this as any other research project you’ve taken on—like buying a vacuum or a new car. Familiarize yourself with the options, assess your priorities, narrow down your choices, and then make your decisions. Or maybe I should say your best guesses. It’s natural for your project to shift a bit as your design evolves.
Now that you know basically what’s going where it’s time to think about your materials. One important thing to keep in mind these days is that there are still supply chain issues. So, if you are shopping at a tile store or a plumbing supply house for instance, make sure you understand the lead times of the products you are interested in before you get too attached to them.
Personally, I start feeling a little squirrelly about a product once I hear they are back-ordered, or they are “not sure” of their delivery date, or if there is a chance they could get caught up in customs overseas. None of these are fundamentally deal breakers—but they do represent just more things that might go wrong. And all of your design decisions sort of build on top of one another -- so it’s not ideal to swap something out at the last minute.
In these kinda-post-COVID times, I tend to order all my design-oriented building materials as soon as I can. I like to be able to call that contractor I hired and say, “Everything is in. When can you start?” I like to say it, and they like to hear it. It’s an assurance that your project will clip along without your contractor getting hung up waiting for stuff, and that situation is in everybody’s best interest.
And no conversation on materials is complete without discussing the big box stores. Big box stores have their place in any renovation project. They are at their best when you are purchasing their cash and carry merchandise because you walk in looking for something and (in theory) walk out carrying that item. They can also shine at the check-out counter because their prices are low. They are good for a seat-of-the-pants homeowner renovation because you can pop in at all hours to get what you’ve forgotten -- assuming they have it in stock. But then there is lots of stuff you can’t get there. Like reliable customer service and design advice, or the ability to embrace your project as a whole and trouble shoot your needs with you.
Additionally, there is the curse of that “look.” I can spot a big box bathroom right away, and I think lots of people can. That may not matter to you, but if it does, it presents a problem. And for the plumbing supplies especially, many of the brand names they carry have inferior parts inside. The manufacturers are pressured into a low price point that makes them trade a metal or a ceramic part for a plastic one. The price is low, but these items don’t last as long. And also, in general at the big box stores, the quality is skewed toward the budget purchaser, so the selection of higher quality merchandise is limited.
You can tell where I land. I’m a design professional and skilled at managing details, and selecting appropriate materials, and I still appreciate working with the other skilled professionals that are my sales reps. Their opinions really matter to me because they do this one thing all day long, whereas I’m doing lots of different things all day. So, if I’m pondering my tile choice for instance, and my sales rep thinks the scale is off on one of them, I really stop and listen. Sometimes I’ve got a vision they aren’t accounting for, but I have to say that lots of times they are just straight-up right. And I’m grateful they’ve pointed out whatever they did.
So me? I go to my trusted tile stores and my trusted plumbing supply showrooms. At the end of the day, there is just less to go wrong. And if your bathroom is part of a larger project with even more moving parts? Then all the more reason to minimize your risk. What you save on budget materials may cost you during installation or down the road in other ways.
So is doing it on a budget impossible then? Not at all. I put in budget bathrooms all the time using my trusted design resources. Even the nicest stores have their “entry level” brands. Just be very clear up front about the price range you are looking for and they will accommodate you.
But maybe you’re committed to chasing the absolute lowest price and you’re going rogue. So you place a partial order here and something else there, and you get some stuff online and also at the Christmas Tree Shop or Job Lots. I made purchases this way when I first started flipping houses as a side gig. But it takes a ton of organization to manage it all, and it was sometimes problematic during installation, and then oh what a nightmare for returns or warrantee issues. So I found I didn’t actually save the money I thought I did and shifted my practices. But you might feel differently. So good for you, you shoestring design god—I love your spunk! But also, it ain’t for the faint of heart, so proceed with caution. You’ve been warned.
And to wrap this up, I’ll offer 10 rapid fire bits of advice to help you with your material selections.
Consider adding aging-in-place modifications, for yourself or for a loved one. It can be as easy as using doors that are a little bit wider, a curb free shower, and some blocking behind the tile to secure a grab-bar down the road.
Niches can be really pretty, and are of course great for storage. I like dramatic shapes, like long or high rectangles with shelves.
Plan for your towel bars—some blocking behind them will save you wiggly aggravation later on.
Your bathroom fan is an underappreciated workhorse—choose it wisely! It fights odor and more importantly mildew and condensation which are so tough on drywall and grout. Some fans have sensors that turn on and off automatically.
Don’t forget to choose your grout at the tile store, it’s the easiest time to do it. Plus, it can be an interesting design element.
Don’t ignore the tile and grout sealing recommendations. It’s usually just once a year and it protects these materials from ground-in dirt. Plus try the new grouts that don’t need any sealing, but your natural stone still might.
It’s nice for every house to have one tub if possible.
Want to save some money by buying something online? Towel bars are a good option. But don’t go dirt cheap, you still get what you pay for.
For your faucets, light fixtures and cabinet hardware, there are all kinds of crazy new finishes out there. Some golds are dangerously trendy, but black is classic. And some of the “natural bronze” colors are gorgeous. Satin nickel is now looking a little dated.
No, no, no to bullnose tile. Yes, yes, yes to a Schluter edge. Just ask at the tile store.
And, hey, have fun out there! Work hard, plan hard, do your research, plan some more, ask around—and your bathroom will be amazing! Design is fun! Take it from me, I have the best job in the world.
