Bathroom Remodeling: Be Your Own Contractor
© 2008 by Kelly Smith all rights reserved
Does your bathroom need a facelift? Be your own bathroom remodeling contractor! The job might seem
overwhelming but the key is to break it up into parts. After all, the bath is a microcosm of the entire
house.
This small but functional space might not be big in terms of footage, but it has all the elements
to address: floors, walls, lighting, plumbing, and fixtures.
Set a Plan Before Beginning Demolition
Don’t get overwhelmed! Plan, scheme, and plan some more. The tricky thing about bathroom renovation
is minimizing the time the room is out of order. This is one reason to take it in bites.
First Things First — Take Down Fixtures
The thing to do here is to remove lights (that will be changed or are in the way), towel racks,
shower curtains, toilet roll dispensers, etc. Also, things that will be replaced such as vanities, toilets,
and sinks.
In the remodel I just completed, I had a pedestal sink with no vanity, so that was easy to work
around. On the toilet, I left the bowl, but removed the tank so I could have access to the wall.
This presented a golden opportunity to change out the tank gasket and the tank to bowl bolts.
Work on the Walls
Does your bath have wallpaper? This tends to get a bit dated so you’re probably looking at
removing the wallpaper
and prepping the wall. Then, you can hang new paper or going with paint. The drywall under the paper is
bound to be smooth.
Even so, taking the old paper down is usually a somewhat destructive process, so it’ll need a bit of
taping
and floating. It’s a good time to fix any wall problems or patch spots where you removed fixtures.
Be sure to texture the walls now if you're going back with paint. Try these
easy texturing methods
.
Doing any Ceramic Tile Work?
If you’re replacing or adding any ceramic tile, the best (and currently recommended) preparation is
to use fiber cement backer board. Both James Hardie Backerboard and DuRock by USG are my favorites.
The older method is to use greenboard (moisture-resistant drywall).
If you’re replacing tiles in the field, chances you won’t find a good match. This photo shows
how I solved the problem creatively.
Flooring
The thing to keep in mind with bathrooms is that they’re wet areas. Carpet? Not suce a good idea.
Laminate flooring? Also not a good idea. Hardwood is fine, as is tile; both ceramic and vinyl. Vinyl
flooring is the more economic choice.
Sea grass carpet flooring is becoming very trendy. It’s well suited to the bathroom because it
comes from a wet environment, it feels good on naked feet, and it’s a green building practice.
Bathroom Lighting and Electrical Building Code
Your new bathroom lighting should match the look/theme of the room. Think task lighting above the
mirror. You might also need some general lighting if the space is large enough.
The main thing to remember here is to follow your local building codes. Legal disclaimer: pull
a permit and get inspections if required to do so!. This is also the time to make sure that you either
have or install a CGFI electrical outlet.
This is not only mandatory by code; it’s for the safety of you and your loved ones!
Finally, Install the Fixtures!
Aha! The moment you’ve been waiting for! Now you’re ready to install new plumbing fixtures and
all the doo-dads you removed before. The shower curtain, the towel racks, and all the other things
that make a bath a bath. Once you’re done, you're back in business!
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