Your bathroom remodel begins!
Congratulations, it's time to prepare for construction! You’ve done all the work and now your bathroom remodel is about to begin!
Now it’s time to consider the impact that the bathroom remodeling process will have on your home and your every day lifestyle while the project is going on. Here are some things you can do to minimize the disruption you will experience.
Set Up A Temporary Bathroom.
An alternative to your bathroom is usually just down the hall!
Identify your essential toiletries that you must have access to along with 1-2 sets of towels and set them up in your nearest full bathroom.
Don’t have another bathroom with a tub or shower? It might be time to find out how close you are with your neighbors…or use your gym’s shower, briefly. It’s just temporary.
You may need to put a schedule together to align with other family members needs and routines. Remember it can be a disruption to everyone. You might decide there are a few things you can do in a bedroom or other space as well to make things a little easier.
Just have a plan and get it ready!
Clean out those old bathroom vanity cabinets.
This is pretty straightforward. Before we can do any work, you've got to empty out those vanity cabinets. That small linen closet? That has amassed more than just towels so while you are at it, you probably want to give that the once over as well. You might find something you long thought missing. The hardest part? Discarding the items you really no longer need (how old is that cold medicine?). Simply said, if you don't use it, lose it!
We will help make it easier for you. Our Reico packing boxes will help! Label all your packed boxes and set aside the must halves that need to return to your new bathroom.
Prepare the spaces adjacent to your bathroom remodel.
It's not just the bathroom you need to prepare. Remove items from areas adjacent to the remodel space as well.
This includes wall art, decorative items, mirrors, etc. Drywall and construction dust for that matter, is HIGHLY invasive (I repeat, invasive) and will spread with hammering and drilling, especially during tearout. The installer will make every effort to control it but trust us, it will spread.
Plan to change your furnace filter often during the remodel and turn the furnace fan off.
Create a Staging Area for the bathroom products being delivered.
Cabinets, tubs, fixtures... you should consider where you will stage your bathroom products as they get delivered. Any staging area should be in relative proximity to the work space and in a climate controlled area to avoid the possibility of warping, particularly as it relates to your vanity cabinets. Storing cabinets in a garage for an extended period during the coldest parts of winter or the hottest parts of summer is never the best idea.
Be sure to direct the delivery to this area once materials arrive. We will deliver them into the home so you can tell us exactly where you want them.
Be available for important questions and decisions about your bathroom remodeling project.
It is not necessary to be on site everyday for the project. But it is important to make sure you are accessible by phone or email to your designer and installer for questions or issues that come up regarding your bathroom remodeling during construction.
A lock box can be used or other arrangements made to allow workers access while you are away.
There will be key days in your bathroom remodeling project, in addition to the product delivery date, that you or another decision maker should be onsite including when the countertop is being templated and when the countertop is being installed.
It is remodeling, so expect the unexpected!
You found what behind my walls?!
There can be pre-existing or hidden conditions that will affect the installation of your new bathroom such as water or mold damage, hidden ductwork, wiring problems, etc. that will need to be addressed before the work can progress. Correcting these may require additional labor charges and add to the time frame for your project.
There may also be product damages, mistakes, etc. In some cases material lead times can be several weeks, even for re-ordered materials. We will always work diligently to resolve any issues in a timely manner.
Avoid Planning a Major Event near your Bathroom Remodeling project.
Remodeling is disruptive to your home life and is a process that requires time. Initial start to completion estimates are just that. Where possible, try avoiding tight holiday deadlines and other major events too close to your project timeline.
Change orders, hidden problems, product re-order, countertop templates or installation and inspections can all act to extend the length of the bathroom remodeling process.
There also may be days when no one is working in the home. Communication with your designer and installer should minimize any surprises.
Communicate concerns, as they come up.
Don’t forever hold your peace. Speak. Now.
You may notice a crooked door or a cabinet drawer that sticks some when you pull it. These usually require minor adjustments that occur at the end of the remodel.
Your designer will help create a punch list to include what you notice and what you may have missed. You can also keep a small list as well to make sure nothing is missed.
Upon completion of the punch list we will walk your bathroom job together to ensure your total satisfaction.
Change Orders happen. It's okay.
In the course of the bathroom remodel you may decide to have additional work done. No problem! If that is the case, contact your Reico designer with your request.
A change order will be created for the work stating what will be done and at what cost. Your signed approval and payment in full for the change will be required before the work will be scheduled.
The carpenter, electrician, plumber, flooring installer, tile setter, etc. in your home are not authorized to quote or perform the additional work on your bathroom project without the signed change order. Change orders may also extend out the completion date.
Your bathroom remodel will get done.
There will be ups and downs in every bathroom remodeling project. But it will get done. So remember to always keep the end in sight!
The day will come when this bathroom project is finished and the new room is all yours to enjoy!
Following these tips will help make sure your experience is the best it can be.
