Part One of this series on Bathroom Design & Planning provides tips on identifying existing conditions in the bathroom and drawing a floor plan. However, before the design work begins, a construction budget must be determined.
How To Set a Construction Budget For a DIY Bathroom Remodeling Project
- Calculate all of the funds available to invest in this project, including cash and credit lines.
- Subtract 10% - 20% as a safety zone. 20% contingency is recommended.
- Subtract an additional percentage equal to the aggregate local sales tax, if any.
- This final number is the construction budget.
Setting a budget and meeting the budget are two entirely different animals. Some tips on allocating funds in the budget:
- If the homeowner or DIY-er is doing all of the labor, the costs will consist mainly of building materials.
- However, don't forget things like dump fees for construction waste, garbage bags & supplies, tools, building permits, fuel and other logistical expenses.
- If plumbing and electrical trades are being hired (highly recommended) then funds must be allocated in the budget to cover their labor rate or contract prices.
- Take care to calculate these costs during each of the following design phases, but stop adding work when the budget limit has been reached. Do not allocate the contingency funds during the design phase or the project will go over budget! Instead, remove items from the list of work to be done (otherwise known as the Scope of Work).
The Bathroom Layout
The layout of the bathroom is one of the major factors in determining cost. Moving plumbing fixtures requires a highly skilled (and highly paid) professional. Even if the DIY-er is planning to do the plumbing themselves, the materials are often expensive, and a major relocation may prove to be more work than anticipated. Therefore, using the priorities list described in the Bathroom Design & Planning article, determine if any layout changes are even required.
If all of the fixtures are staying in the exact same location, then the existing floor plan can also serve as the proposed floor plan. If bathtub is being replaced with a shower stall or vice versa, as long as the drain and plumbing fixtures are staying in the same place, only the footprint of the unit will change on the floor plan.
If however a fixture needs to be relocated (even if it's just moving a toilet over 6 inches), then take into consideration the direction of the floor joists. Moving a plumbing fixture in the same direction as the floor joists is much easier than moving it across the joists. If the only option is to move a plumbing fixture across a floor joist (or worse, several joists) it is almost imperative that professionals are hired for the job.
In any case, draw the proposed floor plans on tracing paper that can be placed over the existing floor plan. This saves time taken to draw the same elements repeatedly. Use the aforementioned architectural stencil to temporarily "place" fixtures in different locations. This exercise is really informative as far as what works and what doesn't work within the confines of a given space. If there's a potential for moving walls around that can be tested out on the drawing as well. The accuracy of the measurements will greatly come into play here, so hopefully they were taken correctly and diligently.
For some tips and ideas on Bathroom Layout along with some sample floor plans, visit The Bathroom Guru. Once the layout has been determined, calculate the costs (see notes above). The budget may look like it's starting to exceed the available funds already, in which case the work must be scaled down. This may involve modifying the layout. Remember, this is an iterative process during which the project priorities, the budget and the technical requirements of the layout will inform a compromise that balances all the elements. It should take some time and careful consideration.
Bathroom Design and Specification
Now that the layout is complete, it should be fairly clear what's left over in the budget for fixtures and appliances. For some people this is the most enjoyable part - shopping! However, beware the following:
- Even if a specialty or luxury item is on sale, consider the added costs for installation. For example, body jets and multiple water sources in the shower will cost significantly more for installation, not to mention hike up the hot water bill.
- There's a huge variety of fixtures available. Bring the floor plan and some relevant magazine clippings into a showroom, where a (hopefully) knowledgeable salesperson can help make those selections. Remember, in addition to cost and aesthetics, availability and delivery times are also a major concern.
- Ensure that all the pieces being purchased will work together. This is where an interior designer really comes in handy. Not only can they help with aesthetic choices, but they also know the technical details of many fixtures. They can provide more detailed drawings - elevations - that go a long way in preventing construction hiccups. However, for the true DIY-er with accurate and detailed measurements, elevations can be drawn at home.
Bathroom Design On a Dime
Just like any other DIY project, designing a bathroom can be fun and rewarding. It's also very challenging and comes with many pitfalls, so even with help from this guide, know that a professional's knowledge and expertise can go a long way in saving costs and headaches. The next DIY: Do-It-Yourself Bathroom article will be on City Building Permits.
DISCLAIMER: the information herein is provided free of charge for general guidance only. Use of such information is AT YOUR OWN RISK.
Yee Jee Tso - Yee Jee has over 15 years of professional experience in the film and television industry with more than 50 credits - behind the camera in ...
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