Are you a do-it-yourselfer? Are you handy? Do you even own tools?! Like most homes, having a remodeled bathroom is central to a home’s value, not to mention the top of every homeowner’s wish list. Whether your bathroom is large or small, having it remodeled has many benefits, but can be tricky if you decide to take it on alone.

Remodeling your bathroom involves electrical knowledge, plumbing skills, familiarity with local building codes, ability to finish dry wall, tiling experience – you can’t just ‘jump in’ without understanding just how complex it can be. For that reason alone, it will save you time, aggravation and even sometimes money to call an expert when considering a bathroom remodel.

Things to think about to avoid a scary remodeling disaster in your bathroom:

Tile – Whether you’re trying to replace a few bad tiles or fully replacing the floors or shower walls, choosing the right tile is a challenge. Tiles come in multiple colors, materials, thickness and textures. What about grout? Is it colored? Do you know which type of grout to use on the floor vs. the wall? Do you have a tile saw or snips? How bad are your knees? The tile has to be right!

Electrical – Are you aware that electrical outlets in damp areas have specific code requirements and are critical to the safety of you and your family? In any bathroom, you need to know when to use and WHERE to use GFI outlets.  Don’t leave it to chance.

Plumbing – If you’re merely replacing a gasket on the toilet – you’re probably ok. But any true bathroom remodel will at best, mean replacing connectors and fixtures…at worst, you’re moving toilets and relocating showerheads. There’s no room for guesswork when it comes to your plumbing. Disaster is just waiting for you if you think you can ‘figure it out’ as you go along.

Drywall – For full bathroom remodels, you’ll most likely be installing new electrical outlets and switches, replacing lighting, adding an exhaust fans and removing existing tile or drywall. That likely means you’ll need to finish some drywall. Your bathroom is the one of the highest traffic areas of the house and it’s easy to spot poor drywall – whether it’s just a patch or a wall rife with poor seams.

Fixtures – Probably the easiest of all is choosing the fixtures, but even then, you’ll have to understand dimensions and placement to make it look ‘right’ in the bathroom. An experienced professional can help walk through all of this with you.

Building Codes and Permits – Building codes impact everything. For those thinking about a remodel before putting their house on the market, or those simply making long-overdue improvements, following the code and acquiring all the necessary permits for ALL OF THE ABOVE will assure your project doesn’t end in disaster.

So, if you’re on the fence about whether you try your hand at a bathroom remodel – give yourself some peace of mind and call a professional. At Tomas Brothers, we have 25+ years of combined experience in transforming bathrooms to meet the needs of our clients. Whether you’re just replacing a toilet or need to tear down to the studs and start with a clean slate – we can help bring your vision to life. Avoid the nightmare – you’ll thank us and your house guests will love us!