5 Compelling Reasons to Remodel Your Bathroom

The bathroom is not just a place that exists for showering, shaving and putting on makeup. Nowadays, bathrooms have become a sort of refuge or sanctuary—a private place where we can go to relax and relieve stress. And yet, homeowners hesitate to remodel their bathrooms. This is due in part to many misconceptions that a bathroom remodel will be a hassle and cost too much. The truth is that working closely with an experienced professional, particularly a design/build firm, will help you devise a renovation strategy that fits your budget, design style, functional needs, and timeline. And, a bathroom remodel doesn’t have to be a hassle. It even has the added benefit of being vital to your everyday health and happiness. Ready to reconsider that bathroom renovation project? We’ve compiled five of the most compelling reasons to start planning your bathroom remodel today.

1) Remodel to Suit Your Style

Is your bathroom lined with outdated, once-fashionable tile—blue, pink, green or white? Are your cabinets discolored or look worse for wear? If you dislike everything about your bathroom, you might be ready for a full-scale bathroom renovation. Or, maybe you need only a few modest upgrades that will produce the largest impact. Either way, you can start exploring fixtures and finishes that match your design style and budget—getting a feel for what you like and don’t like.

Picture your bathroom as an oasis—a place that relaxes you and ultimately improves your quality of life. When you’re designing your new space, consider using warm, neutral earth tones for the walls and organic elements such as river rock, cedar, and bamboo. For functional purposes, consider installing a variety of lighting options, such as task lighting for proper grooming and dimmer switches for mood setting. When it comes to flooring, there is a wide range of new materials that have hit the market, including tile that looks like its higher-end counterparts (wood, stone, or marble), but more affordable.

Bring your bathroom into the 21st-century by incorporating some of today’s latest technology. Digitally program your shower to create the perfect temperature and water pressure, or even play your favorite tunes. Install a high-tech toilet with a self-opening and closing lid, to be customized for each user.

2) Store More

Are you feeling cramped and stifled in your bathroom? Are you taking turns getting ready in the morning? Is your walk-in closet more of a reach-in one? Have you run out of room to store bathroom essentials? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then it might be time to expand the footprint of your bathroom.

Adding space to a bathroom can be accomplished in several ways—borrowing square footage from an existing, adjacent closet; or rearranging the space to create a more functional layout. This is also the time to reevaluate the functional use of your space. For example, if you’re not using your existing tub, you can look to replace it with a new, oversize shower and built-ins for additional storage. The key is to remodel efficiently, modifying existing space whenever feasible.

3) Save Money

We can all use a little extra money in our pocket, so why not make sure your bathroom isn’t wasting any? Remodeling your bathroom gives you an opportunity to save money on water, heating and energy bills by installing new, energy efficient bathroom products. For example, high-efficiency showerheads can reduce the volume of water you use by over fifty percent (from an output of 5 or more gallons per minute (gpm) to as low as 1.6). Remember the old energy-saving showerheads that restricted water flow? Not any more. The newer versions sustain water pressure so you don’t have to sacrifice your shower experience.

When it comes to indoor water consumption, toilets are by far the main source of water use. Older, inefficient toilets use as much as 6 gallons per flush. To conserve water, consider low-flow toilets, which use as little as 1.28 gallons per flush.

4) Add Value to Your Home

The greatest benefit of remodeling your bathroom is its potential increase in the value of your home. If your household has more than two people per bathroom or you are considering selling your home, you should contemplate adding a second bathroom. A National Association of Realtors study by Florida State University Professors G. Stacy Sirmans and David Macpherson found that “adding a second bathroom increased the sale price of a home by 8.7%.” Moreover, according to the Remodeling 2018 Cost vs. Value Report in San Jose, you can expect an ROI of 122% for a mid-range bathroom renovation, and a 112% ROI on an upscale bathroom remodel.

5) Make It Universal

Sometimes remodeling is all about moving us through changes—keeping us mobile and using our homes as long as possible. As we age, our needs vary and updates to our home become necessary to ensure our prolonged comfort and safety. Accommodations like wider doorways, curbless showers and easy open drawers all help homeowners stay in their homes as long as possible.

There you go—these are some of the most common reasons for remodeling a bathroom. Of course, there are others. Sometimes you just know when it’s time to give your bathroom some attention. If that time is now, we would love to help you. Contact Acton ADU to get a discussion started!

For further design inspiration, visit our Bathroom Portfolio.