The DIY Bathroom Makeover: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Manual
The bathroom, a space where most homeowners begin and conclude their day, is surprisingly often overlooked when considering home improvements. Feeling a twinge of embarrassment about your outdated bathroom when guests arrive? This guide will empower you to revitalise your bathroom while meticulously managing costs.
Opting for the do-it-yourself route, particularly for the initial demolition, can yield savings of potentially thousands of pounds. Further cost-saving strategies for a bathroom renovation include judiciously limiting the use of expensive materials, such as extensive tiling, and choosing to refinish existing fixtures rather than replacing them entirely.
Follow these seven comprehensive steps to achieve a top-to-bottom bathroom transformation.
Meticulous Planning for Your Bathroom Renovation
Defining Design Elements
Before commencing any physical remodelling work, it’s crucial to select a design concept that aligns with both your aesthetic vision and your DIY skill set. This project offers various approaches, from a simple repaint and vanity swap to a complete gutting and fresh start.
Here are essential details to solidify before embarking on your bathroom renovation:
- Colour Scheme: Are you envisioning a contemporary farmhouse aesthetic? Or perhaps a sleek, minimalist design that harmonises with your home’s existing decor? Gather inspirational images ahead of time to ensure your new bathroom tiles won’t clash with your chosen paint colours.
- New Fixtures: Will your plans include replacing your shower or bathtub? Are you installing a new basin (sink)? Replacing either or both of these fixtures will extend your project’s timeline and impact your budget.
- Storage Provisions: Post-remodel, where will your towels and toiletries be neatly stored? If you’re removing an existing cupboard to enlarge the room, ensure you incorporate adequate shelving or alternative cabinetry to compensate for the lost bathroom storage space.
- Utility Locations: Are you aware of the precise locations of electrical wiring and plumbing pipes? Keep these areas clearly marked to prevent accidental damage to these crucial hookups, which could lead to expensive repairs.
Assembling Your Toolkit
Beyond the standard contents of your home improvement toolbox, certain specific tools will prove invaluable for a bathroom renovation.
Essential Tools and Supplies for a DIY Bathroom Remodel:
- Safety mask
- Protective gloves
- Safety goggles
- Caulking gun
- Silicone sealant
- Hammer
- Tape measure
- Spackle knife / Filling knife
- Spackle / Filler
- Stud finder
- Power drill
- Pry bar / Crowbar
- Bucket
- Chisel
- Adjustable wrench
- Flathead screwdriver
- Hacksaw
- Utility knife
- Chalk line
- Extension lead
Optional Yet Recommended Tools:
- Wet-dry Shop-Vac: Extremely useful for quickly managing any water spills that might occur during the removal of the toilet or other fixtures.
- Cordless drill: Offers greater freedom of movement as you work and frees up your extension lead for other power tools.
These tools are typically available for rent at most home improvement stores for a modest fee. Alternatively, you might have a generous friend or family member willing to lend theirs.
Your Seven-Step Guide to Remodelling a Bathroom
1. Removal of Bathroom Fixtures
Assuming you’re undertaking a partial or complete bathroom renovation, your initial step involves removing plasterboard (drywall) and any fixtures slated for replacement. Gutting the bathroom yourself is not overly complex, but it’s crucial to adhere to these steps to avoid costly errors during the demolition phase.
Tips for Gutting a Bathroom:
- Begin by shutting off the water supply, then draining and removing the toilet to prevent any messy spills.
- If you’re removing your bathtub, cover the tub and proceed to remove the bath tiles down to the studs. This is a necessary step for rerouting plumbing to accommodate your new shower or bath design.
- Remove wall insulation where required. Do not use a hammer on insulation. Instead, use a reciprocating saw to cut out panels. Wear a safety mask, gloves, and goggles to prevent injury.
- Finally, remove the vanity unit, cabinets, mirror, flooring, and any other features you intend to replace. When removing tiled flooring, it’s generally advisable to take off the skirting boards and reinstall them after fitting your new floor.
- Streamline debris disposal by renting a skip (dumpster).
DIY Bathroom Remodelling Tip: Renting a skip for your demolition waste will allow for the simultaneous disposal of all debris without the need for multiple trips to a local waste disposal site, significantly reducing cleanup time.
2. Installation of the New Shower or Bathtub
Once your bathroom is gutted, you can begin installing your new fixtures. Should there be any indications of rotting wood or water damage to your subfloor, it is imperative to replace it before installing your new shower or bath to prevent further issues.
For a shower or bathtub replacement, select a tray or basin that complements your new decor and fits the existing space. Shower trays typically come in rectangular, square, or pentangle (one corner cut off) shapes. When choosing a base shape, consider other bathroom features, including the door’s swing.
You might also consider installing a combination shower and bath if your space allows. While walk-in showers are increasingly appealing to many homeowners, it’s generally recommended to retain at least one bathtub in the house for future resale value.
DIY Bathroom Remodelling Tip: Installing a walk-in shower is a stylish, space-efficient update for any home. If you’re looking to replace your bathtub with a shower enclosure during your bathroom makeover, explore guides on how to convert a tub into a walk-in shower.
3. Laying the New Flooring
After preparing your subfloor, you can proceed with installing your new flooring. While tile remains the most popular choice for bathrooms, you might consider other flooring materials like laminate or vinyl, which are often more affordable and DIY-friendly.
If you opt for tile, use a mason’s chalk line to mark perpendicular reference lines (at a 90-degree angle) to the longest continuous wall. This technique helps maintain perfectly straight tile lines throughout the room. Find more tips for laying bathroom floor tiles here.
4. Hanging Plasterboard and Commencing Painting
The next stage in your bathroom remodel involves hanging your new plasterboard. This can be a time-consuming task, as you’ll need to cut the new plasterboard to fit precisely around your shower walls, vanity unit, and other features. However, once you begin securing the boards, the process should quicken.
Here are vital DIY bathroom remodelling tips for this step:
- Use drywall mud/joint compound and tape to cover seams and fill gaps.
- For the shower/bath wall, use cement board instead of standard plasterboard.
- Apply a waterproofing membrane (e.g., tanking solution) over the cement board to protect against water damage.
Once your walls are re-established, you can introduce colour to your bathroom. Painting the walls is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to refresh the space and impart an entirely new look. It’s best to use paint with a semi-gloss or soft sheen finish, which is easy to wipe clean and resistant to mould and mildew.
DIY Bathroom Remodelling Tip: While you’re rehanging plasterboard and painting, it’s the ideal moment to begin tiling your shower and bath area if that’s part of your plan. Consult handy tips for tiling bathroom walls or adding a backsplash.
5. Installing Cabinets and Vanity Units
After addressing the walls, you can bring in the vanity unit, cabinets, and any other significant items remaining on your bathroom renovation checklist.
Install the vanity unit first, including the basin and tap. Once the waste pipe is correctly connected to the tap, you can proceed with other essentials such as the mirror, cabinets, and trim around the shower or bath.
DIY Bathroom Remodelling Tip: Working with a limited budget for a new vanity unit? You can still renovate the room cost-effectively. Consider refinishing and painting your existing bathroom cabinets and adding new hardware to achieve a refreshed look for less.
6. Upgrading Lighting
Proceed to configure electrical fixtures and install your new lighting. If the dimensions of the new fixtures differ from your existing ones, you’ll need to adjust the wiring and potentially fill in around existing holes in the wall.
This step might involve relocating power sockets if your new vanity unit occupies the space differently than before. After all, you wouldn’t want to be reaching awkwardly near the toilet to plug in your hairdryer daily. It is strongly advised to engage a qualified electrician for this step, particularly if you have no prior experience with domestic wiring.
7. Connecting the Plumbing (Final Stage)
At this juncture, your bathroom now truly resembles a functional bathroom, with one exception: the toilet. While you could reinstall your toilet or fit a new one earlier in the process, leaving it until last helps prevent accidental chipping while you’re working on other areas of the bathroom.
Adding the Finishing Touches to Your Newly Remodelled Bathroom
Finally, you can install the trim (architrave, skirting, etc.) around the room and begin decorating. The trim serves as the capstone for every bathroom renovation, providing that crucial last layer of detail to make your space feel complete. Add window dressings, decorative storage containers, and wall art to personalise the room. Then, indulge in a relaxing bath or shower and savour the splendid new space you’ve diligently created!