From Studs to Stunning in 30 Days
In addition to our window coverings, we offer design and project management for bathroom and kitchen remodels. Over the years we have seen many projects drag on way beyond the original timeline and finish way above the original budget. This does not have to happen, but you must have a detailed plan, a contingency plan for unexpected situations, and a resolute team of professionals to be successful.
There is nothing like a deadline to get something done, so in most of our projects we set a specific timeline goal. For a bath we shoot for 30 days IF there are no plumbing and fixture moves. I can hear you yelling “30 days? How is that possible?” Over the next few months, we will tell you how we accomplish this by setting realistic goals and having the entire project planned, and materials on site, before we even think about swinging a hammer at that 30-year-old shower tile.
Rule One: Planning and Preparation are the keys to success. You will need an architectural drawing of the existing layout and the future layout for the project. This step will allow you to consider important options that will impact on the budget and timeline. Budget impact examples are things like creating a curb-less shower which requires sloping the floor for the proper drainage or adding a heated floor or a heated towel bar, both of which require a dedicated circuit which may not be in your electrical panel. Your job as the homeowner is to write down all your desired features and functions so your designer and contractor can take these into consideration in developing your layout, project plan and budget.
Rule Two: Re-use the existing locations for all the plumbing fixtures. For example, if you want to move the toilet across the room, that could mean complicated or impossible plumbing changes depending on what’s hiding behind the walls and under the floor. To avoid these surprises, keep all the plumbing fixtures in their current location even if you need to replace old pipes with copper, just don’t move anything!
Rule Three: Be prepared for surprises! On a 30-day project we just completed, we found two surprises. During demolition after removing the floor tile we discovered a huge hole in the floor. The original builder had planned to put the toilet in a completely different location than where it ended up. To make things even more interesting, the plumber installed the toilet six” farther away from the wall than allowed by building code. We had to slightly move the drain to correct this, but not across the room, so this surprise did not impact our timeline or our budget.
Rule Four: Be Flexible and willing to adjust to unforeseen circumstances to keep to your timeline and budget. In this same recent project, we discovered four layers of sheetrock in the shower stall. Since adding two inches of sheetrock only made the shower smaller, we suspect the extra layers were used to narrow the door opening to accommodate an already-purchased glass shower door of a specific width. Removing all this material set us back a half a day on our plan, so we knew we had to make up for that somewhere else.
Rule Five: Analyze the current space in detail. This is important because a bathroom over 25 years old may have less than optimal lighting, inefficient storage, and old water-wasting plumbing fixtures. Your new plan is an opportunity to be energy-conscious, add improved LED lighting, incorporate recent technology such as a bidet toilet, and upgrade to heated floors or heated towel bars to add a bit of luxury.
Here are some before and after photos of our most recent project. Next month we’ll take you through what to expect during week one of your 30-day Studs to Stunning remodel. For a free one-hour in-home consultation to discuss your dream project, call us for an appointment at 510-559-3229.
