Patience is key
Give yourself time and be sure to not rush it. Good products may take time to source, especially if you're going for custom finishes on your joinery or hardware, such as brass, nickel, matte black, or copper.
These can take 6-8 weeks to produce, so patience is a virtue here! It’s the same sort of timeframe for custom-made cabinets and stone for your benchtops. It might be an idea to take a look at some bathroom designs for inspiration and have a good understanding of what you want to achieve before setting off.
Invest where it matters
Bathrooms can be toughies! To get all the details right, it's a good idea to look into investing in a draftsman or architect to draw some plans for you. This will only cost you a few hundred dollars but it is likely to save you many hundreds more. It will give you and the shops you visit a firm understanding of what will fit and what will work in a bathroom, not to mention it will give the plumber, electrician, and carpenters guidelines to work within. Most tradies will tell you they would all prefer to work off a detailed set of plans than a rough sketch done on the bathroom door!
Define the "why"
It always helps to have a clear understanding of why you are renovating your bathroom. Is it for the re-sale of your property or are you wanting to create your dream bathroom that you plan to enjoy for many years? If it’s the latter, have some fun with it. There are so many trendy looks available, so don’t be scared to put your stamp on it: minimalism, maximalism, Art Deco, Hamptons – we all have a style we love. If you’re thinking of re-sale, it's good practice to keep your design safe and practical. Think about your target market and stick to the one design. You could use a timeless range of taps (Vola is a great example of this), and opt for showers that are practical for both women and men. Simple colour tones and quality products are also advised.
Get organised
Finally, have as much of the product ready prior to the start of the bathroom renovation as you can. Having the tiles, toilets, taps, basins ready for your tradies will not only save you money but also reduce the time it takes to renovate. It helps the tradies get an understanding of what needs to be installed, and there are no excuses if something is done wrong in the bathroom if all the goods were available to them during the renovations. Combine that with a good set of plans/drawings and a great team of tradies and you’ll be on your way to achieving the bathroom you’re after.
