9 Surprising Considerations for a Bathroom Remodel

Bathroom remodeling and design blend big dreams and practical realities. To make a bathroom work, it’s best to design from the fixtures and finishes backward to the walls and floor. The little things about an intimate room can make a huge difference in the day-to-day experience of it.

At the beginning of the process — the dream phase — the focus tends to be on color, layout, heated floors and moving things around. These are all important things, but if nobody is thinking about the stuff behind the walls and under the floors to make the overall design work well and affordably, the train will head off the tracks as soon as it leaves the station.

Here are nine things to think about at the outset of a bathroom project and at every step of construction.

Traditional Bathroom by Cynthia Lynn Photography

1. Problems under tile. Little things can become big, expensive problems in an old-house bathroom remodel. Subway wall tile and small black and white floor tiles are possible indicators of an older home. And when you talk about removing and replacing old tiles, you’re often talking “wet bed.”

A wet bed essentially means the tiles are sitting on a slab of concrete poured into the floor system — not how it’s done today. Wet-bed tiles are difficult and expensive to remove. Wall tiles may have several coats of concrete and maybe wire lath — brutal. You might want to settle for these tiles and spend your time and money elsewhere. Good thing vintage is in.

Victorian Bathroom by Tim Barber LTD Architecture & Interior Design