How to avoid the most common bathroom renovation mistakes

They’re one of the most rewarding rooms to renovate but bathrooms can also be the most unforgiving.

Suzanne Burke, general manager of Perth builder Amerex and co-author of the recent book Nail Your Renovation Without Getting Screwed, has these tips to avoid the most common reno mistakes.

Inaccurate measuring

Burke says accurate planning is vital when it comes to updating your bathroom layout.

“You will need to measure absolutely everything from the walls, windows, doors, ceiling height, plumbing, toilet and the vanity,” she says.

“You cannot afford to miss a thing. If you do, the mistake will be costly.”

Inadequate waterproofing

It goes without saying waterproofing is essential in any wet area. “If it is not done properly, you will experience difficult-to-fix issues such as mould, paint and plaster damage,” Burke says.

“Once this happens, the only solution is to rip up the tiles, waterproof again and retile.”

Not enough room to open the shower door

Burke says it is surprisingly common for poor planning to result in issues such as the shower door banging into something when opened.

The solution? “If you are short on space consider designing your shower without a door,” she says. “Door-less showers are a great space-saving option.”

Shower not draining properly

Did you know your shower recess should drain every last drop of water? “To test this, throw a bucket of water into the shower,” Burke says.

“If a puddle is left behind it is likely that your tiling has not been laid correctly to fall to the drain and may need to be re-laid.”

Bathrooms by the numbers

According to Houzz, Australians’ average bathroom reno budget is $11,900.

The website’s 2017 Houzz Bathroom Trends Study — Australia also found that 44 per cent of people use a mobile device in the bathroom at least once a week, while 65 per cent nominated being easy-to-clean as their number-one priority when upgrading their bathroom.

Underfloor heating was identified as the one feature homeowners regretted not installing when they renovated, while white was the predominant colour for walls, benchtops and cabinetry, followed by grey and timber.