When was the last time you really paid attention to your bathroom? While it’s probably one of the most-used rooms in your home, you likely don’t give it much thought beyond using it to get ready and go about the rest of your day. But scheduling a bathroom remodel can truly help to transform your home.
Are you wondering if it’s time to finally get your bathroom renovation project on the books or if you can put it off a bit longer? The EZPro Baths Express team is here to help you make the best decision for your family’s needs. Throughout this detailed guide, we’ve listed the top 5 signs it’s time to remodel your bathroom and what you should prioritize to get the most out of your project.
Let’s jump right in so you can feel more confident about planning your bathroom remodeling project.
1. Your Family’s Needs Are Changing
The longer you live in your home, the more your family’s needs are likely to change. For example, if you moved in as newlyweds, you might be planning to have children soon. Or, maybe your kids are heading off to college and you’re preparing to be empty nesters. Even without these big life changes, you might have different health needs and your level of mobility may not be what it used to be.
Regardless of how your family’s needs change over the years, your bathroom needs to be able to accommodate you at every stage of life. If your family dynamic is changing, it might be time to start planning your bathroom remodeling project.
What to Prioritize in Your Remodel
When deciding what to prioritize, think about how your family’s needs are changing. If you are starting your family, you might want to add a new bathtub to make bathing your kids easier.
If you’re nearing retirement and planning to age in place, on the other hand, we recommend remodeling your bathroom with safety features like a walk-in tub or a barrier-free shower to help you stay safe.
The most important thing is to design with the future in mind, considering your family’s changing needs now and what they might be a few years from now so your bathroom will continue to be functional over the years.
2. Your Bathroom Looks Outdated
Many of us tend to put off bathroom remodels until something is broken, but it’s perfectly fine to plan a remodel based on aesthetics alone! Start by looking around your bathroom and making note of what looks outdated. Do you have the pink tile that was iconic in the 80s? Or maybe your light fixtures are straight out of the last century?
After identifying what you want to change, then you can start looking for design inspiration for your remodeling project. Fortunately, a relatively “simple” bathroom remodel can instantly make your whole bathroom look more modern if you’re strategic about your plan.
What to Prioritize in Your Remodel
We recommend focusing on your bathing area when you want your bathroom to look more modern. For example, consider replacing your old bathtub with a beautiful standalone shower that looks straight out of an interior design magazine.
You could also add a free-standing bathtub to create a spa-like look right in your own home. The important thing to remember is not to choose anything too trendy when it comes to major updates. You can incorporate some trendy looks in your decorations, but by choosing timeless, classic options for your bathtub or shower, it will continue to look modern even as design trends change over the years.
3. Your Bathroom Feels Too Small
When you use your bathroom, do you notice that it feels like you never have enough space? Whether you’re lacking storage space for your favorite products, or your bathtub or shower space feels too cramped to use comfortably, a too-small bathroom might make you feel like you need to move to get the space you need.
The good news is that there are absolutely ways to make your whole bathroom look and feel bigger without having to tear down any walls or add an addition to your home.
What to Prioritize in Your Remodel
For starters, think about your budget. If you’re planning a smaller bathroom remodel, simply painting your bathroom in a lighter color and changing out the light fixtures can help make it feel bigger.
But, if you have the budget for a larger remodel, there are other steps you can take as well. For instance, you might convert your bathtub to a shower that takes up less of a footprint in your bathroom. When you do, don’t forget to customize your new shower with built-in shelving so you can organize your products and maximize the space in your updated bathroom.
When picking out your shower, keep in mind that a light and bright color scheme can also make your space seem bigger. Opt for white, gray, or light tan shower walls, especially if your bathroom doesn’t have any windows to let in natural light.
Finally, consider installing a walk-in shower with glass walls. This can visually trick your eyes into thinking the whole bathroom looks bigger than it actually is since you can see all the way through the glass walls.
4. You’re Planning to Sell Your Home
Another sign it may be time to remodel your bathroom is if you’re planning to sell your home in the near future. After all, a mid-range bathroom remodel has an average ROI of 55% here in the Carolinas. Beyond that, bathrooms and kitchens tend to be the rooms that buyers pay the most attention to when they’re shopping for a home.
If you take the time to remodel your bathroom, you just might find that you can fetch more money or multiple offers from potential buyers as a result. As a bonus, if you remodel now, even if you’re not planning to sell for another year or so, you can use your new bathroom and get more from buyers when you do eventually put it on the market.
What to Prioritize in Your Remodel
When you’re remodeling with buyers in mind, try to put yourself in their shoes. Prioritize choosing neutral colors and designs that are more likely to appeal to a wide variety of people vs. a very niche design. Some of our favorite neutral color swatches include the following:
- Carrara Marble
- Roman Stone
- Charmeuse
- Pompeii Marble
You’ll also want to make sure you have at least one bathtub in your home, which is something that is important to buyers with small children. This is also a good time to think about doing bigger changes with a full bathroom remodel, like replacing the flooring, countertops, and vanities so potential buyers feel like they’re getting the best bang for their buck when they put in an offer on your home.
5. You Notice Cosmetic Issues Around Your Bathroom
Have you noticed that your bathroom looks a bit dingy even after you thoroughly clean it? After years of use, it’s only a matter of time before you start to notice cosmetic issues like mold and mildew growth, cracked tiles, missing grout, and more.
These little issues can put a damper on your mood, especially when you’re trying to use your bathroom as a place to relax after a long day. After all, who really wants to soak in a bubble bath when it’s in a grimy tub? Instead of just trying to ignore these signs, it’s best to go ahead and schedule your bathroom remodeling project.
What to Prioritize in Your Remodel
While tile is a beautiful building material, it’s notorious for the cosmetic issues we mentioned above. When planning your bathroom renovation, we recommend opting for a high-quality acrylic bathtub or shower instead. Designed with durability in mind, acrylic won’t crack, fade, or peel over time and you won’t have to worry about keeping any grout clean because there’s no need for it.
Acrylic also has built-in antimicrobial properties to help prevent mold and mildew growth, even after years of heavy use. Perhaps best of all, acrylic tubs and showers are very easy to keep clean, with minimal effort. This allows you to spend more time enjoying your updated bathroom and less time cleaning it.
It’s Time to Start Planning Your Bathroom Remodel
After reading through this guide, we hope you have a better idea of when you should plan to remodel your bathroom. If you’re experiencing any of the signs that we covered above, don’t wait any longer to get your bathroom remodel on the books.
As the area’s leading bathroom remodeling specialist, the EZProBaths Express team is here to help you navigate your remodeling project with ease. When you hire our team, we’ll listen to your wants and needs, using your feedback to come up with a plan to transform your bathroom at a price that fits your budget.
Ready to get started? Fill out this form to receive an exact price for your project. We look forward to working with you!