Despite its small and unassuming size, bathroom renovations require complex planning and precise coordination between a team of plumbers, electricians, designers, and installers. Several utility systems packed into a relatively compact space along with its frequent daily use make bathrooms one of the most complicated rooms in your home. Before delving into this time-consuming, and often costly, project, consider these bathroom renovation basics.

Size and Floor Plan
Whether you’re planning on remodeling or just replacing a few of your bathroom’s features, you should first consider the dimensions of your current space and the positions of doors, windows, and fixtures. Think about whether you’d like to invest in an expansion. Analyze your flow throughout your daily routine. Do you find yourself retracing your steps? You might want to rearrange your bathroom to maximize your time in the morning.

Resurfacing and Refitting
Are you planning to do a complete overhaul of your old bathroom, or are there any particular features such as interesting tiling or a vintage mirror that you want to incorporate into your new design? Recycled or reused elements will save you money and bring a bit of your old space with you into the new.

Storage
Think about everything you use day-to-day in your bathroom routine. If you want these items conveniently stored in your bathroom and not in an outside linen closet, invest in added storage and innovative strategies such as above-the-toilet units, pullout units normally seen in kitchens, and make use of wall niches. A well-organized bathroom often makes a whole world of difference when it comes to appearance and daily functionality.

Flooring
If you’re installing any new fixtures such as a heavy vintage claw-foot tub, be sure that your floor is strong enough. Carpenters could potentially fix this for added cost.