Despite often being the smallest room in the house, bathroom renovation can give you the biggest headache if not thought through properly. Having now renovated two, I thought I’d share all the key questions we’ve asked ourselves along the way, and how that has helped us make some critical design decisions.

1.Where is the soil pipe?

Starting with the most glamorous. The soil pipe, aka where the waste from your toilet goes, is one of the hardest to move as it’s linked to the sewage network. It’s also a big pipe so moving it will require making a big hole somewhere else. So if possible, create your design scheme without moving the toilet.

2. Who uses this bathroom?

Sounds obvious but some bathrooms are for the whole family, kids and dogs included. Others are adults only. Some are only used by guests. Hone in on who will use it the most and then ask them…

3. How do they use it in the morning / day / evening?

This will give you some lighting design clues. For example, if your partner likes to shave in the morning, he’ll need a good task light (and a socket) by the mirror. Or if someone is partial to soothing baths, they may not want spotlights glaring at them overhead. Maybe someone gets up regularly in the night so a light sensor under the vanity would be a soothing nightlight. Picking where lights and sockets will go will be one of the first decisions you will need to make.

Also think about the scale, height and width of things. Maybe someone is really tall so could do with a sunken shower tray for extra height. A wide basin could be great for communal toothbrushing and hand washing. If you’re small (like me!) working out how high the shower niche and basin are could make things more accessible day-to-day.

4. Which parts need to be waterproof?

It can be tempting to think bathroom=water=tiles everywhere. But tiles are expensive and can look a bit overwhelming on all four walls, floor and ceiling. Instead, think about where water is likely to splash. Shower enclosures, above/behind baths, and around sinks is usually enough. Tadelakt, a traditional Moroccan limewash, is an alternative to tiles which may be worth costing up. 

And for other surfaces, I’d recommend Dulux Trade Diamond paint or Bathroom paint which is resistant to moisture. If you’re feeling brave (I was but haven’t found the right one yet), wallpaper is an option. Seal it to ensure it’s water resistant. And paint your window in eggshell. I went matt but my husband was right on this occasion.

5. Shower vs bath vs shower over bath?

Be realistic with how big your space is and what you actually use. You may love the idea of a bath but only use it twice a year. Different bathroom users have different needs and preferences so maybe a compromise is in order. Or maybe you’re just “quick shower” people. Be true to yourself.

6. Where will you store toilet roll / cleaning products / personal care items?

Storage is often forgotten about during a bathroom renovation but makes a huge day-to-day difference. Will a vanity unit below the sink be enough storage for your loo rolls, first aid box and cleaning products? Or will you need an additional cabinet? If floor space is limited, think about wall-mounting a cupboard or medicine cabinet with a mirror. We asked our contractor to make a cupboard above the loo that goes all the way to the ceiling.

It’s also worth thinking outside the box when it comes to storage. Instead of a premade vanity unit, we bought an old chest of drawers and added a sink on top. The deep drawers provided excellent storage!

Stuff you rarely use can live somewhere else. And don’t keep towels in the bathroom. They will get damp, mouldy and smelly which brings me to…

7. How will you ventilate the space?

Relying on people opening a window (even in winter) after every bath or shower is optimistic. Instead, have a mechanical extractor fan installed so the bathroom will be well-ventilated and mould and mildew free. 

8. How will you heat your bathroom?

Bathrooms can be very cold rooms, particularly with all the tiles. Heated towel rails, radiators, underfloor heating, in-wall heating are all options worth considering depending on bathroom renovation budget. But decide soon as you’ll need to run pipes and wires to make it warm.

9. What should you splurge on?

The rule is spend money on things you touch everyday. Taps, handles, your toilet and toilet flush are the main ones that come to mind. They will be yanked, turned and tugged multiple times a day so need to be good quality. Oh and avoid black taps. It’s tempting I know but you will constantly be cleaning off the limescale. Style-wise, it’s up to you. But please, please, please get mixer taps!! It’s SO much easier to control the temperature.

10. What style of bathroom do you like?

Aesthetics are entirely personal but it can help to get some inspiration from what others have done for your bathroom renovation. Check out Pinterest, Instagram and go to bathroom showrooms, picking out elements you like. Think about how you want to feel in the space, and how its vibe will fit with the rest of your home.

11. Where is the daylight?

Figure out where the sun rises and sets, and what gets illuminated in your bathroom. Ideally you’d like East-facing light on your mirror as it is bright and great for putting on makeup/shaving etc. Mirrors also create a sense of space and can bounce light around the room when placed strategically. Wall lights either side of a mirror will provide a flattering task light when the sun isn’t shining.

12. What else will you need to order?

There are definitely some unexpected costs and decisions when it comes to bathroom renovations. 

Firstly, tile trim. You don’t have to have it, but it will protect the edge of your tiles. It mostly comes in white or steel grey. But if you want brass, black or any other exciting colour, expect a longer lead time. Do get aluminum rather than plastic as it will last much longer. 

Secondly, grout. This is the putty stuff that goes between the tiles and holds them all together. It can come in lots of different colours but whites and beiges are standard. Anything more exciting will need to be ordered in by you or your contractor.

Thirdly, bathroom accessories. Think bin, toilet roll holder, loo brush, towel hooks…You’re old ones may be fine and reusing is a good way to save costs. But if you do want new ones, start looking. 

13. What is your budget?

This isn’t question number one because I often find it’s not until you have an idea of the layout and design you would like that you start looking up the costs of things for your bathroom renovation. You might be tempted by a terrazzo, but then realise it would cost you a small fortune. Look up the key components first – toilet, shower/bath, mirror/vanity – to get a ballpark budget, knowing that you will need to add tiles, labour, materials on top.

14. How can you save on bathroom costs?

Tiles can be a huge money-drain and often have long lead times. If you only need a small amount, most tile companies have a sale/outlet section on their website, or check out resale sites. Order samples so that when a sale goes live, you’re ready to buy.

Handmade, natural stone tiles – encaustic, zellige, terrazzo, mosaic, marble – are beautiful but come at a price. You can still lay plain porcelain tiles in exciting patterns to add interest. But try not to have more than 2-3 types or the room will look too busy.

Large format tiles are much easier to lay which means less labour costs. You can of course save on labour costs by doing some (or all) of the work yourself but some of it is quite technical so be realistic about your skills, and time.

Stainless steel fittings are usually much cheaper than brass, gold, bronze, etc. And check out resale sites for sinks, vanities, mirrors, baths and even toilets!

15. How to find a bathroom contractor?

Once you’ve thought about the above, draw out a plan of your new bathroom layout – including sink, radiator, shower/bath, storage – with measurements. If you can draw to scale, even better! We often lay masking tape on the floor to get a sense of where the new shower will be etc. and pretend to do daily tasks to check the flow. 

It’s also worth writing a bathroom renovation brief that describes what work you will need help with e.g. stripping old tiles out, plumbing, installing a new shower, underfloor heating. Contractors like to know what tiles you want so they can work out how much time it will take to lay (herringbone pattern takes more time than metro for example). So try and nail down as much as possible before one. Add photos of the existing space to the brief as well.

Then it’s time to find a contractor. Ask for recommendations from family/friends/local Facebook groups but also be open to finding your own on Checkatrade.com. Overall we’ve found really great people that way. I usually phone them to briefly describe what we need help with and check whether they are interested to come and quote, and then I send them the brief, layout plan and check when they would like to come round. 

Try to get three contractors to come round as you can then compare their prices, availability and professionalism. Also check how big their team is (to ensure they have capacity to do the job) and where they are based (as this can reduce their commute times).

Most contractors want to come in person before they quote which is a good way to check they know their stuff, and whether you have chemistry. It’s not always about going for the cheapest! You need to get along as you will be communicating daily about various decisions. Also be open to their ideas and suggestions – they’re professionals who may have thought about stuff you haven’t. 

The best contractors are those who listen to you and vice versa. My bathroom contractor was astounded when I asked him to paint the ceiling the same colour as the walls (“In 10 years I have never had anyone ask for anything but white ceilings!”), but did it and then admitted it looked great. Be true to yourself and your design, but also open to pivoting if things don’t go to plan.

Bathroom renovation is a very creative, logistically-challenging and messy process. But so worth it!! Good luck.