Top Tips for Planning a Trouble-Free Bathroom Reno from Three Birds Renovations

A stress-free bathroom renovation is all a matter of good planning. 

At our recent Bathroom Renovation Masterclass in Sydney, the team from Three Birds Renovations provided the lowdown on their top planning tricks and hacks — watch their full presentation below, or read on for the secrets to bathroom renovation happiness.

Plan Early

You can never start the planning process too early. The earlier you start, the more time you have to consider key elements like layout, product choices, tradespeople — and any contingency plans you might need. After all, failing to prepare is preparing to fail!

Think Flooring

While this topic is on the less inspiring side of renovation planning, it’s essential to get all your tradespeople in the space and talk floor height; you want your bathroom’s floor to integrate seamlessly with existing flooring. Ask your tradespeople for their recommendations to help you get what you want (even if it means lowering the bathroom floor), and make sure that you supply all of the information to help them, including the thickness of your tiles.

Floor wastes are an important component to establish early in the process. Work with your plumber and tiler to figure out how to approach, as the tiles you choose could have an impact on where the underfloor plumbing will go. Look to conceal floor wastes under a wall hung vanity, away from eye height, or plan for installing a strip waste by bringing tradespeople across such features early on.

Grout Matters

It’s easy to overlook grout but it has a huge impact on your final bathroom finish. Think about a plain white subway tile – a dark grout can be the difference between that tile popping or fading into the background. Ask your tiler to bring in different grout options and rub the dry powder into the tile to get a sense of the grout’s final appearance. You don’t want to be stuck with a design choice you didn’t want to make.

Give Guidance

It’s so important to get the design features out of your head and into the minds of your tradespeople. If you don’t guide them through the smaller details, your plumber might put your shower arm at the wrong height, or pattern the tiles incorrectly. Communicate your preferences down to the final detail, and be clear about what you’re trying to achieve; making sure everybody is on the same page will avoid nasty surprises and frustrating conversations further down the line.

Budgeting

Budget for everything, down to your robe hooks and toilet roll holder. You don’t want to be halfway through a renovation and realise those small, overlooked costs have eaten up your budget. The last thing you want is to be resentful of your new space after going over budget - be budget-conscious and you’ll love your new bathroom!