Like kitchens, bathrooms add value, especially when your home's up for sale. The nicer, more modern your bathroom is, the quicker your home's likely to sell because many buyers don't want to go to the trouble and expense of installing a new one, which they perceive to be a big job.
Even if you're not selling up, a modern bathroom is far nicer to use and keep clean. It's also a room that most visitors see.
The first step when planning a new bathroom is to visit a bathroom showroom to see their stock and pick up some brochures - and ideas.
You should also check out bathroom suites and other fittings. There's a vast choice of suites, showers, taps, tiles, etc, out there, from budget suites to ones costing many thousands.
As well as getting something to suit your budget, it's obviously vital to get a suite that fits into your bathroom. A lovely freestanding bath or separate shower is all very well but you must have room for it and to have measured and then measured again before ordering it.
Next, you need to decide whether you want to change the layout of the room and maybe add or get rid of certain things, or replace what you've got like for like, if you have a coloured suite and want a white one, for example.
The latter is obviously more straightforward, as layout changes will probably mean altering the pipework, making the job harder to do yourself and more expensive if a plumber's doing it. Ask a plumber about any changes if you're not sure if they're feasible.
A major consideration is where the waste pipe for the loo will go, as this can't be messed around with as much as the water pipes and can make moving the loo quite a big job.
Most waste pipes exit at the back of the loo pan (either downwards or horizontally), but they can also exit at the side, which makes changing the loo more complicated.
Various waste connectors can be used to overcome the problem, but you will probably be more restricted in your choices. On the whole, it's best to leave the loo where it is.
You also need to bear in mind the amount of standing room required around things, such as space to use the loo and washbasin, or dry off after having a shower/bath. Pack too much in and you'll find that your bathroom isn't particularly easy or pleasurable to use.
Also take into account the way the door opens and the space needed for that. Consider fitting a folding door if space is really tight, or, if possible, rehang the existing door so it opens the other way.
A good way to get the layout right and try out ideas is to draw the room on graph paper in black felt-tip pen or permanent marker.
Show permanent features, such as the window/s and door, and also the position of the heated towel rail/radiator, plumbing and waste outlet, etc, so you get an idea of how feasible moving things is.
Then on another piece of graph paper draw (in pencil) the fixtures and fittings you want in your new bathroom, using the same scale as you used for the first plan.
You can try out different layouts on different pieces of graph paper and lay them over the first plan to see how they fit within the constraints of the room.
This should give you a good idea of what will and won't work - as long as you get your measurements right!
Q&A
Is it advisable to keep my old metal bath, which has seen better days, or get a new acrylic one?
Re-enamelling a metal bath is a great way to restore it, although you will need to get an expert in to do this. You can also get new metal baths if you feel yours is beyond repair, though restoring is obviously better than replacing.
If you'll be fitting the new bath yourself, acrylic ones are easier to handle because they're much lighter, but they're also strong because they have reinforced bases. Acrylic doesn't chip like enamel does and surface scratches can usually be removed from acrylic with a liquid metal polish. Some people prefer acrylic because it's warmer than metal.
• In two weeks' time: More bathroom planning and preparation.
Even if you're not selling up, a modern bathroom is far nicer to use and keep clean. It's also a room that most visitors see.
The first step when planning a new bathroom is to visit a bathroom showroom to see their stock and pick up some brochures - and ideas.
You should also check out bathroom suites and other fittings. There's a vast choice of suites, showers, taps, tiles, etc, out there, from budget suites to ones costing many thousands.
As well as getting something to suit your budget, it's obviously vital to get a suite that fits into your bathroom. A lovely freestanding bath or separate shower is all very well but you must have room for it and to have measured and then measured again before ordering it.
Next, you need to decide whether you want to change the layout of the room and maybe add or get rid of certain things, or replace what you've got like for like, if you have a coloured suite and want a white one, for example.
The latter is obviously more straightforward, as layout changes will probably mean altering the pipework, making the job harder to do yourself and more expensive if a plumber's doing it. Ask a plumber about any changes if you're not sure if they're feasible.
A major consideration is where the waste pipe for the loo will go, as this can't be messed around with as much as the water pipes and can make moving the loo quite a big job.
Most waste pipes exit at the back of the loo pan (either downwards or horizontally), but they can also exit at the side, which makes changing the loo more complicated.
Various waste connectors can be used to overcome the problem, but you will probably be more restricted in your choices. On the whole, it's best to leave the loo where it is.
You also need to bear in mind the amount of standing room required around things, such as space to use the loo and washbasin, or dry off after having a shower/bath. Pack too much in and you'll find that your bathroom isn't particularly easy or pleasurable to use.
Also take into account the way the door opens and the space needed for that. Consider fitting a folding door if space is really tight, or, if possible, rehang the existing door so it opens the other way.
A good way to get the layout right and try out ideas is to draw the room on graph paper in black felt-tip pen or permanent marker.
Show permanent features, such as the window/s and door, and also the position of the heated towel rail/radiator, plumbing and waste outlet, etc, so you get an idea of how feasible moving things is.
Then on another piece of graph paper draw (in pencil) the fixtures and fittings you want in your new bathroom, using the same scale as you used for the first plan.
You can try out different layouts on different pieces of graph paper and lay them over the first plan to see how they fit within the constraints of the room.
This should give you a good idea of what will and won't work - as long as you get your measurements right!
Q&A
Is it advisable to keep my old metal bath, which has seen better days, or get a new acrylic one?
Re-enamelling a metal bath is a great way to restore it, although you will need to get an expert in to do this. You can also get new metal baths if you feel yours is beyond repair, though restoring is obviously better than replacing.
If you'll be fitting the new bath yourself, acrylic ones are easier to handle because they're much lighter, but they're also strong because they have reinforced bases. Acrylic doesn't chip like enamel does and surface scratches can usually be removed from acrylic with a liquid metal polish. Some people prefer acrylic because it's warmer than metal.
• In two weeks' time: More bathroom planning and preparation.