budget – The Horton Standard

Whether you’re planning to sell or trying to make your home more comfortable, a bathroom renovation is one of your best investments. While remodeling is an exciting project, it requires careful planning to ensure the space is both functional and serene. Save yourself some stress and money by learning about these bathroom remodeling mistakes and how to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Not Setting a Budget

Before you start remodeling, make sure you know how much money you are willing to spend. Bathroom remodeling can become expensive, so it is important to prioritize. What are the top three items on your wishlist? Factor in the cost for those items first, and then determine what you can do with the leftover budget.

Mistake 2: Neglecting Layout

Before installing your new shower, take some time to consider how it will affect the layout of the bathroom. Nothing is worse than a bathroom that feels cluttered and uncomfortable. If the room is too small for a bathtub, opt for a luxurious walk-in shower. Simply changing out a swinging door for a sliding door can improve the use of the existing space.

Mistake 3: Poor Lighting

By prioritizing lighting, you can transform your bathroom. Recessed lighting in the shower is mounted in the ceiling and won’t get in the way. Good lighting over the sink is essential, as that is where you spend time getting ready for your day. Wall sconces over a vanity mirror cast fewer shadows than other lighting options.

Mistake 4: Not Enough Storage

Just like every room in the house, storage is essential in the bathroom. You need plenty of space for towels, cosmetics, hair care, and other bathroom essentials. Opt for a vanity drawer with plenty of space, and include some shelves in your shower for shampoo and soaps. A linen closet is ideal for extra towels and bulkier items.

Mistake 5: No Ventilation

Proper airflow will prevent your walls from peeling or growing mold. Especially if you don’t have a window in your bathroom, high-quality ventilation is critical. Don’t forget to ask your contractor how to ensure air circulation before beginning your renovation.

With these tips, you’re on your way to a bathroom tailored to your comfort and budget. What does your dream bathroom look like?

For new developments, builders may choose to include allowances in construction contracts. Allowances help to establish clear expectations about costs, as they allocate funds to particular areas throughout the construction process.

If your builder offers allowances, it enables you the right to provide a product or service. This cost is deducted from the total amount you owe the contractor. For example, if the price of the home is $400,000, and the builder gives you a $20,000 allowance for flooring, the amount paid to the builder is lowered to $380,000.

Providing allowances gives future residents flexibility to customize their home and contractors clear guidelines from which to move forward. Some of the usual allowances in residential construction include:

Appliances
Flooring
Plumbing fixtures
Kitchen countertops
Cabinetry
Light fixtures
Door hardware

In addition to providing customization for new construction, allowances can help you stay on budget. Each allowance is its own budget, helping you pick finishes you want while staying true to your maximum overall cost.

By working with tenants or owners throughout the process of the build, builders provide information about allowance options, as well as the pros and cons of choice for cabinetry, flooring, countertops, or any other selections that may be available. Also, if you go above the mini-budget in one area of the house or condominium, you can get back on track by cutting back somewhere else.

If you know you want to be involved in choosing finishes for a new home, start working with the builder or general contractor as soon as possible. This will allow you to learn about the options you have, review the allowance for each, and make decisions without feeling rushed. If a build is almost complete, the general contractor will have to begin making choices so the job is not delayed, which would cost time and money.

Tag: budget

Bathroom Renovation Mistakes to Avoid