Remodeling your home has always been a common practice, and with the increasing number of tutorials and guides available on the internet, it’s become increasingly common for people to remodel their home on their own. Why shouldn’t you? All it takes is a trip to the hardware store and a couple videos on YouTube.
Depending on where you’re remodeling in your home, there are certain things you need to account for, especially in places like your kitchen and bathroom. Your bathroom is a small room with a lot of things running through the walls around it. Between the bathroom plumbing and electrical outlets, check these five things before you start tearing things down.
Know Where Your Pipes Are
If your remodel has anything to do with the walls of your bathroom, the first thing you need to do is understand the layout of your bathroom’s plumbing. Remodels where this step is needed range from tearing down a wall to hanging some shelves. The last thing you want is to drill into a wall and burst a pipe, causing heavy damage to your bathroom and costing you much more than you were intending to spend in the first place. Many pipes are placed to avoid this, but not all.
A stud finder won’t work for this because not all pipes are dense enough to be picked up by the device. You could purchase or rent a thermal camera and find the pipes by running hot water through them. If your remodeling work requires you to navigate several pipes, you might consider bringing in a professional to help with the remodel.
Should You Turn Off the Power?
If your remodel is anywhere near electrical outlets, either working with them precisely or just around them, you should consider cutting the power to your bathroom while you work. Accidentally electrocuting yourself is a great way to derail your remodeling plans. If you’re not sure if you need to turn off the power, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Shut off the power from your circuit breaker until your remodel is complete.
Measure Everything Again
Have you ever heard the phrase “measure twice, cut once”? It’s a common phrase because it’s a common problem people have when doing their own remodel. Double-check that all your measurements are correct before you buy whatever expensive materials you’ll need for your remodel. The last thing you want is to get halfway through your remodel and realize the materials you bought don’t work. Now, you’ll have spent more time and money on this remodel than you wanted to in the first place.
Plan for Things to Go Wrong
You can be the best planner in the world and still be caught unawares by something unexpected interrupting your remodel. This is something to be ashamed of, but believe it or not, it’s something you can plan for. Leave a little extra time in your day to do this remodel and leave a little extra room in your budget in case you need to purchase something you didn’t realize you needed. This will help you adjust to things without ruining your bathroom remodel plans completely.
Know Your Limits
The internet is full of DIYers showing you how to remodel your home and promising that you can do it just like them. And you can! Many simple remodels can be done with a trip to the hardware store and a free weekend to get it done during. It’s also important to know your strengths and weaknesses.
If you’ve never worked with electrical outlets before, watch several videos on how to safely switch out a lighting fixture before going at it. The same goes for switching out a faucet or replacing some tile in your shower. Make sure you understand the process of what you’re trying to do and take your time while doing it. There’s no need to rush and make careless mistakes.
If you’ve looked over the process and you’re still unsure of your abilities, it might be time to call in a professional remodeling contractor to help. It might not seem like it, but hiring a professional will save you more money in the long run than fixing any mistakes you’d make doing something you’re not familiar with.
