A bathroom remodel is the stuff of homeowners' dreams. After all, you use your home's bathroom every day. And most of the fixtures are built in, so it's totally natural to fantasize about tearing them out and replacing them with ones that look and perform the way you want. Here are the steps involved in bringing your bathroom down to the studs so you can rebuild it according to your wishes:
Image courtesy of HomeActions
- Make a plan. If you've been thinking about remodeling for a while, you've probably thought some of it out already, like what colors and finishes you want for your new tiling or what kinds of features you want in your new fixtures. That is, unfortunately, the fun part. Before you begin, you'll have to figure out which of your plans will really work — whether the fixtures are within your budget, whether they fit in the space and whether they're compatible with your plumbing. You'll also have to call your municipal planning department and determine what permits you'll need for your project and how to keep it up to code.
- Turn everything off. Once you're sure that your plan is legal and will work, the next step is to make sure it's safe. Do this by turning off the water at the supply valve and the power at the circuit breaker. If your pipes are copper, you'll also have other valves within the bathroom; turn all these fully to the "off" position. Then drain your features by turning on all pipes until no more water runs out.
- Remove all fixtures. Before you can retile, you must take out the sink, vanity, toilet, tub, shower, towel bars, cabinet and anything else that is not structurally part of the room. This is true even if you do not intend to replace all of them. If you intend to keep a fixture, remove it carefully in one piece and store it safely; otherwise, you can take it apart for easier removal.
- Remove the floor, walls and ceiling. Pull off the baseboard and molding bars, then tear up the floor and scrape the glue or grout from the subfloor. Remove all light fixtures and extractor fans. Then, knock a hole in the drywall and pry out all the drywall from the walls and ceiling. Inspect the insulation and, if it's settled or gotten moldy, cut it out with a saw. In a plaster-and-lath bathroom, knock out the plaster first before prying off the laths.
- Clean thoroughly. Your bathroom will now be covered in dust. Vacuum thoroughly before you start rebuilding.
Now your bathroom is completely gutted and ready to be rebuilt. You can recreate it in the style you want.
Of course, you need to take stock of your level of expertise. Research the details carefully, and get professional help if any of this is beyond you.