Remodeling a Bathroom on a Do-It Yourself Basis

Many people these days are doing remodeling projects on a do-it yourself basis, and the bathroom is no exception.

If you are reasonably handy, you can probably do much of the remodeling yourself. It is wise to have the good sense to know your limitations. Some parts of the task may not be good to tackle on a do-it-yourself basis and you may need to hire a professional for these parts of your project.

You first of all need a remodeling plan. Begin by determining how extensive a bathroom remodel you are going to do. Will it be only a partial remodel, or does it need to be torn out and completely redone? Money can be saved by doing demolition and much of the dirty work as a do-it-yourself task.

Make a list of what needs to be replaced. List all fixtures such as toilet, shower or bathtub, vanity, lighting, fans, flooring etc. Assess your wiring and plumbing.

If plumbing is in good condition and new fixtures will simply replace old ones in the same place, you may be able to do most or all of it yourself.

Next look at your wiring. Do you need more outlets and lighting than is currently in your bathroom? An older bathroom may require updating wiring and adding safety features. This may be the place you need to allot some of your budget to calling in a professional rather than trying to do-it-yourself

Once you have listed what you need, done some extensive comparison shopping and determined costs and a budget it is time to expand your remodeling plan. If you have not remodeled an entire room before this is a practical step that may save time and aggravation later on, not to mention money.

List elements of your do-it-yourself remodeling project

1. bathroom shower installation
2. shower head installation
3. putting bathroom vanity in place
4. install vanity sink
5. vanity faucet installation
6. install vanity lighting
7. install bathroom ventilating fan
8. install new bathroom flooring

This is an example list. Yours will vary depending on your bathroom remodel. List each element. Then for each of these projects, list the steps needed to complete, and the supplies and tools you will need.

Also carefully review each of these projects and how they relate to the others. Set up a logical order so that you don't have to backtrack or do things over.

This may seem silly, but it could save you time rather than having to do something a second time. Sometimes getting things in the wrong order can increase the expense and time it takes to get finished.

And above all, check with your local building department for local codes and get the necessary permits.