Bathroom renovation is not usually a priority for the general public, although many people do not consider their bathroom to be fully functional or attractive. Most of the time, a proper renovation is done over the age of 55 – perhaps to make the bathroom age-appropriate. A distinction is made between bathroom renovation, bathroom modernization and bathroom renovation, each of which involves different levels of effort and cost.
Unsplash.com © 99.films CC0 Public Domain Somewhat modern and attractive, but by no means age-appropriate. The shower would have enough space for people with walking disabilities, but the step can be an insurmountable hurdle.
How to change the bathroom
There are three categories of bathroom changes: The bathroom renovation, bathroom modernization and bathroom renovation.
Bathroom renovation: When renovating the bathroom usually only little money must be taken in hand and also the effort is kept within limits. Minor damage due to wear and tear will be repaired. This can be a renewal of silicone grout, replacement of siphons or replacement of individual broken tiles. Individual sections are restored or renewed, i.e. a sink is replaced or a new shower door is installed. Fresh wall paint, new curtains or a change in shower rugs and bathroom furniture can make the whole room look renewed.
Bathroom modernization: Here, old technology is specifically replaced with new technology. In many cases, this occurs when the shower is replaced. The old shower tray for boarding could be replaced here with a floor-level shower. Extensive tiling and floor work will be carried out for this purpose. The effort is greater, often a skilled craftsman is needed and the costs are higher.
Bathroom renovation: Here, renovation and modernization are carried out at the same time, and in principle the entire bathroom is replaced. The extensive and costly measures include shower and tub, vanity and sink, toilet and bidet, and floor and wall tiles.
It is therefore not surprising that younger people invest their disposable income in vacations, consumption, entertainment or their own children. Older people, on the other hand, who have saved some money, usually prepare from about 55 years to be able to live well in their own four walls even in old age.
Cost, age and renovation measures are wonderfully clear in the following infographic, where various facts and data about bathroom renovation are put together.
Those who can't or don't want to wait until old age to renovate their bathroom can enjoy a chic and fully functional bathroom sooner with a renovation loan.
What questions to answer before making a bathroom change
The bathroom is a very complex room compared to the bedroom. Because various connections for hot and cold water and sewage must be planned: Shower, bathtub and sink, but also the toilet need fresh water and a sewage connection.
Floors and walls also have to come to terms with a lot of moisture, so unlike in the living space, tiles play a major role. The room needs to be heated up a lot by underfloor heating or a radiator on a regular basis to keep the humidity in check. Mold quickly threatens in damp, cold bathrooms. Parallel to this, it must be possible to control moisture regulation via controlled ventilation or, even better, a window.
Light can enter in the bathroom to some extent through windows naturally and inexpensively, while electric light provides really good visibility. So the following are questions builders should be able to answer before they start:
- How is the room heated or. how should it be heated in the future?
- How to ensure ventilation and deaeration?
- What form of lighting is needed?
Only then can you deal with the style in which the bathroom should be designed. Timelessly elegant and simple in white or romantic and playful, colorful and expressive – there are no limits to the imagination when it comes to bathroom furniture and details.
Those who want to do extensive renovation work can also question the current use of the property. Is the bathtub actually used often, or could the space be used for a spacious shower with floor-level access?? Do you love wellness and can create the right conditions for it in your own bathroom? Bathtubs with whirlpool function are no longer a rarity, nor are Rainshower showers with changing colors. Perhaps there is also room for a small sauna in a large bathroom, so that there is no need to spend more money on saunas and spas for this wellness break.
Choose good financing instead of going without
In many cases, a look at the available budget ensures that time and again only small renovation works are carried out instead of an extensive renovation. However, it may make sense to take out a special-purpose loan and pay it off gradually.
Hardly anyone buys a car or a house from their savings either. Loans and financing ensure that you already have the benefit and can gradually cover the cost.
A so-called renovation loan is only granted under certain conditions. Because a loan of this type must have as its goal to increase the value of the home, reduce energy consumption, or else to make the premises suitable for the disabled and the elderly.
If this is not the case, it is easy to take out a loan for free use. In addition, there are, for example, government funding opportunities if the heating system is also to be renewed as part of the bathroom refurbishment.
For those who are extensively renovating their bathrooms with one or more skilled tradesmen, the bid or estimate can determine what loan amount is needed. The current low interest rates ensure that you hardly have to pay back more money than is needed for the renovation. The shorter the term, i.e. the period of repayment, the more attractive the terms of the financing become. Choosing the right financing can ensure that you benefit from the immaculate bathroom for years and do not have to save up the costs for it first.
