How long does it take to renovate a bathroom?
Do you want to know how long does it take for a bathroom renovation?
It’s always a good idea to get a rough timeline for your bathroom renovator before you get started. While no two bathrooms are the same (because every bathroom is unique) we’re going to attempt to give you a projected timeframe of how long it takes to renovate a small bathroom and a full size bathroom. In this article, we’re going to break down each renovation stage and give you an estimated time frame for completion.
Step 1: Demolition of old bathroom
Time frame: 2-5 days
If your bathroom is made up of timber and sheet walls, demolition can take a mere two to three days at most. If your bathroom was constructed using solid bricks then it might require a bit more time to demolish. Keep in mind that during this stage, if you’re planning on changing the outlay of your bathroom, new structural beams will be added at this point.
Step 2: Plumbing and electrical wiring installation
Time frame: 1-4 days
After demolition has taken place, and the bathroom is now a skeleton, plumbers and electricians are brought in to re-route and restructure any plumbing lines and wiring to fit in with your new bathroom plan. For small bathrooms this can take a day to do. If you are changing the outlay of the old bathroom, this will require plumbing to be re-routed and wiring to be re-directed to fit in with the new design.
Step 3: Relining of new bathroom
Time frame: 1-3 days
Step 4: Waterproofing new bathroom
In this step, the new walls and new ceiling will be sheeted, set and prepared for the next stage. This can all be done within three days. Some homes requirer rendering which takes longer due to drying time.
Time frame 2-3 days
Waterproofing is arguably the most important part of your entire bathroom renovation process. Done right it should ensure a leak-proof room for many years to come. Failure by the waterproofer to do their job properly will lead to a very big problem. Always work with reputable bathroom renovation experts. Allow up to three days for the waterproof coating to dry.
Step 5: Tiling of new bathroom
Time frame: 1-3 days
In this step, tiles will be installed, as well as doors and new walls. Once this is finished,
Step 6: Fitout and painting of new bathroom
Time frame 1-3 days
This is the homestretch, where the final finishing touches are laid up in the new bathroom. With the major basins and fixtures installed, and the tiling and sheeting all done, the bathroom can now be painted according to your specifications. Once this is done, all minor new fixtures such as tapware rails, toilet paper holders, mirrors and other trims can now be installed.
So how long does it all take?
In essence renovation of a small bathroom should take up to four weeks maximum, with a full bathroom renovation taking anywhere from six to seven weeks.
Factors Affecting Remodel Time
The reality is that it is a very rare bathroom remodeling project that goes exactly as planned, and a variety of factors can wreak havoc with your best efforts at scheduling:
- Is the project a cosmetic remodel or a strip-to-the-studs rebuild? Depending on the nature of the remodel, the work can take as little as a few days or as much as many months.
- Are you doing the work yourself or are you hiring a contractor? More than one good-intentioned homeowner has found that doing all the work yourself, squeezing in work time when you can, leads to a project that can take as much as a year to complete.
- If you’re hiring the work out, is the contractor an owner-operator, or is he subcontracting electricians, plumbers, and carpenters? Working with a single owner-operator remodeler can be the cheapest way to go, but they’ll likely be juggling your job with several others as they try to do all the work themselves. This means that a job that requires 10 or 15 actual workdays can take two or three months to see completion.
- Are all materials readily available or are they special-order goods that may cause you to wait for delivery? Waiting on imported ceramic tile to arrive, for example, can delay a project by several weeks.
Preparing for your bathroom renovation
To understand how long your project could take, you need to know what happens during a renovation from start to finish. We’ve identified five clear stages and, working on the assumption of no hiccups, given an estimated timeline of how long each phase takes.
Phase 1: Planning and development
The planning and development phase is by far the longest. It includes time spent researching the bathroom style you want, working out the cost of your bathroom renovation, hiring a renovation company, and making a blueprint for you and your tradespeople to work from.
Depending on your project scope, you may have to apply for planning permission. This is also the time to order your fixtures and fittings, so all the parts arrive ahead of the onsite start date.
Estimated time: Anywhere between one and six months.
Phase 2: Stripping your old bathroom
Ripping out all the fixtures and fittings of your existing bathroom can take a couple of days. But this may depend on whether it’s a first or second-floor bathroom, whether you’re keeping any existing fittings, and whether any structural changes need to be made to the walls.
Estimated time: One or two days.
Phase 3: Groundwork for new bathroom
A bare canvas makes it easier for the plumber and electrician to come in and do a rough-in fit. This means they put all the wiring and plumbing in place, but don’t actually connect any of it while building work is still going on. Carpenters, plasterers and tilers come in next, working on walls that need putting up and rendering, and surfaces that need to be prepared for tiling.
Estimated time: Two to five days.
Phase 4: Fitting your new features
The fourth phase is perhaps the most exciting because you’ll finally see your new bathroom design come to life. It’s when all your new fixtures are installed, so there’s a lot to be done.
Essential tasks such as tiling and painting, grouting on the walls or floor, and waterproofing will be completed first. Some of these tasks involve drying time, which means there can be periods of inactivity during this phase. With everything in place, the plumber will complete the connections for your shower, bathtub, toilet and basins. And your electrician will reconnect the electrics for lights, underfloor heating, towel rails and extractor fans.
Glass elements like shower doors and mirrors are fitted last, so there’s minimal risk of them getting cracked or damaged while work’s going on.
Estimated time: Anywhere between five and ten days.
Phase 5: The finishing touches
Once everything has been installed and had time to dry, we’ll carry out a final inspection and clean. With that done, your bathroom is all yours to enjoy.
Tips To Make A Small Bathroom More Functional
Are you thinking of doing a small bathroom renovation? The bathroom can be an oasis that you can escape to and relax in. Small bathrooms, however, can easily become cluttered and claustrophobic. A few minor changes can be made to not only make a small bathroom look more spacious, but also make it more functional. The best way to get this done is by hiring a team of professionals and looking at some small bathroom renovation ideas with them so that you get a design that is best for you. For more tips, read on!
Get the right accessories:
Accessories are a great way to make your bathroom look more beautiful. The right accessories, however, can do way more than this, they can make it more functional as well. Modern towel racks, new faucets and other basic bathroom accessories can breathe new life into your small bathroom without breaking the bank. Talk to your bathroom design specialists for some more ideas on which accessories would work for your bathroom.
Update the colour palette:
Something as simple as changing the colours you have in your bathroom can make it look more spacious. Pastels, cream and white make it look more open and inviting. To make sure that the bathroom does not end up feeling like it is overwhelmed with colours, use a minimalist colour scheme or just little pops of bright colours here and there. If you have a colour scheme that you love, you are less likely to clutter up the bathroom and you can stick to a few functional accessories.
Get the right lighting fixtures:
Lighting fixtures work in pretty much the same manner as colours. The right lighting can make a bathroom look open and spacious. Large windows, for example, provide more depth and brighten up the bathroom. If you have a low ceiling in your bathroom, choose lighting options that do not draw more attention to the ceiling. Hanging chandeliers will not work in such a space, you can opt for nice bright wall sconces instead.
Get high a quality bathtub and accessories:
In order to get a small bathroom to look stylish, functional and practical, you need to invest in a high-quality bathtub and accessories. When choosing these, you can get colours that match your colour palette. At Belle Bathrooms we have a wide range of beautiful bathtubs and bath accessories for you to choose from. We have a long track record of helping clients get the bathrooms of their dreams.