4 Common Bathroom Renovation Problems

Your vision of grandeur for your soon-to-be-finished bathroom – the sparkling-white tiles, the glowingly gorgeous modern faucet and fixtures, and that relaxingly decadent jacuzzi, can become a living reality.

But first, before you can focus exclusively on aesthetics and creature comforts, you may run into some unexpected “bathroom nightmares” that are so common, in fact, that perhaps you should have expected them after all.

Even the most badly dilapidated and ugly bathroom can be transformed into a delightful retreat with the right vision, elbow grease, and a little help from professional contractors. Americans spend over $300 billion a year on home renovation projects – and an average of $10,000 per renovated bathroom. It takes a real investment, but the end-result can be well worth it.

Here are 4 common bathroom renovation obstacles that you may need to overcome before you can focus on interior decor and amenities:

1. Blocked Drainage Pipes

Experiencing blocked drain issues? That’s a huge setback to your bathroom renovation project. And, it is often an emergency repair. This is a job for a professional plumber. However, be sure to find one with up to date equipment and methods. Mini cameras fed into a pipe on the end of a flexible cord can quickly locate the blockage point. High-pressure flush-out systems can rapidly clean dirty pipes.

If the plumbing pipes in your bathroom are old and corroded, or if the joints of copper pipes are corroded, you may need more work than just a de-clog. If so, be sure to get it all done in one visit to save time and money and get on with your remodeling ambitions!

2. Bad Wiring

Some older buildings may have wiring problems that can be a fire hazard and need to be immediately addressed. If the bathroom you are remodeling was originally an addition, it could be the bathroom alone has the bad wiring rather than the whole house.

If you have bought an older home as a “fixer-upper,” an inspection of the home’s wiring is an admirable safety precaution. And if some or all outlets in your bathroom are non-functioning, then calling up a professional electrician will be necessary for functionality as well as for safety reasons.

3. Uneven Walls / Floors

A third common problem with bathroom remodels is that floors and walls are out of level. This is more than an aesthetic problem since it can cause your newly installed tiling to crack. If you plan on installing a walk-in glass shower cubicle, off-level floors and walls will complicate the matter and make it hard to keep shower stall walls and doors level and plumb.

It’s possible you will need to gut out all the walls, floors, and ceiling of your bathroom so you can reframe where necessary. Increasing load bearing capability of the flooring under a heavy tub, sink and vanity, or toilet, installing insulation, and getting at the wiring to replace or adjust it are other reasons for full-out reframing during the renovation process.

4. Ventilation Problems

Fourth and finally, don’t overlook the ventilation or think of it almost as an afterthought when you give your bathroom a facelift. Poor ventilation will obviously make your bathroom a much less pleasant place to be. Good venting may involve structural changes like installing new windows and ceiling or wall vents.

You obviously don’t want to have to go back and redo your bathroom’s ventilation system after the fact. So, be sure to test it thoroughly in the early planning stage.

When it comes to bathroom remodeling, the rule of thumb is to “expect the unexpected.” Don’t overlook these 4 possible problem areas. Inspect and make all necessary repairs in these 4 areas first to pave the way for your other upgrades.