Thinking about a Bathroom Renovation?

Read This First!!!

We will be renovating our master bathroom soon, and I can’t wait. Fifteen years ago, it was new. It was the last room we chose finishes for in our new sub-division house, and I was tired of making decisions (my capacity for that has really improved!). The resulting selections for tile, the vanity, counter and fixtures were quick picks from the builder’s catalogue.

Fast forward to today, and I am faced with the exciting prospect of bathroom renovation and renewal. The selection process is daunting, as the wide array of products, colours, and finishes on the market are overwhelming. I am unsure as yet of what the renovated bathroom will look like. But I do know it will include the reinforced underpinnings for a grab bar in the wall and one in the shower. I remember nearly falling in the bath not long after we moved in, and the towel bar I grabbed to save me pulled out of the wall. Luckily I came to no harm, but the wall was damaged.

One of the biggest challenges we face as home renovation contractors is encouraging clients to think beyond their current project scope and framework, in order to consider what might make sense as time passes. People generally do not seem to want to think about what life might be like for them in their home five, ten, or fifteen years into the future, even though, according to a Royal Bank of Canada survey in 2013, 83% of Canadians indicated they want to stay home as they age, and receive care as needed. As a result, the changes made today may have to be revised again in order to accommodate unanticipated needs. Why pay twice?

Over 65% of respondents to the RBC survey said that a change in health was the main reason for making the decision to move to a different living environment. The accessible bathrooms we have installed over the years were often in response to those who already required the support of more user-friendly designs. What we’d like to see is that any bathroom renovation of significance incorporate universal design.

Universal design is an approach to construction and renovation that ensures every room functions for everyone who will use it, regardless of age or ability. Universal design also ensures the result is stylish, using products that bear no resemblance to the “institutional” look of what was used in the past.

If you are considering a renovation, please don’t hesitate to ask us about building for the future, even as you plan for the present. It is so much better to be prepared, than to regret you weren’t.

Sources:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canadian-boomers-want-to-stay-in-their-homes-as-they-age-1.2224171