The ensuite bathroom renovation process can seem very simple on the surface. How hard can it be to do a renovation? This is what my client was experiencing when he was getting ready to take on his project. His thought was, “why hire a renovator when I can do it myself?” He knew that there were certain things that he was very comfortable doing, but for some jobs he would need to hire out. With all of this information in hand, it comes down to responsibility: who is going to be responsible for which aspects of the project? We understand that some homeowners are handy, and are able to handle certain jobs on their own, but that help may be needed for others. So how do we put all of this together?
Here at Elegant Bathrooms in Stoney Creek, we understand this dynamic. We understand that each customer, situation, and job are unique, and we work with this in mind. First, we assess what the homeowner is able to do, things like demolition, taping and painting. We also need to see if there are any products that have been accumulated or purchased along the way. In this case the customer had purchased a beautiful vanity system which included countertop, sinks, upper cabinets, mirrors and moldings. Now with our assessment finished, we can focus on the plan.
The layout posed a challenge as we wanted to maintain a bathtub with a separate larger shower, cancel the bidet, and install new tiles. The clients really liked the idea of a freestanding bathtub with freestanding tub faucet. The larger shower was the key, as it is used the most, but they also wanted to have their spa-like bathroom to work the way they wanted. They decided to keep the bidet, and also added the luxury of a heated towel bar, as well.
With everything configured, our Bathroom Advisor was able to help the customer fill in the gaps, not only with the fixtures and fittings, but with the renovation as well. We picked beautiful 12” x 24” porcelain tile from FRISCO Design. It was decided that a grout-less shower would be the best fit. Large panels of Marbelite, with no grout lines, were used, which are available in over 100 colours. In the shower, we went with a JL Baril square rain-shower head, as well as a hand-held system with a thermostatic shower control to maintain the same temperature every time they used the shower. Now there would be no more temperature surfing, saving time and having a wonderful shower experience every time. We wanted to take advantage of every square inch of space, and had a beautiful custom glass shower door installed to maximize the appearance of space.
The freestanding bathtub used was a Fleurco Luna bathtub in the square finish, with a Rubi freestanding tub filler to match the design. In order to create space for the heated towel bar, we changed the location of the bidet. To maintain the bidet functionality, we installed a Toto toilet with washlet, which allowed us to have essentially 2 units in one, with a couple of extra creature comforts that the traditional bidet doesn’t offer, like a heated toilet seat and dryer function, to name a few. With the money saved from doing a couple of things themselves, my clients chose to spend that money on the luxury items that fit into their lifestyle.
While I wish I could tell you that the renovation went perfectly according to our plan, it didn’t, and often doesn’t. We ran into some challenges along the way, like a defective freestanding faucet that had to be replaced, and one of the wall panels was cut too short and had to be remade, which slowed down the process. But through the patience and perseverance of everyone involved, despite the delays, we were able to provide our clients with the bathroom of their dreams. We are very proud of the result!
