Bathroom renovations take longer than you think, and that’s because the start of a remodel actually stretches back to the moment you begin planning it.

This is why Houzz and other home design experts state the average start-to-finish range for a remodeling project is four to six months. While a kitchen remodel is typically the most labor intensive, Chicago bathroom remodels can take equally as long – especially if you live in an older home, if you have a large bathroom space, if you’re designing a spa-like bathroom retreat, and/or if you don’t plan carefully ahead of time.

Things to plan for when designing a Chicago bathroom remodel

So, here are things you can do to plan carefully. The more you’ve planned, decided and prepared for before your remodel takes place, the quicker it will move forward.

Get serious about the budget

First, you need to have a very clear idea of what your budget is – and then be firm about that. Otherwise, your remodel can become a very anxious and stressful endeavor. To get serious about planning your budget, we recommend reading:

• What Costs Go Into a Master Bathroom Remodel
• 5 Top Areas that Break the Budget in a Bathroom Remodel
• 20 Ways to Reduce the Costs of a Bathroom Remodel

After that, you’ll be much more firm about what you can have and what you can’t have.

Choose the right design/build team

The right design and build team makes a tremendous impact on how long your remodel takes. Experienced and reputable contractors are adept at working as many of the kinks and overcoming the hurdles on the front end of the planning phase, so the rest of the remodel moves in an efficient, methodical and timely manner. Believe us when we say that there’s nothing more soothing to an anxious homeowner as a remodel that continually moves forward as scheduled.

Establish whether the current layout/function working for you

Seriously consider how your current bathroom serves your needs in terms of layout and function. What would make it better? Your bathroom design build team will be a tremendous help here, asking the right questions so you get a better idea of what that question even means. For many homeowners, especially those who’ve lived in a home for a long time, asking if a new layout would be better is like asking a fish what water feels like – they’re so used to the way it is, it’s hard to get outside of the space and analyze it objectively.

Changing the layout is more expensive and it will increase the remodeling time, but knowing this ahead of time is much better than figuring it out later in the process.

Let the contractor know if you suspect they'll find hidden problems

This is most common in older homes, especially ones that haven’t been updated or worked on in less than 10 or more years. Historical events or shoddy/outdated workmanship can lead to unexpected findings in interior wall spaces. Was there ever a leak a while back that was repaired and forgotten about? Was your bathroom an add-on that wasn’t build to code the first time? That can lead to interior mold and/or structural rot that adds time onto the remodel too.

Make good decisions and stick to them

The more you can decide on the front-end, in terms of fixtures and finishes, the better. Planning these things before or in the early stages of the remodel will expedite the entire build. If you want a super-custom cabinet design or a plumbing fixture manufactured by an elite Italian designer, we’ll be able to figure out lead times ahead of time and build the remodeling calendar accordingly. If you wait too long – you’ll be faced with any of the waits or delays that occur as a result of that. Similarly, if you change your mind midstream, it can cause significant setbacks.

Are you ready to get going? Schedule a consultation with the design experts at Kitchen & Baths Unlimited. We excel at planning comprehensive renovations with realistic timelines and calendars.