How to Create the Right Floor Plan for Your Bathroom

Remodeling your bathroom is one of the most difficult rooms in your home, coming in a close second to the kitchen. Taking into consideration the existing plumbing and electrical fixtures, you can be limited by what you can and can't do. Not to say you won't be able to get the new look your expecting but you may have to make some concessions as to what you'll be able to change in its layout. Your choices will be dictated somewhat by the way the home was built originally.

It's important before you even start the project to, first off, know what kind of budget you're dealing with. If the sky's the limit, you will have more options of rearranging the locations of the bathroom fixtures. Just remember, almost everything in a bathroom is water related and altering the existing plumbing can get quite costly. During original construction all of the pipes are installed in a way to not only supply water but drain it as well. Changing this plumbing is not as simple as just extending a pipe.

Once you have a firm idea of what you would like your new bathroom to look like and you've figured a budget for the project, you will need to draw up some floor plans, or layout, to decide if your ideas will actually fit into the existing room or whether more modifications will have to be made. More times than not, expansion of the room isn't possible so you'll have to operate within the confines of what you've got.

To begin your floor plans you will need some graph paper with four squares per inch. Using a tape measure, graph the layout of the bathroom keeping all of your dimensions to scale. The easiest scale with your graph paper is one foot per inch. Draw out the entire room as you would see it upon completion of the project. Along the way, keep in mind the changes to the fixtures that are being replaced. For instance, if you have a larger bathtub in mind than the one removed, graph out the area that can accommodate a larger tub. Do the same with the sink and counter area and toilet if they are going to be replaced as well. Pay close attention to the design of the older toilet. When you place the new one on the existing drain, it must sit exactly on top of the drain to seal properly. Take careful measurements otherwise the tank area of the new toilet will be too close to the wall, or hitting it, and it won't match up to the drain.

If your not completely sold on one distinct layout, draw up a second or even a third set of floor plans. It will give you some versatility when shopping for the fixtures you are replacing.

You're last step is to take your floor plan, or plans, to the building supply store you've chosen to get the new fixtures. As a quick hint, choose one that offers free delivery. Bathtubs are heavy and won't fit in a minivan. Consulting with the sales associates at the building store can make fast work of your shopping. They can guide you to the different fixtures you need by the floor plans you brought with you. They will know the dimensions of the products they offer and may have some helpful tips to pass along to you when you get ready to install what you've bought.

Drawing up your own floor plans really isn't that difficult of a job using nothing more than a tape measure and some graph paper. In the long run, though, having them with you at the building store will make the difference between buying a tub that fits and one you have to return for a smaller model.

*Bathroom Floor Plans And Bathroom Layout, RepairHome.com