Functionality is the key to a new bathroom or renovation; that and making sure there are no leaks!

Bathroom renovation specialist Daniel Tyack says that it is amazing how many times he’s seen aesthetics put before practicality in one of your home’s most important features.

“We’ve done bathrooms in the past where people want certain fixtures and we tell them, ‘it won’t serve its purpose’,” Daniel said.

New homebuilders and renovators should, he said, look at the purpose of the bathroom first and work from there.

“Look at the functionality; what they want the bathroom to do for them. Such things as making sure the toilet, the shower, the bath are in the right spot are essential.”

Popular home renovation reality television shows can also create unrealistic expectations on what you can produce within a budget: “They start off going overboard until they get a price. Free-standing baths, for instance can cost $3000–4000 a pop.”

“You want to allow, for a full bathroom and fixtures and installation, about $14–18,000,” Daniel estimated.

“People will often say ‘I want this and I want that’ and then we do up a quote and they say, “Geez, I was thinking of it coming in below $10,000’, well that’s just not realistic for the work they want done,” he explained.

One of three main pitfalls is trying to skimp on quality, Daniel believes: “remember that you use it every day, you need to spend some good-quality money to get a good-quality product.”

“The most important thing structurally is waterproofing. If it hasn’t been installed properly, you get leaks that can damage timber frames, adjoining walls, flooring,” he explained.

“If you think your bathroom may have leaking, have it looked at, otherwise it will cost you money in the long run.”

He said that self-renovators should ensure that they have the appropriate skills, tools and fixtures before they embark on a do-it-yourselfer.

“It can be tricky to do your own bathroom, because you come back to waterproofing; that’s where you can come unstuck.”

Before you decide on style, Daniel advises, consider if you’re intending to stay in the house for at least the next 10 years, or whether you’re thinking about selling sometime in the near future.

“If you’re thinking of selling, best to go for something neutral rather than all-out extravagant.”

While they are often overlooked in renovations and new builds, Daniel says that any money spent on good-quality fittings is never wasted. “Go for well-known brands like RAM and Caroma, because you don’t want to be replacing your taps and other fittings after two years,” he advised.

If you have questions or would like more information about a Bathroom renovation, Daniel can be contacted at Daniel Tyack Building Services on 0417 272 331.