Bathrooms are one of the most prominent targets for room renovations in the American household. Whether it is because of the heavy exposure to moisture, the wide variety of fixtures that must function at all hours, or simply the frequency with which occupants use this particular room, home and condo owners commonly seek out bathroom renovation services. All major cities have several bathroom remodelers, Chicago included. So if you are planning a home renovation and are considering updating your bathroom, ETI Construction has the tools, experience, and skills to guide you through the process. Let’s look at some of the basics of what bathroom renovations entail.

Planning Out Bathroom Renovation Services

Not all bathroom remodels are designed equally. Some homeowners may only be searching for general cosmetic touch-ups, while other homeowners may be planning a home renovation from scratch. Fortunately, bathroom remodelers in Chicago and beyond accept several levels of renovation.

First, there are bathroom renovation services focused on repairing as much as possible without having to replace furniture and infrastructure. These renovations have the benefit of a relatively low price tag due to using fewer and cheaper materials. This renovation is best when you enjoy the layout and functionality of your bathroom but want to change the aesthetic.

Second, if you are interested in a comprehensive revitalization of your bathroom’s look and its systems, you may be better suited by gutting the full room and replacing some parts. With this, you have your remodeler strip whichever walls and sections of the floor contain the plumbing, lighting, and fixtures in question.

The third level of bathroom remodeling best serves bathrooms where the layout itself must be changed. Be forewarned, shifting plumbing and fixtures away from their current location is much more expensive than a skin-deep touch-up. It also creates much more waste and a lot more mess to neaten up before the bathroom is usable again. Even if you only move one element, your remodelers may have to strip entire walls to lay the new infrastructure.

However, it is a tried and true method, and the only method, to permanently shift the layout of your bathroom to a more favorable arrangement. The fourth and last type of bathroom renovation service is the most dramatic. This is the level at which larger structural alterations come into play, such as bumping out walls, altering the support of the building itself, or moving the bathroom to a different room.

Bathroom Remodeling Process Steps

Unlike some home renovation projects, bathroom renovation services follow a very strict and precise timetable. Some steps pose a grave threat if they are taken out of order, especially during more thorough bathroom renovations. The first step, regardless of the planned renovations, is to draft your new floor plan. This might include the areas that need to be retiled, or it could go all the way to envisioning new locations for your tub, shower, toilet, and more.

Next, depending on the depth of work planned, you will need to apply for the proper permits as distributed by your local government. Once you have legal permission, you can begin demolishing whatever elements of the bathroom that must be removed for replacement. Then, you work on the deepest layer of infrastructure – plumbing, wiring, electrical alterations, and fixes to the HVAC system. If these changes are not sorted out early, you risk electrocution or water damage when installing later elements.

Now it is time to add sub-projects, surface-level fixtures, and aesthetic changes. These too occur in a specific order, though they may not be the order you expect. The general rule is working from the deepest layers to the shallowest. As follows, the next step is installing your new shower and bathtub. This can take a decent amount of time if your shower setup includes custom tile work and grout.

Next, it is time to paint the walls and seal up any infrastructure fixes that are still exposed. With the paint dry and the tub installed, the flooring can be replaced. Flooring materials are important, as they must be waterproof. As attractive as hardwood floors are, in a bathroom they will rot very quickly. The final touches take the least amount of time, as they only impact the surface level. These include toilet installations, bathroom fan replacements, and all other furniture and storage.

Working with Bathroom Remodelers in Chicago

In theory, whenever you’re planning a home renovation, you can complete all the steps yourself. Bathroom remodeling services are no different in this regard. However, by hiring a bathroom renovator, you are paying for years of construction experience, insurance, and safety training that will greatly ease the process.

Some work, while doable, is flat-out dangerous to perform on your own without proper training and education. Additionally, in more involved bathroom renovations that include moving fixtures and elements, a contractor can weigh in on your floor plan design based on whether the new locations are best for each part. Even in the most pessimistic view, hiring a bathroom remodeler is less expensive than making an avoidable mistake and having to pay to renovate your bathroom twice. Since construction work has so many possibilities for injury, it is not worth playing with your own safety. Consult with a professional contractor.

Comprehensive Bathroom Renovation Services

If you are looking to employ the services of bathroom remodelers, Chicago is home to a tried and true option. ETI Construction has decades of experience working with multifamily units, commercial contracting, and residential restoration and reconstruction. We source all specialty work such as plumbing and HVAC repair within our own company, which saves you time and money. Our process encompasses 12 essential steps that we use as the skeleton for all of our contracted projects. This allows us to keep clear communication and accountability at the front of our minds with every customer we help. Our scheduling system keeps you notified at every step and milestone of the construction build process. Do you have a bathroom renovation project, and are you looking for a reliable contractor to take it on? If so, contact us today and we will get you a reasonable quote for your dream bathroom.