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This is a room that will see a lot of water, and a lot of electrical work — not to mention a high potential for mould, which can eat away at your structure. If these systems aren’t balanced properly, your small bathroom could be a big disaster waiting to happen. For major projects, call a pro.
How much re-arranging are you planning?
If you’re trying to make better use of a small bathroom, you may look at the space and think that by moving around a few key pieces you’ll be able to open it up, giving you more room to work with.
What you might not realize is that the location of your toilet and vanity are pretty locked in. After all, they’ll have to work with the existing plumbing lines that are already in place. If you want your plumbing to move around, it means getting the right permits and moving around your configuration — which is a much bigger job.
So what can you do to free up some space without moving the plumbing? You can still replace the units with smaller, or floating models. This can free up some much-needed manoeuvring room. By removing big, bulky vanity cabinets, you’ll be able to open up the space — or you could use an open model that still gives you some good storage options without cramping your style with bulky swinging doors.
Replacing the tub
I get the appeal of a good, hot soak after a long day — but does your small bathroom need a tub, or would a walk-in shower suffice? In my opinion, while a home benefits from having multiple showers available — it doesn’t necessarily need multiple tubs, too.