How to Remodel a Small Bathroom – The Family Handyman

Everything you need to know to get started The bathroom after being remodeled

The remodeled bathroom has an updated look and is highly functional.

The bathroom was uninspired and cramped before the remodel.

Our bathroom design is the perfect solution for the old, heavily used, small bathroom that you can never quite get clean enough. We not only pulled a few rabbits out of the hat to produce features that make the room easy to clean but also used smoke and mirrors to make it appear much larger.

In this article, we'll show you how to tear out an old bathroom and put in a new one, including details on:

Although this new bathroom is a bit smaller because of additional plumbing walls, it appears larger. Substituting a shower for the bathtub, adding a large mirror, and using a wall-hung sink and toilet all contribute to the spacious feeling. This big-picture stuff is striking, but it's the step-by-step details that make it work. We cover the little kernels of information that will help your project go more smoothly and with fewer headaches.

A bathroom remodel is a big project. If you can only work weekends, your bathroom will be out of commission for two months or more. You'll need all your expertise as an experienced do-it-yourselfer because you'll have to tackle electrical, plumbing, tiling, drywalling, taping and even exterior siding. In this article, we'll deal mostly with the nuts and bolts of ripping out existing plumbing and replacing it correctly with new, easily installed PVC piping.

Don't think you need to do the whole job solo if you don't feel qualified or able to perform all the tasks, especially the plumbing and electrical work. Pros will greatly speed up the project, which is particularly important if the bathroom under construction is the only one in the house.

You must get permits before tackling a bathroom remodel. Contact your building inspector to go over the scope of the project to find out exactly how much you're permitted to do. When your permit is granted, you'll receive a schedule list that'll tell you when to call for inspections.

We didn't pinch pennies when it came to remodeling this 6 x 8-ft. bathroom. We chose top-shelf materials to make the room as striking as possible, but you can go with less expensive materials and still have a bathroom fit for a magazine cover. Here are our costs:

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How to Remodel a Small Bathroom - The Family Handyman