Shop for a contractor
Get bids from several contractors. Remember, while price is important, choosing the company with the lowest price “is not always the best idea,” warns Sara Ann Busby, vice president of the National Kitchen and Bath Association.
Make sure the job specs are the same for each company. That means you need to be very specific about the products and materials you want used.
Check out the contractor
Finding a good, reputable contractor is more important than price. I frequently hear horror stories from consumers who had a contractor start the job and then disappear, leaving their kitchen torn up and unusable.
Ask the contractor for:
-- Proof of a current license and insurance coverage — liability, property damage and workers compensation.
-- A list of suppliers. Call them to see if the company pays its bills on time.
-- A list of past customers. Talk to former customers about their experience. Did they get what they wanted? Are they glad they hired this contractor? Did the crews show up on time and clean up at the end of the day? Did the project come in on time and on budget? Ask if you can visit them to see what kind of work was done.
Your remodeling ideas should start with a rough plan. Making a list of what displeases you, and that you want to change is a good place to start. List the amenities you want to add.
Begin collecting visuals from magazines or brochures that display the effect you would like to implement. Then make a rough draft on graph paper. That will help you get an idea of the dimensions. Draw out your bathroom floor plan. Take exact measurements. Even if you move on to a more precise bathroom remodeling design, planning these basics will give you a starting place.
If your bath design includes simply replacing the fixtures and cabinetry in your existing bathroom and staying with the same dimensions and placement your remodeling design should be fairly simple.
However, if your bathroom remodeling ideas include changing the sizes of units such as vanity, bathtub, shower, etc., or changing placement then you will need a more exacting plan.