Why To, And How To, Refurbish Your Bathroom

Refurbishing a bathroom, (also known as renovating or remodelling), can offer several benefits and improvements to your home. Here are some reasons why people often choose to invest in and refurbish their bathroom/s:

Modernisation: Over time, bathroom fixtures and designs can become outdated. Refurbishing allows you to update the space with more contemporary elements, making it more visually appealing and in line with current trends.
Increased Property Value: Bathroom renovations can significantly increase the value of your home. A well-designed and updated bathroom is a very attractive feature for potential buyers and can make your property much more competitive in the current market.
Improved Functionality: Refurbishing a bathroom gives you the opportunity to optimize the layout and improve functionality. You can reconfigure the space to better suit your needs, add more storage, or install fixtures that are more efficient and user-friendly.
Enhanced Energy Efficiency: Older bathrooms may have outdated fixtures and fittings that are less energy-efficient. By refurbishing your bathroom, you can install water-saving toilets, brassware, and energy-efficient lighting, reducing your utility bills and the environmental impact.
Addressing Wear and Tear: Bathrooms are high-traffic areas prone to wear and tear over time. Refurbishing allows you to address issues like leaky pipes, leaking or seized brassware items, cracked tiles, mould, and worn-out and stained grout, thus preventing further damage and any future potential water-related problems.
Personalization: Refurbishing gives you the chance to personalize your bathroom according to your own preferences and style. You can choose colours, materials, and fixtures that align with your taste and create a more cohesive look throughout your home.
Improved Safety: If your bathroom features are outdated or have damaged fixtures, it could pose safety risks (particularly electrical). Refurbishing allows you to replace old, faulty, or slippery surfaces with newer, cleaner, and safer alternatives.
Increased Comfort and Relaxation: Your bathroom is a place where you can unwind and relax. A well-designed and updated bathroom can create a more soothing and comfortable environment, enhancing your overall well-being.
Repair Structural Issues: Sometimes, bathroom refurbishment is necessary to address underlying structural problems like water damage, mould, or rot. Ignoring these issues can lead to more extensive and more costly repairs down the line.
Hygiene and Cleanliness: An old or poorly maintained bathroom can be harder to keep clean and maintain, leading to hygiene issues. A refurbishment can make cleaning much easier and more effective, promoting a healthier living environment.

Overall, refurbishing a bathroom offers a range of benefits, from aesthetics and functionality to increased property value and comfort. However, it's essential to plan and budget, as bathroom renovations can be a significant investment. Consider consulting with a professional bathroom retailer/installer like MK Bathrooms Showroom.

Choosing a Bathroom Retailer

Using a 'bricks & mortar' bathroom showroom such as MK Bathrooms Showroom instead of buying online offers several advantages that may be appealing to certain individuals. While online shopping has become increasingly popular and convenient for some, there are distinct benefits to physically visiting and using a ‘bricks & mortar’ showroom when it comes to bathroom refurbishment. Here are some good reasons why someone might prefer using a traditional bathroom showroom for supply:

Tactile Experience

In a physical showroom, you can see, touch, and feel the products. This tactile experience allows you to assess the quality, texture, and finish of items such as tiles, faucets, sinks, and other fixtures. It can be challenging or even impossible to fully appreciate these aspects when shopping online.

Visual Assessment

Showrooms offer realistic displays of bathroom setups. You can see how different products work together, how they complement each other, and how they fit within a bathroom space. This helps in visualising the final result and making informed decisions about the design and layout.

Expert Guidance

Showroom staff are often experienced and knowledgeable about bathroom design and products. They can provide expert advice, answer your questions, provide 3D computer design drawings, arrange installation, and also help you find the best solutions to meet your needs and preferences.

Product Comparisons

In a showroom, you can easily compare various products side by side. This includes comparing different brands, styles, colours, and features, which can be much more challenging to do online without switching between multiple browser tabs. Also, online digital photographs or images do not provide a true representation of the required finish anyway, particularly in certain light settings.

Customisation Options

If you're looking for custom or unique products, a showroom may be a better option. Some showrooms offer a wider range of customisation options that may not be available or easily accessible online.

Availability

Showrooms can have items in stock, or available next day, or even readily available for purchase within a even shorter time. This means you could take them home immediately, or schedule quicker more flexible delivery, which can be advantageous if you're on a tight timeline for your bathroom renovation.

Inspiration and Ideas

Showrooms often have fully designed bathroom setups that can inspire and spark ideas for your own project. Being able to see different styles and configurations in person can help you refine your vision and make design choices.

Deals and Discounts

Showrooms may offer exclusive deals, discounts, ex-display, or package pricing that could make it more cost-effective than buying individual items online.

Return of faulty/damaged or unwanted items

A physical bathroom showroom can turn around a return item very quickly, at an agreed day and time, particularly any damaged/faulty items, or even missing/incomplete items, and therefore not delaying or disrupting the project with the installer whom may charge extra for time wasted (or even halting the project altogether) in waiting for a replacement. This may also lead to the installer returning at a much later date leaving you with an unfinished project and possibly an unusable bathroom for some considerable time. A typical turnaround for an online supplier is one to two weeks which will also entail a fixed collection and delivery day/date but without any agreed time, and therefore arranging a whole day off of work (or alternatively just staying in and waiting all day) is needed.

Supporting Local Businesses

Opting for a physical bathroom showroom supports local businesses and the local economy rather than multinationals, which is an important consideration for some people.

Planning

If you’ve planned a new bathroom before, you’ll know how things can quickly become more costly than expected. It’s important to plan ahead, so before you start picking out your favourite cabinets, you should consider the layout.

When you’re not a plumber or an expert in designing and installing bathrooms, moving shower units or waste and water pipes can get tricky and expensive. But if you do need to move things around, or you’re starting from scratch, the MK-Bathrooms.net team can help. Here's why:

We’re experts in all aspects of bathroom planning, design and installation

Get advice from the professionals. It’s always good idea to visit a local showroom for advice. For one, our showroom staff are ex bathroom fitters who have had the 'hands on' experience and knowledge of what will work, and what will not, and this valuable knowledge is always free. And two, the team at MK Bathrooms Showroom has a combined experience of over three decades, so our helpful staff know what they’re doing. We’ve designed and installed every kind of bathroom you can imagine, we’ve used every trick in the book, and we’ve seen everything that can go wrong. That’s the sort of knowledge you can’t put a price on, or ever find on the internet, so tell us about your plans today.

Ventilation is important

One of the most important issues for any bathroom is ventilation. These days, extractor fans are mandatory, and must be fitted in all new builds. If left un-extracted, the steam and water from your bathroom will create moisture that will cling to the walls and surfaces of your bathroom, especially on any outside walls.

Moisture creates damp
Damp produces mould
Mould can cause serious health issues

Steam is the number one cause of damp, but removing it from the room using extractor fans and other ventilation methods will significantly reduce the chances of you having to deal with any mould.

MK-Bathrooms.net has all the ventilation products you need, and can offer advice on how to make sure the dreaded mould problem doesn’t take hold in your bathroom.

Future-proof your bathroom

You should also consider how your needs might change in the years to come. Could your family grow, will you ever relocate, could you be selling to a different set of people with a different set of needs down the line?

Choosing modern products is a sure-fire way of making sure your bathroom can withstand the test of time. We supply high quality modern products from reputable brands.

Avoid budget products & buying blind

Basin wastes, hinges, cisterns, taps, and many other bathroom products have moving parts. They’ll normally see an awful lot of use, so it’s important they last, therefore you should always buy higher quality products.

If you buy cheap, there’s a good chance you’ll have to buy twice. And when you discover that those budget products you bought are tough or even impossible to find replacements for, you could find yourself in even more trouble. Choosing high quality products will help you maintain your bathroom and add years to its lifespan. Just remember the time taken to fit a cheap product or a more expensive product is likely to be identical, it’s just the cost of the product that varies. Visit our showroom and see what’s on offer before you make any commitment. Remember than buying online without an initial knowledgeable survey could potentially cost you much more in the overall installation cost in trying to make a product work, possibly needing to be adapted/modified and thus voiding any warranty, (or even needing to be completely returned and replaced) due to unforeseen/hidden drainage or structural constraints.

Get the light right

When it comes to bathrooms, lighting is really important – both natural and man-made. The decisions you make here will set the tone for the whole room, and there are lots of routes you could go down. Be sure to consider the tone and overall look you’re trying to achieve first.

Does your bathroom get much natural daylight? Could you use any LED mood lighting? Would mirrored cabinets help more light get to those harder-to-reach corners of the room? Have a think. Lighting (if done right) can transform the whole look and feel of your bathroom.

Think about storage

Bathrooms are often stocked full of bits and bobs – shampoo, shower gel, toiletries, accessories, and/or laundry – so it’s important to make sure you’re covered with ample storage. Get in touch with us today to explore your smart storage options.

Plumbing isn’t permanent

There will probably be plumbing restrictions that may affect where wet items can go, but if the job was done right the first time, it’s often easier to move items than people think. Whether you’re renovating your bathroom or just starting from scratch, MK Bathrooms Showroom provides a complete bathroom service, and can help you create the bathroom of your dreams that will last.

Safety first

Because water and bathrooms go hand in hand, you’re far more likely to have a fall in a bathroom than anywhere else in the house.

From non-slip floor coverings & shower trays, to grab rails, seating, and accessible showering – if you have any safety concerns or require accessible bathroom products, the MK Bathrooms Showroom team are always happy to help, and can source from specialist suppliers. Our installers Full Public Liability Insurance covers all work carried out, so you’ll always have peace of mind. Visit or call MK-Bathrooms.net on 01908 615888 to discuss creating the perfect bathroom for your home.

Where to start??…

If you’ve planned a new bathroom before, you’ll know how things can quickly become more costly than you expected. It’s important to plan ahead, so before you start picking out your favourite cabinets, you should consider the layout and design first. MK Bathrooms Showroom have many years of experience in bathroom planning, design, and installation, so why not give us a call to see how we can help.

Why To, And How To, Refurbish Your Bathroom

Refurbishing a bathroom, (also known as renovating or remodelling), can offer several benefits and improvements to your home. Here are some reasons why people often choose to invest in and refurbish their bathroom/s:

Modernisation: Over time, bathroom fixtures and designs can become outdated. Refurbishing allows you to update the space with more contemporary elements, making it more visually appealing and in line with current trends.

Increased Property Value: Bathroom renovations can significantly increase the value of your home. A well-designed and updated bathroom is a very attractive feature for potential buyers and can make your property much more competitive in the current market.

Improved Functionality: Refurbishing a bathroom gives you the opportunity to optimize the layout and improve functionality. You can reconfigure the space to better suit your needs, add more storage, or install fixtures that are more efficient and user-friendly.

Enhanced Energy Efficiency: Older bathrooms may have outdated fixtures and fittings that are less energy-efficient. By refurbishing your bathroom, you can install water-saving toilets, brassware, and energy-efficient lighting, reducing your utility bills and the environmental impact.

Personalization: Refurbishing gives you the chance to personalize your bathroom according to your own preferences and style. You can choose colours, materials, and fixtures that align with your taste and create a more cohesive look throughout your home.

Improved Safety: If your bathroom features are outdated or have damaged fixtures, it could pose safety risks (particularly electrical). Refurbishing allows you to replace old, faulty, or slippery surfaces with newer, cleaner, and safer alternatives.

Increased Comfort and Relaxation: Your bathroom is a place where you can unwind and relax. A well-designed and updated bathroom can create a more soothing and comfortable environment, enhancing your overall well-being.

Repair Structural Issues: Sometimes, bathroom refurbishment is necessary to address underlying structural problems like water damage, mould, or rot. Ignoring these issues can lead to more extensive and more costly repairs down the line.

Hygiene and Cleanliness: An old or poorly maintained bathroom can be harder to keep clean and maintain, leading to hygiene issues. A refurbishment can make cleaning much easier and more effective, promoting a healthier living environment.