Renovation Must-Knows

What you absolutely must know before renovating your bathroom

Renovating your bathroom can be one of the best ways to add value to your home – both in terms of lifestyle and resale price. But there may be more to a bathroom reno than you realise. Will a new bathroom add more value to my home than it costs? Will you need a building consent? Should you get in a bathroom specialist or do it yourself? 


If these questions are causing you to scratch your head, don’t worry. We at Pzazz Building renovate more bathrooms than any other room. And here’s our expert advice to help you get started. 

Will a new bathroom add more value to my home than it costs?

A good bathroom renovation could increase your home’s resale value by as much as $1.50 for every dollar you spend, according to Gary Caulfield of Construction Cost Consultants. But the actual return on your investment will depend on a variety of factors, says Mike Bronswijk of Pzazz Building Hamilton.


“If your existing bathroom is in poor condition, it will not only make life uncomfortable for you and your family, but also make it more difficult to resell your house. In older bathrooms, there’s an increased risk of leaks which could cause damage to the structure of the house. I recommend that you renovate before that happens.”

How much should I spend on renovating my bathroom?

“That depends on what you want from your bathroom as well as the value of your home,” says Matt Coffey of Pzazz Building Christchurch . “As a rule of thumb, you should spend no more than 5 – 10% of your home’s market value on the renovation. The most important factors are that your bathroom reflects your style and lifestyle as well as being functional and durable.” 


Even the smallest bathroom or adding an ensuite will cost at least $10,000 but given that the average house price in New Zealand in early 2019 was more than $600,000, this is the minimum you should spend, according to Matt.


“A fear that many homeowners have is that they’ll over-capitalise on their renovation, but with the Christchurch media house price sitting at around $500,000, there’s just as much danger if you spend less than $20,000 on your bathroom that you’ll under-capitalise and actually reduce the value of your home.”

Should I add a second bathroom?

The average number of bathrooms in new homes built in New Zealand is 2.5 today, but 20 – 30 years ago it was one. Because the average age of New Zealand houses is 25, there are still loads of New Zealanders who have to share a single bathroom. And you know what that means – there’s always someone in the bathroom when you need it.


Adding a second bathroom to a three or four bedroom home could be the best investment you’ve ever made, according to Pat Rolls of Pzazz Building Manawatu. 

“It’s easier than you may think to add another bathroom. Many older homes have nooks and crannies and other spaces that can be converted into bathrooms. If you have a larger bedroom, it may even be possible to steal some of the space for an ensuite.”


Like all of the Pzazz Building group, Pat offers a free consultation to explore the possibilities in your home and provide you with ideas as well as expert advice on what can and can’t be done.

Will I need a building consent for my bathroom renovation?

Because bathrooms are wet areas and therefore at risk of leaks which can cause hidden damage and mould which can endanger your family’s health, they must be designed and constructed to the Building Code which provides for adequate ventilation, space, waterproofing and health and safety.


“With bathroom renovations, there are two questions to ask yourself. First, are you planning to alter the structure of your bathroom – removing the wall between a separate toilet and bathroom, for example? Second, do you want to add more sanitary fittings or make changes to the plumbing? If all you want to do is move an existing toilet or replace your toilet, bath or shower with a new one, you generally won’t need consent.”


The simplest and most reliable way to find out if you need a building consent is to take advantage of your local Pzazz Building bathroom expert’s free in-home consultation .

Should I convert my bathroom to a wet area bathroom?

We at Pzazz Building prefer the terms “lifetime bathroom” or “universal bathroom” because these types of bathrooms are designed to cater for everyone’s needs at every stage of their lives. Quite simply, they are bathrooms that are safer and easier to use because they remove obstacles to access such as slippery shower trays.


“I have worked with retirement villages to convert their bathrooms to universal design,” says Andrew Lee of Pzazz Building Nelson , “but I’m finding that these bathrooms are becoming popular with private homeowners because they provide a greater sense of openness and space and a better fit with the overall bathroom design and style.”


Peter points out that converting to a universal bathroom does require a building consent but the advantage of working with Pzazz Building is that all the necessary paperwork is taken care of for you.

Can I do my bathroom renovation myself or should I hire a specialist?

Bathroom renovations can be disruptive to family life, especially if you only have one bathroom, because of the fact that bathrooms are something that we can’t live without. 


“Because we are bathroom specialists, we take special care to minimise disruption to our clients’ lives,” says Gavin Gardener of Pzazz Building Christchurch . “Most important of all, we manage the whole project including sub-trades such as plumbers and electricians so the new bathroom can be completed in a far shorter time than if you tried to do it yourself or used a non-specialist builder.”


Pzazz Building’s mission is to make it simpler, easier and more stress-free to get the bathroom or bathrooms of your dreams. We do that through our:

 

 

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