Before beginning construction work, take time to consider your overall goals, devise an efficient layout for your bathroom, and determine a budget for your project.
Whether you’ll be hiring a pro for your bathroom renovation or doing the work yourself, this handy checklist can help you keep track of all the details. Answer as many questions as you can before meeting with a designer or architect, then take this checklist with you. Thinking about your needs and goals in advance can help you make the best use of your meeting time and set up your remodeling project for success.
Take time to think about what works in your current bathroom—and what doesn’t—to help you design a space that suits your lifestyle.
What do you love about your current bath?
What would you most like to change?
Describe your dream bath:
What type of feeling would you like your new bathroom space to have?
What colors do you like?
Will more than one person be using the bathroom at the same time? How often?
What bathroom activities are better done in private?
What bathroom activities can be done in a shared space?
Will this bathroom be used by visitors? How often?
Will visitors be children, adults, or both?
Do any users have physical limitations?
Do you prefer separate showering and bathing areas?
Would you like a tub that accommodates more than one person?
Would you like a shower that accommodates more than one person?
Would you like a toilet and/or bidet placed in its own compartment?
Determine what activities you’ll do in your bathroom and where these activities will take place. Take an inventory of everything you’ll need to store in your bath, and consider where these items will be used.
Grooming |
Yes |
No |
Where? (i.e.: vanity, tub, shower) |
Washing |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Shaving |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Brushing teeth/flossing |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Trimming/painting nails |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Applying cosmetics |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Drying/styling hair |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Skin care |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Taking medicines/vitamins |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Applying lotion |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
First aid |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Showering and Bathing |
Yes |
No |
Where? (i.e.: vanity, tub, shower) |
Washing body |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Washing hair |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Soaking |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Bathing pets |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Assisting an adult with bathing |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Assisting a child with bathing |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Other Bath Activities |
Yes |
No |
Where? (i.e.: vanity, tub, shower) |
Personal pampering |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Undressing/hamper |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Dressing: clothes |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Dressing: underwear/sleep clothes |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Drinking beverages |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Eating snacks |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Exercise without equipment |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Exercise using equipment |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Laundry: air-dry |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Laundry: hand-wash |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Laundry: machine-wash |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Laundry: sort/fold |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Listening to music |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Massage |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Meditation |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Polishing shoes |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Reading |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Supervising children |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Talking on the phone |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Tanning/sunning |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Watching television |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Displaying collections |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Growing plants |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Other:
Storage by Item Type |
Yes |
No |
Makeup |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Shaving supplies |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Hair grooming equipment/supplies |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Hand/foot grooming equipment/supplies |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Personal hygiene items |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Medicine/first aid |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Bathroom paper products |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Bath towels and washcloths |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Household bedroom linens |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Exercise equipment |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Pet grooming/bath supplies |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Cleaning supplies |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Shoe polishing supplies |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Other:
Extra Amenities |
Yes |
No |
Blow dryer |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Curling iron |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Electric toothbrush |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Electric razor |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Fireplace |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Radio/music player |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Scale |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Television/DVD player |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Towel warmer |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Coffeemaker |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Mini fridge |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Clothes washer/dryer |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Other:
Now that you’ve thought about how you’ll use your new bath, consider its physical properties. Go through the following checklists, and think about the elements you want to change and/or include. Your designer can help you assess what elements will fit into your space.
Room Size |
Existing Bath |
New Bath |
|---|---|---|
North wall |
|
|
East wall |
|
|
South wall |
|
|
West wall |
|
|
Total square feet |
|
|
Ceiling height |
|
|
Flooring |
Yes |
No |
Where? |
Bamboo |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Ceramic tile |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Concrete |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Cork |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Laminate |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Linoleum |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Vinyl sheet |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Vinyl tile |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Wood (solid) |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Wood (engineered) |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Stone |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Other:
⬜ 1-piece low-profile
⬜ 2-piece standard-height
⬜ 2-piece comfort-height
⬜ Wall-hung
⬜ Round seat
⬜ Elongated seat
⬜ High-efficiency model
⬜ Bidet
Other:
Shower wall material:
Shower floor/pan material:
Shower door material:
Showerhead: Type Finish
Yes |
No |
Finish |
|
Body spray |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Handheld shower |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Bench seat |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Steam |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Sauna |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Accessible/curbless |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Surfaces |
Vanity |
Shower Walls |
Tub |
Walls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Laminate |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Solid-surfacing |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Quartz (engineered stone) |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Granite |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Marble |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Cultured marble |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Tile (ceramic, porcelain, glass) |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Wood |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Concrete |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ Cast iron
⬜ Fiberglass
⬜ Cultured marble
⬜ Steel
⬜ Acrylic
⬜ Copper
⬜ Stone
Other:
⬜ Platform
⬜ Skirted
⬜ Platform with steps
⬜ Freestanding
Tub filler faucet:
⬜ Deck-mount
⬜ Wall-mount
⬜ Floor-mount
Finish
Yes |
No |
Finish |
|
Hand-held sprayer |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Special Features: |
Yes |
No |
|
Jetted |
⬜ |
⬜ |
|
Soaking tub |
⬜ |
⬜ |
⬜ Contemporary
⬜ Transitional
⬜ Traditional
⬜ Cottage
⬜ Period look (specify)
⬜ Wood Species Finish
⬜ Laminate or vinyl thermal overlay
Yes |
No |
|
Multiple surfaces |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Cabinet hardware |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Medicine cabinet(s) |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Defogging mirror |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Other:
⬜ Porcelain
⬜ Glass
⬜ Cast iron
⬜ Stainless steel
⬜ Decorative metal
⬜ Composite
⬜ Stone
⬜ Pedestal
⬜ Top-mount
⬜ Undermount
⬜ Wall-hung
⬜ Vessel
⬜ Integral/seamless
Other:
⬜ Deck-mount 4-inch center; Finish
⬜ Deck-mount 8-inch center; Finish
⬜ Deck-mount single-hole; Finish
⬜ Wall-mount; Finish
Other:
⬜ Glass shelves |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Medicine cabinet |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Mirror |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Towel bars |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Towel rings |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Robe hooks |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Shower grab bars |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Tub grab bars |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Toilet grab bars |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Toilet paper holder |
Qty: |
Finish: |
⬜ Television |
Qty: |
Finish: |
Ventilation and Lighting |
Yes |
No |
Fan |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Fan/light combination |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Fan/light/heat combination |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Ambient (general) lighting |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Skylight |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Task lighting (vanity/dressing table) |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Accent (decorative) lighting |
⬜ |
⬜ |
Other:
Set up a budget for your remodeling project before any work begins, and take time to carefully consider how best to pay for the work.
Budget Planning |
Yes |
No |
I plan to hire a contractor for all the work. |
⬜ |
⬜ |
I plan to do some of the work myself. |
⬜ |
⬜ |
I plan to do the decor, paint, etc. myself. |
⬜ |
⬜ |
I plan to do all the work at once. |
⬜ |
⬜ |
I plan to do the work and replace items in stages. |
⬜ |
⬜ |
This is the realistic total I hope to spend: $
This is the absolute most I can spend: $
⬜ All cash/savings $
⬜ Home-equity loan/line of credit $
⬜ Pay cash %, Borrow %