Bathroom before and after: 3 renovation choices explained

Define the change before comparing appearances

Describe today's difficulties: an unused bath, inaccessible storage or a toilet interrupting the entrance. Set a checkable outcome for each. Changing colour affects appearance; opening a drawer without moving a basket improves use.

Keep viewpoint and room boundaries consistent when comparing inspiration. Have walls moved or fittings disappeared? Use bathroom budget priorities to price the scope after choosing the outcome.

Source: Houzz · Bathroom before-and-after editorial inspiration; no projects or photographs reproduced

Scenario A: improve storage while retaining positions

Conceptual example A has a workable layout but a crowded basin and disorganised storage. The proposal changes furniture, mirror and selected finishes, retaining bath, toilet and basin connections. The intended improvement is easier everyday storage.

This creates no extra floor area and leaves the bath edge. Ask what is reusable and which repairs await dismantling. Backing surfaces or incompatible connections may add expenditure. Try the cabinet with your own bottles and cleaning supplies before approving its appearance.

Scenario B: change how you bathe

Conceptual example B replaces an unused bath with a shower while retaining the basin and toilet positions. Judge the proposal by entering, reaching the controls, drying off and cleaning the enclosure. Include the household member who still uses the bath in the decision; removing it also removes that activity.

A level shower depends on available installation depth. Request a section showing the proposed floor and drain, plus the waterproofing detail and surrounding repairs. Those are questions for the installer before a product order. The bath-to-shower guide develops this particular scope in more detail.

Source: Schlüter-Systems · Platos de ducha a nivel de suelo

Scenario C: reorganise the room and its services

Conceptual example C puts the shower on the adjacent wall and moves the toilet towards the back. The aim is a clearer entrance and a different relationship between wet and dry activities. Keep this as a candidate layout until the new service routes have been checked.

Spain's CTE HS 4 and HS 5 address water supply and drainage. Ask for a service drawing and the effect on finished floor levels, access panels and nearby rooms. Rerouting and making good are potential additional costs. A tidier doorway view is only worthwhile if the new arrangement works throughout the room.

Source: CTE · Documento Básico HS Salubridad

Compare all options within the same room boundary

For an illustrative comparison, keep a room of 240 × 200 cm between finished walls. In B, a 140 × 80 cm shower replaces a 170 × 70 cm bath in the same back corner. It is 30 cm shorter but projects 10 cm further into the room. The apparent gain at one end is not a promise of better circulation.

Keep the entrance, basin and toilet identical when comparing the starting point with B. Draw the enclosure separately before selecting its opening. All dimensions are invented for this exercise, not Spanish regulatory clearances. The small bathroom layout guide helps you test the actual movements.

Choose the proposal you can explain and verify

Compare each option with the original complaint, then list the unanswered questions. Investigate recurring condensation symptoms separately from the appearance of the finishes. Ask who will confirm the proposed solution and when you will receive that confirmation.

Assess applicable accessibility requirements under Spain's CTE DB-SUA. The REBT regulates electrical equipment around baths and showers; include electrical work in the brief. Use the renovation calculator for an initial scenario comparison. It cannot inspect hidden conditions or confirm a contractor's price.

Source: CTE · DB-SUA Seguridad de utilización y accesibilidad · BOE · Reglamento electrotécnico para baja tensión (REBT)