Basement bathrooms have a bad reputation for being dark and dank, but it shouldn’t be that way! The basement is part of the home and contributes valuable square footage.
Take advantage of the opportunity to increase the value of your client’s home and increase their appreciation for a potentially neglected space by updating the basement bathroom.
Before You Get Started
As a first step, be sure to consult with city building authorities and check for any local zoning ordinances or deed restrictions, especially if you’re installing a new bathroom.
After that, begin to think about how the space will be used. As you’re planning, you’ll want to consider these things.
Basement Bathroom Size
If the basement is intended to function as guest quarters or a family suite, there should be a full or three-quarter bathroom installed. Approximately 60 square feet is the recommended square footage for a full bathroom. For a smaller bathroom or half-bath, plan for at least 30 square feet for a basement that is primarily an entertainment area, rec room, or office space.
Basement Plumbing and Electrical
Bathrooms should be installed in close proximity to existing plumbing and electrical lines, if at all possible. This will save you and your crew valuable time and reduce costs for your client.
Are there any drainage concerns? Do they need a specialized toilet system such as a pressure-assisted toilet, an up-flush toilet, or a sewage-ejector system? These will all have an impact on the overall design and orientation of the remodel.
One of the biggest reasons basement bathrooms have a bad reputation for being dark and dank is due to poor ventilation. No matter where you install the bathroom, keep it along exterior walls so proper ventilation can be constructed.
The Desired Lifestyle and Purpose
What kind of bathroom does your client want? An inexpensive design that just fits the bill? Something more custom? To avoid unnecessary change orders, plan every piece of porcelain and cabinetry with the homeowner in advance.
Do they want a free-standing clawfoot tub or bathtub and shower combo? Are they looking for a full-sized corner shower with custom tiled walls or a prefabricated shower stall?
Are they going for a classic pedestal sink or an RTA bathroom vanity? What about mirrors and drawer configuration? Will this bathroom have a traditional flushing toilet or a sustainable composting commode?
Of course, all of these design choices will be guided by space, economic considerations, and how the space will be used.
A bathroom remodel doesn’t have to carry a massive budget to have a big-budget impact. Here are a few design ideas for contractors and real estate agents who are guiding clients towards the perfect basement bathroom installation or remodel.
“A bathroom remodel doesn’t have to carry a massive budget to have a big-budget impact.”
1. Let There Be Light
Dark and dank no more! Brighten up any basement bathroom with improved and energy-efficient lighting. Recessed light fixtures work well over tubs and showers or directly over toilets. Classy vertical fixtures enhance mirror visibility and look quite elegant when mounted on each side of the vanity.
Track lighting offers a more modern look and can provide lighting in strategic parts of the room with one fixture. Dimmer settings can serve as mood lighting or night lights if the basement is intended for sleeping quarters. For the more robust budget, a bathroom chandelier would add a “wow” factor in addition to sufficient lighting.
2. Create Storage Everywhere
If there’s one thing every house never seems to have enough of, it’s storage. A basement bathroom is an ideal place to make up some of that storage space! And with easy, affordable solutions like RTA bathroom cabinets, it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
Install a large linen closet for all those surplus sheets and towels taking up space in the upstairs storage. Add floor-to-ceiling seasonal storage for decorations and supplies that you don’t need all the time but want to keep safely inside rather than in the garage.
Combine the basement bathroom with the laundry room and create a laundry organization and folding station your neighbors will drool over!
3. Update the Shower
Prefabricated showers are usually the most affordable solution. but they’re notoriously boring. Depending on the orientation of the stall, update an old shower with a fresh glass door to give the room a classy feel. Or if the client is ready to take that old prefab shower out, install a full shower with tiled walls.
4. Add a Fresh Coat of Paint
As always, a fresh coat of paint in a bright or contrasting color will give any bathroom a new and improved look and feel. Be sure to get anti-molding paint in a basement bathroom due to the potential for decreased ventilation.
National K&B Cabinetry: Expert Bathroom Cabinet Manufacturers in Austin
The easiest way to affordably customize a basement bathroom installation or remodel is to use RTA bathroom cabinets! At National K&B Cabinetry, our ready to assemble cabinets are made of the highest-quality solid maple for timeless beauty and function. All right here in Austin!
Reach out to the NKBC team today, and let’s get started!
Kitchen and bathroom cabinets are opened and closed dozens of times on any given day in homes across the globe. Quality in both design and craftsmanship is crucial in order to keep your cabinets performing at their best.
Realtors, builders, and homeowners alike need to know about the different types of cabinetry available and what each type is designed for in order to make the best buying decision for the space. If you’re not sure where to start, this article will teach you the basics and help you see the benefits of both RTA and pre-assembled cabinets.
The Top Two Cabinet Types
There are essentially two categories for cabinets: RTA (or ready-to-assemble cabinets) and pre-assembled cabinets. While the differences may seem straightforward, the manufacturing, shipping, quality, usage, and price all play a factor in kitchen cabinet selection.
RTA Cabinets
As the name indicates, “ready-to-assemble” cabinets are prepackaged and shipped to the job site. They require on-site assembly prior to final installation.
Pre-assembled Cabinets
Pre-assembled cabinets are just the opposite of RTA. They arrive at the job site assembled with all the necessary hardware and are ready for installation right away.
To help you in your selection process, here are five of the primary differences to consider before buying cabinets.
“When buying ready-to-assemble options, you may find you’re able to choose a higher quality bath or kitchen cabinet than you could otherwise afford.”
This is the most obvious difference between the two options. Pre-assembled cabinets arrive ready for installation and provide the most convenient solution.
Even though ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets and bath cabinets must be assembled before installation, the process is usually simple and doesn’t require a professional’s touch. However, if you can’t or don’t want to DIY this part, you may eat up a bit of the cost-savings by hiring out the work.
If you decide, during assembly or installation, that you want to make a change to the configuration, this could prove difficult for pre-assembled cabinets. The design was settled on weeks or months before they were manufactured. Remodeling the configuration means professional skills, fancy equipment, and more time.
With ready-to-assemble cabinets, you have the flexibility to make some changes spur-of-the-moment and reconfigure the layout as needed.
#2: Materials
Some dealers sell ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets made of mixed materials like particleboard and compressed wood to cut corners. This has given a false sense of inferiority to the ready-to-assemble cabinet market as a whole.
At National K&B Cabinetry, your local source for custom cabinetry in Austin, we only offer the highest-quality solid maple for timeless beauty and function.
Pre-assembled cabinetry can be manufactured out of virtually any type of wood. The most common choices are cherry, oak, pine, and maple.
In both cases, if they’re made using solid wood, it’s possible to refinish the cabinets down the road when you’re ready for a new look and feel to your kitchen.
#3: Cost
When you choose ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets, you’re choosing what is essentially a wholesale option. The cabinets have been pre-produced in large numbers to provide the highest quality product at the most affordable price.
When buying ready-to-assemble options, you may find you’re able to choose a higher quality bath or kitchen cabinet than you could otherwise afford.
Pre-assembled is more expensive to start. In some cases, it’s more than double or triple the cost of RTA. The expense is due to design, production, and shipping. Due to their size and bulk, they can’t be shipped in flat boxes. This results in longer and more costly shipping.
#4: Customization
Pre-assembled cabinets can be manufactured after an order has been placed and be made to fit exact specifications in both configuration, style, color, and material. This also allows for additional design features like pull-outs and lazy Susans.
With ready-to-assemble cabinets, your design and style selection will be more limited at the base level. Custom features such as built-in wine storage, mixer storage and lift, blind corner swing outs, glass door inserts, trash and recycling centers, and drawer accessories can be offered as an upgrade.
#5: Time
Obviously, a kitchen or bath cabinet that arrives ready to bolt in is far more efficient to install than the option with assembly required. There’s little to no waiting — just unpack your pre-assembled cabinetry and you’re in business.
What many buyers forget to consider is shipping time. Depending on the level of customization your designers create, there could be a significant delay in delivery.
Ready-to-assemble configurations can typically be sourced from a local warehouse, or if shipping is required, you’re not waiting on custom manufacturing times. You could have a finished kitchen or bath much quicker if you choose ready-to-assemble cabinets.
Consult Your Local Experts at National K&B Cabinetry — Offering the Best RTA Cabinets in Austin!
It can be overwhelming to consider all the factors that go into designing a kitchen, whether it’s for yourself or your client. We can help take some of the pressure off and walk you through the whole process.
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