When it comes to your business, you should be constantly making updates that accommodate those living there, like bathroom remodels.
Unfortunately, things like bathroom remodels are not cheap and come with a lot of work and dedication. It is important to assess your current restrooms and see if this is worth the hassle and investment.
If a restroom is very outdated, it can be well worth the price for these amenities to be updated. A bathroom remodel can take an outdated room and make it new again. This is not only going to increase overall property value, but is also much more impressive to users and guests.
If you are interested in completing a bathroom remodel and want to assess if it is worth it, we will break down the ins and outs of this job. We will assess if these updates are necessary for your specific housing business, or if it is something you can let slide for a bit longer. To learn more, keep reading.
When to Update Your Building’s Restrooms
Before we jump into the ins and outs of remodeling your company’s restrooms, it is important to assess if your company needs remodeling done at all. We will focus primarily on commercial properties and housing units, which come with their own specific issues where restrooms are concerned. By renovating, you are probably taking on several bathrooms in various places around the building.
In many cases, this will mean that you must stick to strict guidelines or slowly re-do the restrooms over time. This may mean that some restrooms in your building are newly renovated, while others are still waiting to be renovated. Regardless of how you take on the task, you will want to consider if it is worth taking on to begin with.
There are a few key things to keep in mind before jumping into a renovation. You will want to consider these aspects to see if your restrooms truly need to be remodeled, or if this job can wait.
Is the Bathroom Environmentally Friendly?
One of the biggest reasons to renovate the bathrooms in your building is because the restroom is not currently environmentally friendly. Today, practically every appliance in the restroom can be environmentally conscious. If the current appliances are outdated, they are more than likely not offering the best water and energy saving capabilities.
Some ways that you can make the restrooms in your building more environmentally friendly are:
- Low-flow toilets
- Aerators for sink faucets
- Touchless valves for sinks
- Waterless urinals
- Motion sensor lights
- Faucet flow restrictors
- Energy-efficient light fixtures
If your current appliances are outdated, it can not only look bad for the company, but it can also be wasteful. Updating some or all appliances to newer, energy-efficient models can be very beneficial.
Is the Overall Appearance Outdated?
One of the biggest reasons that many decide to update the restrooms in their building is because of an outdated look. Older restrooms can appear dirty or unkept, even when they are cleaned regularly. This is not only an eyesore to those who are visiting the building, but it can actually become dangerous if certain areas are not updated.
Some things to keep an eye out for when deciding if your bathroom is outdated are:
- Dim or less than appealing lighting
- Poor plumbing (difficulty flushing, bad water pressure, dripping sinks)
- Stall doors not closing properly (if applicable)
- Cracks in tile
- Pitted countertops
- Stained sinks, bathtubs, showers, or walls
- Outdated wallpaper or chipping paint
If you have noticed one or more of these issues in the restrooms around your building, it may be time for an update. If several of these issues are present, it is time for a major facelift for your restrooms. From a few smaller projects to a complete overhaul, dealing with these issues head on is key.
Are the Restrooms Sanitary?
Another major factor that goes into deciding when to remodel is if the restrooms in your building are sanitary and up to date on sanitation matters. While it can be difficult to think about, due to the nature of what happens in a restroom, they must remain sanitary. This becomes even more important when several individuals are living or working in the same commercial building.
Not only should the toilets in your restrooms work properly and all showers and bathtubs should drain properly, but you should also consider additional sanitation matters. You should consider adding modern sanitation features like touchless paper towel dispensers, automatic flushing toilets, automatic sink faucets, touchless hand dryers, and even automatic lighting.
Overall, having touchless options around the restroom can help stop the spread of germs. This can help lower the amount of illness in your building, especially when it comes to shared restrooms.
Do You Want to Increase Property Value?
One of the biggest issues that comes with outdated restrooms is a lowered property value. When it comes to apartment buildings, this can affect the amount of rent you charge and can be very off putting to potential renters. By updated restrooms throughout your building, it can increase the overall property value and is much more impressive.
The overall property value increase is very similar to what you would expect from a residential restroom update. It can increase the overall value of your building substantially, which can make you money throughout the year. Also, if you ever decide to sell the building, you can do so at a higher asking price.
Are the Restrooms Occupancy and ADA Compliant?
One reason that many companies are required to update their restrooms is because they do not meet the requirements for the area. It is important that you evaluate the legal aspect of restrooms in commercial buildings in your area. You should evaluate the current restrooms in your building and ensure that they meet these laws.
Occupancy requirements are a major part of commercial buildings, and most areas require at least one toilet per each gender-designated restroom for every 1 to 15 occupants. This will raise to three toilets per restroom for occupancy of 36 to 55. In most apartment buildings, it is required to have one restroom per apartment.
Overall, if you are not meeting the occupancy regulations, it may be time to consider adding new restrooms and updating what you currently offer. This can be a more expensive change, but can be very important to meet these guidelines.
Going hand in hand with this is the need for your restrooms to be ADA compliant, which is extremely important for businesses today. If the building or restrooms are older, this may not be the case and can lead to fines. Most quality contractors know what is needed for ADA compliance and can help bring your restrooms up to these codes.
Other Benefits of Restroom Remodels
As we have already mentioned, updating the restrooms in your building can make it more environmentally friendly, refresh the appearance, make things more sanitary, increase property values, and ensure compliance. However, there are several other benefits that are worth mentioning. Considering these benefits can help you decide if taking on this work is worth the hassle.
One of the biggest benefits of updating the restrooms in the building is it can actually save you money in the long run. While the initial costs are a bit high, the overall payoff for these renovations can be very high. Some ways that you can expect to save money throughout the year are:
- Energy-efficient fixtures lowers water usage.
- You will reduce the overall waste from the restroom and save energy.
- You will spend less money overall on water, electricity, disposable paper towels, and more.
- Maintenance costs can be lowered significantly in newer restrooms.
Another way that this can pay off substantially, in the long run, is that renovated restrooms will lead to a better reputation. As mentioned, individuals are more likely to rent apartments with newer restrooms and updated appliances. For other commercial buildings, having updated amenities is a great way to make a good first impression.
Overall, you will be able to charge more for rental fees with updated restrooms. You will also be more likely to impress visitors, which can lead to more business.
Why Are Bathroom Remodels So Expensive?
At this point, we have mentioned that bathroom remodels can be very expensive. However, it is important to break down just how expensive these remodels can be. It is important to note that these numbers will multiply if you are thinking of remodeling several restrooms around your building.
The national average to remodel a bathroom ranges from around $12,500 to $15,000. It is important to note that this will rely heavily on the amount of work that needs done and these numbers can be much lower. On average, the cost of building a new restroom is between $250 and $300 per square foot, which may come into play if you hope to add more restrooms to your building.
Breaking Down These Costs
As mentioned, restroom remodels can vary greatly in price and it is important to know when to save and when to splurge. In most cases, commercial buildings will hire contractors to do much of the work and avoid DIY projects. However, some simple fixes can increase the restroom appearance with much lower costs.
It is important that you have an overall idea on what to expect when doing these remodels and understand where this money is going. This is why we will break down what to expect when paying for remodels.
Do Not Forget Labor Costs
One thing that many forget is that final costs will be vastly different than the costs of purchasing an item for the restroom remodel. For example, you may pay a flat fee for a new sink and faucet fixtures, but these costs will increase with labor charges. When it comes to bathroom remodels, you can expect to pay even more for more tedious and labor-intensive work.
While your specific contractor will give you a better idea of labor costs, a basic guideline to understanding what you will pay is:
- 60% to 70% of the overall costs of your bathroom remodel will be from labor costs alone.
- 30% to 40% of the overall costs of your bathroom remodel will be from purchasing finished products for the restroom.
- You can expect to pay more for tearing out older amenities, rewiring electricity, fixing drainage pipes, etc.
It is important to get an estimate prior to beginning any work and ensure that you have a clear idea on what your costs will be.
Plumbing and Overall Design Affect Price
One thing that is important to remember when it comes to commercial buildings, and especially housing style buildings, is that plumbing can be a bit more complex. In a residential home, there is traditional one to two restrooms. However, in a larger commercial building, there can be several restrooms that have their own unique plumbing needs.
The cheapest option for remodeling your restrooms is to keep the main plumbing aspects in their current place. This means that you will not move the toilet, shower, bathtub, sink, etc. and use the same plumbing with your new appliances. However, if you wish to relocate these items, it can increase your plumbing costs substantially.
Not only will this increase your overall plumbing costs, it can also increase the flooring costs in the restroom. By moving these items, you may need to do patchwork on the floors and replace tiles. This can increase costs as well.
Materials Greatly Affect Costs
One of the biggest differences in costs will be from the materials that you purchase. Many make the mistake of doing a bathroom remodel too soon and purchasing inexpensive items to fit a tight budget. If you have a very limited budget, it may be best to wait on the remodel or to take on smaller projects and make changes overtime.
It is also important to keep in mind that the work you may want done could be less extensive than the work others have done. If you simply want to update the paint and flooring in the room, it will cost much less than completely replacing toilets and showers. The costs will also be greatly affected by the quality of the items that you purchase, midrange products work well with lowered costs.
How to Make Your Remodel Simple
Now that you know more about when to remodel and the overall costs, you may be considering starting the remodeling process. This is best done by hiring contractors or experts that can help you as needed. This becomes even more important when tackling several bathrooms in a relatively short time.
There are a few key steps you can take to make this remodeling process as simple as possible. The best process for taking on your remodeling project is:
- Start by Setting a Budget – The first step to any remodeling work is to set a clear expectation of what you can pay and the budget that you would like to stick to. Whether this is something your business has been saving up for or you need to take out a loan for this, setting a clear budget is key. You should do your best to stick to this throughout the remodeling process.
- Create Your Ideal Timeline – You will want to set a timeline in which you hope to see the work finished and relay this information to those you hire to complete the work. In apartment buildings, this can be a bit more challenging, as you will need to work with tenants. It is important to sit down and write down your timeline and make it realistic.
- Find a Contractor in Your Area – Now that you have a better idea of what you can spend and when you want this work completed, hiring a contractor is the next big step. Make sure you discuss your ideas with our team.
- Always Research Materials – It is important that you always research any materials added to your restrooms and know what you are buying. Though you may find a contractor that you love, it is important that you are the one in charge at the end of the day. You should always do your own independent research and know what you are paying for.
Once again, it is important to remember that this is your company, your money, and at the end of the day, your project. You should be the head of the work being done and ensure it is done correctly. Sticking to your budget and timeline throughout can make the overall process simpler.
Improve Your Property with Superior Commercial Solutions
While taking on a bathroom remodel is clearly an extensive process and can be quite expensive, it is a way to enhance the look of your building and improve overall property value. For many companies, the benefits of doing a remodel far outweigh the costs. When hiring the right company to assist you, this process can be fairly simple and highly beneficial.
Superior Commercial Solutions is an industry leader for supplying and installing cabinets and quartz countertops for multi-family, student housing, assisted living, and hospitality projects. Although we are based in Utah, we proudly work on high-volume projects throughout the U.S. Discover the Superior Commercial Solutions difference by getting in touch with us.