Bathroom renovation – advice for a DIY enthusiast
DIY videos on the Internet have become quite common and they can help to solve minor problems. When you are thinking about bathroom renovation, are DIY videos enough? CEO of Conberg Ehitus, Ert Soasepp talks in detail about bathroom renovation
On the Internet, there is a lot of information on how to renovate your shower area or bathroom. All this advice might seem quite correct and trustworthy, but we would recommend being cautious. If you do not have previous experience and understanding of construction physics as well as safety requirements, there are a lot of things that could go wrong. Most of the time, a bathroom renovation is not simply renewing the finish and when you attempt to change the entire original design of the room, then instructions on installation or video tutorials do not help much.
When constructing a wet room, you should start with the room design. You should think about plumbing, construction, ventilation, electricity, water, sewerage and heating solutions, and interior design materials.
First problems arise when a do-it-yourself person fails to take into account construction specifics when choosing solutions. You need to think about load-bearing capacity, stiffness, deformability, fragility, and other characteristics of a construction. When we combine the wrong materials and solutions, the result might be cracks in plaster or concrete and damaged hydro isolation. We have seen instances when the floors have subsided and damaged heating mats, and in that case, it is easier to demolish everything and start over.
You must not install forced ventilation, electricity, water piping systems, or heating by yourself. These works require expert knowledge. Mistakes in installation work or failing to follow safety requirements could lead to serious consequences. Damages resulting from construction faults are not considered accidents and are not compensated by your insurance company. When the damages affect third parties’ property, the insurance company collects damages from the person who caused the damage.
Ventilation requires correct technical solutions so that air circulation norms in rooms are met. Otherwise, there is excess moisture which leads to damage. Faulty ventilation leads to an incline in air humidity levels in the whole building and in the worst-case scenario, resulting in the growth of fungi. Construction faults could affect the interiors of other rooms. If these problems are ignored, the air could become toxic and lead to health issues.
In conclusion, when you are a DIY-person, I recommend you commission your general construction, hydro isolation, and utility network works from specialists, who have all the necessary knowledge, experience, and construction logic to avoid permanent faults.
When you plan only to refresh interiors then DIY could work for you. For example, you could use the right materials and re-tile your old tiled walls. In that case, you do not need demolition works and hydro isolation stays intact. When choosing materials, think about the usage of the room and follow the manufacturer’s instructions on installation. I recommend choosing one manufacturer that you can consult with and inquire about materials so everything is done as required. I would recommend you to avoid universal instructions on installation, as these do not take into account the specifics of different construction materials.