Remodeling Your Bathroom? 5 Reasons to Invest in Relocating Fixtures

Renovating a dated or problematic bathroom is often a great investment for homeowners. Modern, appealing bathrooms make a key part of the home more comfortable and functional while boosting home values at the same time. 

But should your bathroom remodel include moving the fixtures? This sounds like a minor decision, but moving the plumbing actually requires a significant portion of your renovation budget. So, when should you invest in physically relocating fixtures like the sink, shower, tub, and toilet? Here are a few of the best reasons and why.

1. To Hide the Toilet

In general, designers recommend that the toilet not be prominently visible to passersby and those first entering the bathroom. While this fixture is a central part of the room's purpose, it's unappealing to be constantly reminded of it. And there are usually much more attractive elements to feature as a person enters the bathroom. So, if your toilet is too prominent, consider relocating it. 

2. To Remove a Tub

The bathtub used to be a staple of nearly every residential bathroom. But today's homeowners and family members increasingly shun the bathtub in favor of a nice, hot shower. So, do you actually need the bathtub any longer? 

Assess honestly how much your family uses the bathtub in this particular bathroom. It takes up a lot of valuable real estate that could be used by a large and luxurious shower system, for instance, or to make the room more airy. However, most designers also recommend maintaining at least one bathtub in the home for things like pets and the needs of future owners. 

3. To Reduce Waste

How much of your current bathroom is not pulling its weight, space-wise? As mentioned, an unused or underused bathtub is one of the biggest space hogs. But what about that large double sink? As your family changes, you may not need two sinks anymore. Perhaps the double shower seemed fun when you built it, but you and your partner rarely need it at the same time. Or a normal bathtub is more appropriate for washing the dog than your big garden tub. 

4. To Get Rid of Conflicts

Architectural conflicts are built-in features that get in the way of each other. Does the bathroom entry door bang on the toilet every time you open it? Are you unable to open certain vanity drawers or doors at the same time? Does the bathroom door conflict with the shower door? What about traffic jams, such as family members at the sink blocking the entrance for others?

Test your bathroom for conflict points and remove them when possible. This immediately makes a small bathroom feel more roomy, an awkward bathroom feel more logical, and an older bathroom feel more modern. 



5. To Maximize Budget

If your renovation is on a limited budget, it may seem counterintuitive to spend more of it on one element. However, the right large-scale change may do more than a lot of smaller, less obvious—and less effective—changes. Ditching the double sink in favor of a single sink and a vanity, for instance, might be enough to make the bath more comfortable, more useful, and more spacious all in one move. That investment is maximized. 

Could moving one or more fixtures be the right call for your bathroom renovation project? Find out by meeting with Oak Creek Plumbing and Remodeling. We'll put our 50 years of plumbing and remodeling experience to work for you. No matter what size renovation you have planned or its budget, we'll help you make the best choices and achieve the best outcome. Call today to make an appointment or get answers to your questions.