You have to believe me that my clients are fetish about their bathrooms more than their bedrooms. Also an eye-opener …. Bathroom nearly cost the same as one bedroom furniture. Redoing a bathroom or making a new one … there are few things that you need to pay attention to in extreme.

1. Plumbing work
2. Waterproofing
3. Tiling work
4. Sanitary fixtures and fittings
5. Slopes

Plumbing work will require a well-thought plan and future planning too. You have to know in advance if you will require outlets for washing machine ever or not, any solar water heater to be installed later, freshwater and stored water separate lines, back up line for the mains just in case. The main tip here is to install a gate valve for the bathroom separately so that one can cut off the water supply in case of repairs. This is generally not taken into consideration and one has to either go on the terrace or ask the mainline water supply to be shut down.

Waterproofing is a very essential part of the bathroom. Earlier times the sunken areas were made so that the traps and all fit in that space. With a new type of construction, the pipes are taken out from the lower floor ceiling and a false ceiling is made to hide the pipes. This is not possible for ground floor construction. This makes it easier to detect and repair the pipes as they are very accessible . Also very less chance of seepage issue.

Tiling work is the only element which can give a final look to your bathroom. Selection of tile is the major part of the bathroom for a homeowner. My few tips to the homeowners when selecting tiles :

• Tiles HAVE to go with your room decor. If you have a room which is very vibrant, say, blue and yellow colour, then you would not like to give another colour to your bathroom. The bathroom can be white with splashes of blue and yellow. This can be achieved by having some areas in those colour or accessorise it . But do remember the tiles will be permanent and then if you decide to change the colour of the room , you cant again go with a different colour there.

• The tiles are not compulsory to cover walls till 7 feet high on all four walls. This is highly endorsed by contractors and tile companies as more quantity so more work and purchase. I like to see some wall and texture in the bathrooms. A fully tiled wall looks more like an OT to me.

• The price of the tiles is only and only defined by the final look of the bathroom. A 75/sqft tile can be put smartly and defeat a Rs 300 sqft tile, in feel and look.

• Pls buy enough of tile before starting the work. Sometimes the stock gets over if you do not buy extra and then procuring the same will be very difficult. One box extra should be enough to be with you as there might be a need later after you install other electrical and sanitary ware.

Sanitary ware and fixtures are the next imp item in the bathroom. Selection of these items again depends on the theme of your bathroom. A vintage style bathroom will not go with a flashy steel look. The price should depend on the material and the technology you like to invest in. Service centres and reviews should be well researched on.

Slopes ensure good drainage of water from your shower and other areas. The shower area should be at least half an inch below the rest of the floor area. Very big size tiles and big size stones are difficult to give slope in the centre. For this, we need to take a bigger floor- trap or cut the tile/stone in a pattern where all water drains out fast .

Go ahead and design your bathroom and enjoy the peace when using it !