Tips for planning your bathroom

What you need to know:

For the love of a good bath: The bathroom may be one of the smallest rooms in your house plan, however, to ensure proper hygiene and comfort, one needs to plan the construction of their bathroom well in advance.

As you plan to construct your house, or as you have already embarked on doing so, regardless of the space you have, a bathroom shouldn’t be an afterthought, but among the things to consider early.
Before you decide on the kind of bathroom you want to construct, it is important that you look at how much space you have, what is trending, and how much it will cost you. And definitely, the space you have will determine what you will include in your bathroom, which, in turn determines the construction costs.

The space
Tonny Mubiru, a construction engineer, says, the amount of space you have is a major determinant; If you have very limited space of about 4X5 feet or less, you will only be able to have a shower, without a toilet in your bathroom. But you can still make the best out of your space by buying an already made enclosed bathroom, which you can simply place into the space you have. These come in a range of different sizes and prices from about 4X4 feet and above. But even with only a shower, there is still space for a small water heater to be placed on the wall.
For space of about 6X7 feet or a little more, a few more things can be accommodated. A toilet, washing basin, a water heater, water mixer (which comes with a shower). One can even have a small bath tab as big as a basin in which they can stand while taking a shower.
However, Mubiru advises that installing only what you need is paramount because leaving free space does not only make your bathroom look better, it also allows for adjustments in case one wants to install new innovations.
If you can have a room as big as 8X10 feet and more, there is allowance for a bathtub or Jacuzzi, a toilet, washing basin and more bathroom equipment. However, if you are planning to buy a water heater, it should be bigger, than one used for just a shower, because here, more water will be required thus, a bigger heater to warm those amounts of water.
You can also plan to incorporate your dressing room in your bathroom. Here the room can be divided into two sections, a bathroom, and a dressing room. However, this means having plenty of space in that no section is congested.

Costs involved
“The costs also depend on how big or small the bathroom will be. But roughly estimating, a small bathroom without a toilet may cost about Shs3M in construction, and a 6X7, with a toilet about Shs7M.
The costs go on increasing depending on the type of equipment one buys. Whereas a toilet can go for as low as Shs350,000, one may prefer to buy that of Shs500,000. Likewise, for bathtubs, one may buy one made of steel, which is cheaper compared to that of fibre,” Mubiru explains.

What is trending
Agnes Nyawijja, an interior designer at A.N interiors, says, depending on the size of your bathroom, settling for either a shower or a bathtub is the in-thing.
For people with plenty of space, a bathtub or jacuzzi is definitely the way to go together with other minor accessories, according to your taste.
And for people with limited space, you can still make the best out of it with a trending water mixer.
“But in either case, a water heater is a must have to make your bath/shower a good experience,” she adds.

Water storage
Buying a water tank which can directly be erected beside the bathroom to provide a constant supply of water, is very crucial, especially with the unannounced water shortages in the country. Ensuring that an up-to the standard septic tank is constructed is important, because your bathroom and toilet are only functional if the septic tank is in good shape. Mubiru says a properly constructed septic tank can last up to 20 years or even more. This should be accompanied with a soak pit which allows water from the septic tank to slowly soak into the ground, which gives the septic tank a long life.

Tips for lighting
Plan a lighting scheme. The best approach to a well-lit space is to incorporate layers of task, accent, ambient and decorative lighting.

Six bathroom design tips

1. The bath and the bedroom need a comfortable connection
Consider the bathroom in the context of your entire master suite and bedroom floor. The relationship of master bedroom, dressing area, bathroom and entry into the suite from the hallway should be the foremost planning principle. Hire an architect or other design professional to help you.

2. Designate spaces for specific functions
Design a specific space for each of the most essential functions. For washing, design a contained counter area or a wall against which a sculptural pedestal sink can be displayed. The same holds true for the tub, shower and toilet area. Decide if you really need a separate tub and shower or if a combined/shower tub, or even just a shower, will serve your purposes. Decide if the toilet needs its own room or whether it can be part of the open bathroom.

3. Make your bathroom a room
Don’t line the fixtures against the wall. Instead, organise different functional areas around a central space, and give this space a room like feel. Decide on the minimal space you need to move around in, and try not to let that grow.

4. Use compatible fixtures and materials
Carefully select fixtures and materials in keeping with your tastes and with the essential character of the house. Hire a designer sympathetic to your tastes and to your home. Don’t believe expensive means better.

5. Keep it in proper proportion
Always consider that your design response is proportional to the problem. If you have decided that your tub is a little too small, don’t take away from the master bedroom to make the tub bigger. When you are done planning, look over your bathroom plan. It should be smaller than your bedroom and, ideally, smaller than your dining room.
Stephen Vanze , Finebuilding .com