Bathroom remodel questions

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum. I'm playing around with some ideas of what to do to my bathroom. As you can see, it's rather small without much room for improvement as far as I can tell. I live in a condo on the second floor, so expansion is out of the question. What I'm thinking I would like to do, is int he bottom right corner of the picture, inside the dotted lines, I have a washer dryer that goes there, and in the wall there too, I have my electrical panel. I'm thinking I could move the washer and dryer, and relocate my panel, and really open up my bathroom. I would love to hear any ideas about how to change things around. Thanks.

beachbumjeremy said:

Hello everyone, I'm new to the forum. I'm playing around with some ideas of what to do to my bathroom. As you can see, it's rather small without much room for improvement as far as I can tell. I live in a condo on the second floor, so expansion is out of the question. What I'm thinking I would like to do, is int he bottom right corner of the picture, inside the dotted lines, I have a washer dryer that goes there, and in the wall there too, I have my electrical panel. I'm thinking I could move the washer and dryer, and relocate my panel, and really open up my bathroom. I would love to hear any ideas about how to change things around. Thanks.

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I would open the wall in the bathroom and place the washer and dryer in there. Then get a small vanity. with a smaller vanity your bathroom would seem larger. Put a cabinet above the washer and dryer for storage.

you could also take out the regular door and put in a pocket door. I'm in the process of changing our basement door and bathroom doors out with pocket doors, it allows better use of the area where the door used to swing.

What's in those two areas around the toilet? Closets from the adjacent room, or possibly just wasted space? They may contain plumbing or ductwork, but there may be space that can be regained. In my bathroom, there was a space behind the tub that was boxed in like that that was just totally empty. I tore it down, and gained about 10 sq ft in the bathroom. It allowed me to put in a longer tub, and rearrange things. If not closets, poke a hole in the wall and take a look around.

space

that space on the top part of the picture is the front of my condo. It's in the hall that is adjacent to the door. I'm going to talk to the HOA to see if I can use that space, but it's highly unlikely.

IF that area is not a public entrance, i.e., it is in your private area, you may be able to move the wall. It gets a little messy if it is a load bearing wall, but can be done. It probably isn't, but you'd have to be there to tell for sure.

??

Can a load bearing wall be moved? DO I need permits for that?

Depending on where you live, you'd need permits not only for the plumbing, but for any electrical and structural (a load-bearing wall is structural). Yes, a load bearing wall can be moved...how to do it without problems is not necessarily difficult, but must be done properly or the building structure would be compromised. If not done right, it is very dangerous. Basically, you need to support the ceiling with a temporary wall while the load bearing one is replaced where you want it.

beachbumjeremy said:

Can a load bearing wall be moved? DO I need permits for that?

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You live in a condo. You better pull permits just for the sake of protecting your Butt. Just think if something happened what the other owners would do to you.

beachbumjeremy said:

Can a load bearing wall be moved? DO I need permits for that?

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If you asking if you need permits to move a load bearing wall, I'm going to guess that you shouldn't be contemplating moving one. Call a professional.

Tom

wait, jeremy. First post a diagram showing what is on the other side of all those walls. Like Jim said, you may get free space for nothing, just by knowing that it is there.

When buildings get built there is no time to optimize space, as the delay in time (one step depends on the previous one being fiinished) would make the project go over budget and over time.

Remodeling is the opposite. Before you call in a professional you have to know what there is, where, and what your options are. In the best situation, you already have a new floor plan in mind before the professional comes in. So, the people signed in here can help you plan your new bathroom, but need to know what there is, what is there, what is what.

Also good to know, now or soon, is where the plumbing drains to, what direction, i mean for example "off to the left" or to the right, or wherever.

Your condo association will help you and not hinder you. They all have every possible incentive to help owners upgrade their condos. Some of these people know a lot, and some know very little.


david

A quick way to identify if a wall is load bearing is to understand if it is parallel to or across the joists. If it is parallel to, and between joists, then it is by definition not a valid load bearing wall. Even if it is across the joists, it may not be a load bearing wall. If the plates aren't in intimate contact with the joists, it isn't load bearing. If it is load bearing, it must have a path all the way to a beam or supporting wall beneath it...it can't just be hanging there.

Suggested Design solutions that work.

I did the following on 2 bath renos:

1.Remove bathroom door-reinstall so it opens *Out* -or-consider a pocket door.
2.Remove all towel bars-replace with Towel Rings.
3.Replace vanity with pedestal sink (assuming HOA approves)
4.Install recessed/in wall storage cabinet above sink.

You might want to try this relatively non invasive stuff first...

Just changing the door & removing towel bars can give you 5-20 sq. feet of usable space considering field of motion. It's pretty amazing.

Mike

condo

1. not all HOAs are owner friendly. Some, such as those in AZ, operate as mini-gestapos. ANY exterior revision has to be approved by them and most are rejected as not compatible with the neighboring environment. Here, even American flags are rejected as objectionable, because they are too high, or make too much noise when they flap in the wind.