ᐅ Bathroom renovation of 8 sqm in a timber-frame house built in 1986
Created on: 23 Jul 2024 13:42
S
Sandra&Thilo
Hello Forum,
My family and I fulfilled our dream last year by buying a (used) house and have already taken care of the most important things. Now we are slowly focusing on the interior, especially the master bathroom.
The bathroom is currently just adequate, with about 8 sqm (86 sq ft) it is rather small and in an outdated condition, so it definitely needs to be replaced. For completeness, I’m attaching a floor plan here since I have already looked through many bathroom threads, but I’m hoping for some collective wisdom and maybe a few more ideas before we get more specific with the planning.
Here are also some current pictures of the bathroom:
The essential fixture in this bathroom is a double vanity from Geberit that we would like to keep if possible.
Here are the key considerations:
- As a family of seven, we haven’t used the bathtub even once in the past year, so we would not plan to include one. This probably benefits the floor plan. What are the pros and cons here? There is no other bathtub in the house.
- I would like to place the shower as a walk-in style at the back right to give the room more depth. The drain would be a tiled channel at the floor level directly on the wall. This should work since the bathtub currently has its drain there as well. The entrance to the shower would be from the left, with a towel rack on the left wall just outside the shower entrance.
- Since we plan to replace the windows sooner or later anyway, I’m considering moving the window to the left wall right in the corner and making it floor-to-ceiling, with the lower part fixed glazing and the upper part opening for ventilation. Possibly an additional transom window could run across the full width on top. However, I could also imagine having ventilation equipment in the room plus fixed glass, if there is no objection. I suspect the current wooden window cannot remain as is due to moisture issues in the shower’s sloped ceiling area, right?
- For the surfaces, I would prefer large light-colored tiles but only in the splash zone, with the rest covered by water-repellent clay plaster, which also helps regulate moisture well.
- I would place the toilet where the shower currently is and possibly keep the existing partition wall, although it currently makes the space feel very narrow and corridor-like. Therefore, I’ve thought about removing this wall and instead hinging the door on the other side so that a person using the toilet is not immediately in full view.
- An outward-opening door could also be an option.
- The bathroom tends to be on the darker side in terms of natural light since our large walnut tree stands in front of the window, so I would like to maximize the existing window area if possible.
- The left wall is a so-called “installation wall” made of lightweight concrete. All the plumbing connections date back to the original build year. I assume it should be fully replaced as part of the renovation if the wall is to be worked on anyway. The water, waste, and heating pipes are all known in location because we have photos from before the screed was poured. Above this bathroom are the pipes from the upstairs bathroom directly above, which pass through this wall.
Since we will be working on the structural elements anyway, I considered two possibilities to enlarge the bathroom area:
- Remove the left boundary wall of the shower and install a new door at a 45° angle --> less narrow corridor feeling, plus 0.5 sqm (5 sq ft)
- Give up about 50 to maximum 70 cm (20 to 28 inches) of the living room space by moving the wall. This wouldn’t bother the living room. This would create a new room width of about 2.5 m (8 ft) and a new floor area of 10 sqm (108 sq ft). The only downside in the living room is that the ceiling height rises up to 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) (open space). From my point of view, this area could not be used sensibly and would need to be closed off with a drywall partition.
Regarding usage: We currently have two bathrooms with showers plus a guest toilet, which serve us well during busy times. However, our children are now aged 4, 8, 9, 10, and 11, so I expect shower times to increase significantly soon, and the morning demand on the bathrooms to last longer. Perhaps a future-oriented layout allowing simultaneous use of the shower and toilet while maintaining some privacy could be considered.
I hope all relevant information is included yet the text is not too long. I look forward to your feedback.
Best regards,
Thilo
My family and I fulfilled our dream last year by buying a (used) house and have already taken care of the most important things. Now we are slowly focusing on the interior, especially the master bathroom.
The bathroom is currently just adequate, with about 8 sqm (86 sq ft) it is rather small and in an outdated condition, so it definitely needs to be replaced. For completeness, I’m attaching a floor plan here since I have already looked through many bathroom threads, but I’m hoping for some collective wisdom and maybe a few more ideas before we get more specific with the planning.
Here are also some current pictures of the bathroom:
The essential fixture in this bathroom is a double vanity from Geberit that we would like to keep if possible.
Here are the key considerations:
- As a family of seven, we haven’t used the bathtub even once in the past year, so we would not plan to include one. This probably benefits the floor plan. What are the pros and cons here? There is no other bathtub in the house.
- I would like to place the shower as a walk-in style at the back right to give the room more depth. The drain would be a tiled channel at the floor level directly on the wall. This should work since the bathtub currently has its drain there as well. The entrance to the shower would be from the left, with a towel rack on the left wall just outside the shower entrance.
- Since we plan to replace the windows sooner or later anyway, I’m considering moving the window to the left wall right in the corner and making it floor-to-ceiling, with the lower part fixed glazing and the upper part opening for ventilation. Possibly an additional transom window could run across the full width on top. However, I could also imagine having ventilation equipment in the room plus fixed glass, if there is no objection. I suspect the current wooden window cannot remain as is due to moisture issues in the shower’s sloped ceiling area, right?
- For the surfaces, I would prefer large light-colored tiles but only in the splash zone, with the rest covered by water-repellent clay plaster, which also helps regulate moisture well.
- I would place the toilet where the shower currently is and possibly keep the existing partition wall, although it currently makes the space feel very narrow and corridor-like. Therefore, I’ve thought about removing this wall and instead hinging the door on the other side so that a person using the toilet is not immediately in full view.
- An outward-opening door could also be an option.
- The bathroom tends to be on the darker side in terms of natural light since our large walnut tree stands in front of the window, so I would like to maximize the existing window area if possible.
- The left wall is a so-called “installation wall” made of lightweight concrete. All the plumbing connections date back to the original build year. I assume it should be fully replaced as part of the renovation if the wall is to be worked on anyway. The water, waste, and heating pipes are all known in location because we have photos from before the screed was poured. Above this bathroom are the pipes from the upstairs bathroom directly above, which pass through this wall.
Since we will be working on the structural elements anyway, I considered two possibilities to enlarge the bathroom area:
- Remove the left boundary wall of the shower and install a new door at a 45° angle --> less narrow corridor feeling, plus 0.5 sqm (5 sq ft)
- Give up about 50 to maximum 70 cm (20 to 28 inches) of the living room space by moving the wall. This wouldn’t bother the living room. This would create a new room width of about 2.5 m (8 ft) and a new floor area of 10 sqm (108 sq ft). The only downside in the living room is that the ceiling height rises up to 4.7 m (15 ft 5 in) (open space). From my point of view, this area could not be used sensibly and would need to be closed off with a drywall partition.
Regarding usage: We currently have two bathrooms with showers plus a guest toilet, which serve us well during busy times. However, our children are now aged 4, 8, 9, 10, and 11, so I expect shower times to increase significantly soon, and the morning demand on the bathrooms to last longer. Perhaps a future-oriented layout allowing simultaneous use of the shower and toilet while maintaining some privacy could be considered.
I hope all relevant information is included yet the text is not too long. I look forward to your feedback.
Best regards,
Thilo
motorradsilke schrieb:
I wouldn’t leave the shower in the niche either; it feels too cramped to me.You could extend the shower further into the room and shift the rest slightly upwards as per the plan.M
motorradsilke24 Jul 2024 12:07ypg schrieb:
You could extend the shower further into the room and shift the rest slightly upwards on the plan. That would certainly be possible. Still, the narrow recess where you end up standing remains. It’s at most 80cm (31 inches) wide. It wouldn’t be my choice as long as there are alternatives. But ultimately, the original poster has to decide. Both options should work fine.
S
Sandra&Thilo24 Jul 2024 15:59Yes, indeed, that is one of the reasons why I want to move the shower to a different location.
The niche is 90cm (35 inches) wide inside and already somewhat cramped. If the tiled partition wall were removed and replaced with a glass panel, a width of up to 110cm (43 inches) would be possible. However, in my opinion, this would only emphasize the "corridor-like" feeling even more.
Regarding the window, what do you think? Does the large window make sense, or could/should the window remain in its current position?
Sandra says she would keep the window as is, remove the bathtub, shift the toilet and washbasin slightly to the left, and leave the shower in the niche. From my perspective, everything would then be on the right side, and I would feel more like being in a bathroom corridor, similar to those in restaurants.
Do you have any more ideas on what could be done?
Keywords:
The niche is 90cm (35 inches) wide inside and already somewhat cramped. If the tiled partition wall were removed and replaced with a glass panel, a width of up to 110cm (43 inches) would be possible. However, in my opinion, this would only emphasize the "corridor-like" feeling even more.
Regarding the window, what do you think? Does the large window make sense, or could/should the window remain in its current position?
Sandra says she would keep the window as is, remove the bathtub, shift the toilet and washbasin slightly to the left, and leave the shower in the niche. From my perspective, everything would then be on the right side, and I would feel more like being in a bathroom corridor, similar to those in restaurants.
Do you have any more ideas on what could be done?
Keywords:
- T-wall
- Possibly toilet opposite shower + wall in the middle
- Folding shower screen (I think this would not be practical and would always be in the "shower position"); does anyone have first-hand experience with this?
- Ideas for the entrance area? Diagonal, leave as is, door opening outward, etc.
- "Is it worth moving the wall to the living room side for a gain of around 50cm (20 inches)? The amount of work would be a big hassle but I think it is doable"
M
motorradsilke24 Jul 2024 16:20I would place the window all the way to the left and avoid making it floor-to-ceiling in the bathroom, at least if I were to position the shower toward the back.
I wouldn’t move the wall toward the living room, since the room is already quite small.
In my opinion, having the door open outward or at an angle doesn’t make a difference.
I wouldn’t move the wall toward the living room, since the room is already quite small.
In my opinion, having the door open outward or at an angle doesn’t make a difference.
S
Sandra&Thilo24 Jul 2024 16:33Thank you for your assessment @motorradsilke, that already helps a lot. I really need to look into the options for the window.
Basically, in our wooden house, this can be done fairly easily with a utility knife and a reciprocating saw.
Basically, in our wooden house, this can be done fairly easily with a utility knife and a reciprocating saw.
S
Sandra&Thilo24 Jul 2024 20:11Honestly, I find this layout difficult because the niche simply won’t get any wider since the door swings against the wall. If I extend the shower screen, the passage between the screen and the vanity becomes too narrow. As a bit of an experiment, I placed a bathtub in the space behind the toilet, which is rotated 90°, because otherwise that area wouldn’t be usable.
I left the window as it is, which is actually one of the few advantages I can see here.
Did I understand this correctly?
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