Matt Plaskoff asked:


A renovation project, such as remodeling your bathroom can be one of the most stressful undertakings that homeowners can embark on.

Nevertheless, millions of people want and need to improve their living conditions. Remodeling IS the answer but how do you ensure that you don’t become a victim of a remodeling nightmare?

You’ve heard it so many times from friends and relatives, “Expect a nightmare. It will take twice as much and take three times as long.”

News Flash: Remodeling your bathroom doesn’t have to be that way!

After 25 years in the remodeling industry and after running two successful remodeling and home building companies, I’ve seen it all. And, I’ve been able to boil success down into Matt Plaskoff’s Six Secrets to Successful Bathroom Remodeling.

6 Insider Secrets to Successful Bathroom Remodeling From One of the Original Consultants for “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”

Secret #1: Have a Plan!

Would you head off on a long expensive trip without a road map? Of course not! That’s unless you were looking forward to surprises along the way.

Well, in bathroom remodeling, the only surprises are disastrous ones. Figure out what you want BEFORE you start. Put it on paper with your Designer or Contractor. Figure out:

What is the layout?

What are the exact products you want?

What colors are you using?



Answer and document all of these answers BEFORE a single hammer hits your bathroom wall.

Secret #2: Don’t Start Your Bathroom Remodel Until You Have Everything You Need!

So your contractor demolishes the bathroom (the only one you have in the home by the way) and then he decides to tell you that the tile you picked that he thought was going to come in today is delayed 6 weeks.

This is NOT a good scenario but an all too often real one. Order the products. Get them delivered. Open the boxes. And make certain they are the right color, not broken and fit together properly before you allow anyone to tear up your bathroom.

Secret #3: Hire a Professional. All Contractors are NOT Created Equal

A remodeling project is one of the largest investments you can make in your life and home. For example, a properly constructed bathroom remodel can return over 132% of the invested value.

In contrast, a poorly constructed project can create damage that far exceeds the savings you thought you had enjoyed by hiring “the guy your friend used to paint his room.”

Protect your assets and your personal belongings by hiring a licensed and insured contractor to remodel your bathroom. Require a contract that lists EXACTLY what you are getting, a “guaranteed price” (a professional should be able to tell you exactly what it will cost) and a guaranteed time frame. Tell them to put their money where their mouth is and sign a penalty clause if they don’t finish on time. This way, you’ll find out who the real professionals are.

Secret #4: Hire Experience!

Jacks- of-All-Trades abound in the remodeling and construction industry. Everyone wants to be everything to all people. You wouldn’t hire a heart surgeon to do a nose job so why would you hire a kitchen specialist to remodel your bathroom. Hiring someone who specializes in bathroom remodeling projects will lead to a much higher quality, more efficient and timely project. Don’t let your general practitioner perform a chin implant.

Secret #5: Let Your Contractor Buy All the Materials

Yes, you can save a few bucks if you buy that tub yourself and cram it into the trunk of your BMW. The problem is that most homeowners don’t know what to buy, what fits with what or how much to buy. Do you really have time to go back and forth from the plumbing supply house to return the wrong thing and get the right one… five times!

Secret #6: Don’t Make Changes!

Changes are the single largest cause of remodeling nightmares. You’ve done everything right so far. You’ve followed the previous five secrets but you just can’t help yourself and you make changes during construction.

Well… all bets are off.

The schedule flies off track, your contractor can’t manage his or her time and new materials have to be bought. The key to not making changes is to LOVE your plan and be certain that your team knows exactly what you want.

Yes, back to secret #1: Have a Plan. But don’t just have one… LOVE IT! Don’t sign a contract until every product, color and layout is exactly what you want and then let the professionals go to work.

So, there you have it, six secrets to successfully remodeling your bathroom. I’m confident that if you follow these six secrets, you’ll increase your chances of remodeling success one hundred fold.



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