If you are thinking about renovating your bathroom or ensuite this list will help you think about all the considerations before you begin.

Lighting. With the range of activities we all perform in a bathroom lighting should be one of your first considerations.

1. How much light do you want?

2. Can you make your window bigger while retaining your privacy?

3. Would you like to consider a one way window?

4. Do you want fluorescent lighting or normal lighting?

Space and functionality. While a bigger shower, bath, or vanity unit might seem like a great idea you need to carefully work out where everything is going to fit.

If you have more room in the shower but then not enough room to comfortably bend down to get into your vanity unit cupboards this might not a great trade off. (This is especially important in smaller ensuites.)

1. How many people do you expect will be in the bathroom at the same time?

2. Do you need a double sink or two mirrors?

3. How often do you use a bath. Do you really need one and if so, how big?

4. What sort of shower and door do you want? A swinging door needs the room to swing.

Style. We all have our own preferences and tastes and it important you like this room and feel good when in it. But there are a few other consideration as well as your personal taste.

1. What is the current style of the rest of the house?

2. For the main bathroom the kitchen is one room you may want to think about in particular.

3. If it's the ensuite you're renovating, consider the style of your bedroom.

4. Are you likely to change the current style in the near future?

5. What is the likelihood you may sell in the near future?

6. Any bathroom renovation should add value to your home. A very unusual style may limit the added value.

Water conservation. This is now a very real issue and will become more important to us all over time.

1. Do you want to consider water saving functions such as shower heads, depth of the bath, etc.

2. Do you want to pipe in tank water for functions such as flushing the toilet?

3. Do you want to use the waste water in your garden and so have the pipes set up from the beginning?

Cost / budget. All good projects have a budget. Decide early on what you can afford and then prioritise accordingly.

There are a range of great bathroom photos to get your juices going as well as important information about waterproofing at our web site Welcome Home Maintenance