Ensuite Renovations

Ensuite Renovations

What’s Covered on This Page

• Symptoms Your Ensuite Needs to Be Completely Renovated
• Determining an Ensuite Plan That Is Correct for Your Premises
• What to Expect During the Ensuite Renovation Process
• Auckland Ensuite Renovations That Will Increase the Value of Your Property
• How long does an ensuite renovation take in Auckland?
• Do Auckland ensuites need to meet the New Zealand Building Code for waterproofing?
• Can I change the layout of my ensuite without moving walls?
• What are the signs that my ensuite needs a full renovation rather than a repair?
• What happens during the first visit for an ensuite renovation in Auckland?
• Do I need to move out of my home during an ensuite renovation?

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Symptoms Your Ensuite Needs to Be Completely Renovated

Seldom will people get out of the bed one morning and decide to strip the walls and floors of your ensuite. It comes to you slowly. Perhaps, for example, that the grouting between floor tiles has turned black no matter how much you scrub it or the sealing around the bath pan has been blackened and will peel out just a few weeks after it has been renewed? They are not merely cosmetic issues. They are your ensuite that informs of what is crumbling away under the outer coverings.

We see the same issues in different forms every week in the Auckland homes, from Ponsonby villas to the new developments in Hobsonville. The indications are always almost the same. What we recommend you be alert for is:

• Streaky mould that will come back after each one of the cleaning product.
• Tile crack or hollow-sounds in the vicinity of the shower.
• The smell of damp which you cannot identify.
• Squeezing floor at the rear of the toilet area or under the vanity.
• Faulty taps, stuck ones and hot water is not available very often.

You might say that one of those on its own is not that significant. However if you have 2 or three, this may be a trend. It is possible that for quite some time moisture could have been allowed to go to the places where it was never meant to go. Ninety per cent of the time the actual damage is located in the wall liner or beneath the floor. You will not realize that someone is breaking things up.

There is a practicality to it. If your ensuite was established, or was last remodeled, over 15 years ago then there was a different standard of waterproofing applied then. According to the New Zealand Building Code membrane standards have been improved since. Older ensuites in Auckland do not meet current standards most likely and you will not get away with the repairs. It just delays the final.

There is the consideration of the layout. Your ensuite is a design that works with your way of living today? We come across with such homeowners who have lived with a small shower and a bad door movement all these years. They had the impression that they had to leave a wall in. Most of the times this is false. If your ensuite is completely remodeled properly then you will be able to change the entire look without changing its overall dimensions.

Then when does the decision get to be made? The only point when you will say it is time is if you are having a recurring repair problem or that you are avoiding its usage because your ensuite is damp and worn out. This is the same for your money. You cannot be repairing your ensuite again and again, for a new repair work will always take longer to arrive. The cost of covering up the old ones will come out to double your, you will have to pay today and then again when you do not have the option to delay any more.

Detecting if your ensuite is still functional and ready for renovation? This is often true because it is true for almost all Auckland homeowners we have met who have no idea until a good inspection is conducted.

Determining an Ensuite Plan That Is Correct for Your Premises

It is where you start to see how a lot of ensuite renovation projects are doomed to fail. They grab tiles and tapware first. Wrong. Start with a solid layout; everything else comes after that.

Every week we enter Auckland homes and are met with a cramped existing ensuite. Nine times out of ten, they are not small; they just have an inefficient layout. A WC adjacent to the door; a vanity blocking any natural light; a shower jammed into a corner; it can feel like the walls are about to close in around you.

First, we measure everything up, including floor and ceiling space, windows, doors and the existing waste stack. Moving the plumbing is not an insurmountable obstacle, but it does take time. You want to keep wet areas as close to your existing drainage outlets as possible, that is a given.

What we find actually works in small ensuites

The vast majority of ensuites in Auckland are between three and six square metres and it’s not uncommon, particularly in the older homes in Grey Lynn to see a room that comes in at 2.5 square metres. This is what we find works best:

• A walk-in shower with a frameless screen opens the room up visually;
• A wall hung vanity frees up floor space beneath and makes the room feel bigger;
• A pocket door or barn slider instead of a standard swing door can reclaim half a square metre; and
• A back to wall toilet can free up an extra 100mm of space.

Then we also have a few larger ensuites in Auckland and in these we recommend not spreading the wet and dry areas out too far. We create the space to walk through. We create zones and we feel like people can make use of the space more effectively that way.

In Auckland, I suggest clients sign off on layout before committing to fixtures. We have seen a few freestanding baths fall off the plans because the shower couldn’t be positioned to sit adjacent. I wouldn’t want to go through that headache.

If you want to know whether you are in a situation where the plumbing can be rearranged or not, give us a call and a lot of the time we can tell you that on the first meeting. I think the layout will make the smallest ensuite feel open and the largest ensuites feel purposeful. This is a question I’ve fielded over a thousand times. They are different but they are also the same. Start with the layout based on how you will use the space first and foremost. Then start thinking about fixtures and finishes.

What to Expect During the Ensuite Renovation Process

Most people delay their ensuite renovation because they are not clear on what to expect from the process. I hear you, nobody wants the disruption of a renovation hanging around their home every day. Here’s how we tackle everything from start to finish. Every ensuite we renovate in Auckland works on the exact same principles. We’ve completed these thousands of times, so the process works.

1. Site visit and measure-up. We head to your home to evaluate the current space, investigate behind the walls and discuss what you’d like to see. Expect it to take around one hour.
2. Design and consent. We map out the design, double-check fittings are in the right location and organise council consents where needed. Most Auckland ensuite projects take one or two weeks at this stage.
3. Strip-out. Everything from the room is removed. Tiles, vanity, shower, toilet etc. We set up dust barriers on the hallway and your master bedroom stays habitable.
4. Plumbing and electrical rough-in. This is where we shift or add plumbing runs and wiring. This is usually when we move showers to the wall of your choosing.
5. Waterproofing. This is the big one. We install a full waterproofing system around the floor and wet area walls, and it’s then left for a number of days for proper curing before any tiling and other fitments can start. All plumbing work must also meet the water supply building code requirements set out under the New Zealand Building Code.
6. Tiling, fit-out and finish. Now we lay the tiles, install your vanity and attach the tapware, add final paint, silicone and perform a deep clean.

Normally a typical ensuite project takes around two-three weeks. Bigger projects that happen in areas like Remuera and Ponsonby where we’re also dealing with older plumbing may run a little longer than this, but we’ll advise you of this early on.

Many homeowners find they don’t realise this until after it’s done, but the waterproofing stage must not be hurried. We regularly encounter renovations gone wrong where someone has skipped the necessary curing times to save a day, and two years later you’re finding moisture within the wall framing. Moisture damage behind the tiles is one of the most frequently occurring defects in bathroom builds here, according to BRANZ. We never compromise on this.

It also means that you’re never in the dark on the status of your project. We communicate with you at each phase, ensuring you see the tiling layout before work begins and confirming the exact height for your vanity before the installation. No surprises.

Wonder how your ensuite renovation will run? Get in touch and we’ll chat you through it. One key question we’re often asked: can we still use the main bathroom during the project? You certainly can. We only ever work on the ensuite room, and your daily habits will still remain mostly unchanged with only a short period of noise during the day.

Need help with ensuite renovations?

09 884 6535

Call Now For Free Consultation. Alchemy Bathroom Renovations Auckland is ready to help.

Auckland Ensuite Renovations That Will Increase the Value of Your Property

Many people don’t realise this until it’s already too late, but a dated ensuite will be dragging down your property at open home. When potential buyers step through the door, spot cracked grout and a mould-stained shower screen, it’s often an automatic subconscious deduction, that is tens of thousands of dollars taken straight off their offer in their minds.

It’s a pattern we’ve witnessed time and again throughout Auckland. In stark contrast, when buyers encounter a properly done ensuite reno, it creates confidence. It makes them believe that all of the property has been properly looked after. According to the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand, updated bathrooms are consistently reported as one of the top features that influence sale prices in the Auckland region. We confirm that on the ground with every renovation we carry out. It’s no surprise that a Ponsonby or Grey Lynn home with a modern ensuite sells that little bit faster and those few percent points better.

So, what features are the value add? We’re not talking about doing an over-the-top thing for the sake of it, but ensuring you’re doing the right things right and making the smart decisions for the money you’re spending. Things that matter to buyers when it comes to their ensuite renovation include:

• Waterproofing that’s done correctly (so they’re not thinking there’s a hidden disaster waiting to happen behind a wall)
• Ventilation that’s up to scratch (so no mouldy ceiling in a year or two’s time)
• A layout that doesn’t feel cramped (even on a small space)
• Fittings and finishes that are clean looking and function well
• Underfloor heating (that’s pretty well standard for buyers in Auckland now, whether they’d realise it or not)

We’ve done ensuite renovations in 1960s brick-and-tile homes where the original bathroom hadn’t been touched in decades. It can be hard for homeowners to convince themselves to spend the money on a bathroom that they’ve never really noticed, but when they’ve put their home on the market for the first time and sold 12 months later, the comment we hear over and over again from buyers is, ‘it’s because of that ensuite’. They can’t help themselves!

But even when considering only how much of a personal benefit you will enjoy, it’s worth the investment. You’re going to be using that ensuite every day from now. It’s your own space. If it’s warm in the winter, if you’re not cleaning mould off the ceiling every week, if it’s easy to maintain? That’s real tangible value right now.

Most of the ensuite renovations we do are for the primary (or master) bedroom bathroom. They might well be the smallest ensuite in a home, but have the biggest value impact. An outdated, small ensuite next to the master bedroom sends a message to any buyers. We’ve done enough of these projects to know what the outcome is: it’ll detract from the overall feel and value of a home.

As licensed building practitioners, all ensuite renovations carry code requirements and we will issue appropriate paperwork, including code compliance certificates, for any completed renovation. The last point is key though; when buyers (or their lawyers) look through a sale contract, they’ll also want to see that you have consents and code compliance certificates for a property you’re selling. If you’re interested in an ensuite renovation for your home, give us a call and we can have a chat about your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about ensuite renovations services

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