Seizing Opportunity As Walls Open Up

 It is best to remember that as your project begins and your walls open up, you must remain flexible.  Sometimes pipes need to be moved, other times walls are load-bearing and often there is an opportunity for fast and effective improvements.  

For our project, the Master Bathroom provided the most change and opportunity from the original plans.  Rolling with those changes and approving those additional expenses was difficult but the results are well worth it.  When we first began the project, we planned to replace the closed-off shower walls with glass and replace the tile, tub, and vanities. 

We began demo on the shower stall.  As the walls came down, the need to change our original design became clear.  Our cave of an original shower was actually disguising fake walls and cathedral ceilings.  As we pulled back the layers, the entire bathroom opened up to the rafters and we immediately took a step back to discuss the new possibilities.  

Many sketches, calls to Susan's team and oodles of measurements later, we had adjusted the plan and were ready to create the even-more-improved new master bathroom.  We went over the plan many times until we had it just right for the contractor to continue. Making these adjustments with the walls open was easier when working with an expert space planner, like Susan, and an experienced contractor.

As the project moved out of the Master Bathroom and into other areas of the home, we found it very helpful to solicit the advice of our lead project manager and our contractor.  Their experience proved to be very helpful when making decisions about switch placement, lighting location, and material needs.  Smaller projects like swapping canned lights to LED, adding dimmers and even changing a junk area into a functioning closet were invaluable changes throughout the project.   

Finding the perfect balance of keeping close to budget while making intelligent improvements is no simple task.  Be sure to remain open to the possibilities that the demo can bring and listen to the experts - it will be worth it in the end.