How to Repair a Standard Bathroom: Real Example

Want to do bathroom renovation yourself? Tips from designer Anna Kovalchenko will help! On the example of a standard bathroom in P-44, we explain how to do the renovation quickly and what to consider to avoid many complications during future use of the space.

Anna KovalchenkoDESIGNERAnna Kovalchenko loves turning ordinary walls, floors, and ceilings into a real home where owners want to return every day and where everything reflects their tastes and preferences. Preparation

Approach bathroom renovation thoroughly, both practically and psychologically. It's one of the dirtiest types of construction work.

If renovation isn't planned in other parts of the apartment, thoroughly cover all furniture with plastic sheeting: large amounts of dust will appear during demolition of old tiles and plumbing.

Electrical Wiring

Plan the placement and number of outlets, light fixtures, and switches. My advice is to prefer LED lighting.

To determine how many you need for the room, multiply the room area in square meters by the specific light flux of an LED (W/m²), then divide that result by the wattage of a single fixture (typically 5–6 W).

For bathroom lighting, choose fixtures and outlets with IP44 protection against moisture.

Wall Preparation

To ensure walls are perfectly flat, they must first be plastered. Using a laser level, we installed metal guides. After that, we poured the floor. It's important to let it dry completely, which takes about 2–3 days. Once done, you can proceed with plastering the walls, but tiles should only be laid once they are also fully dry.

Relocating Utilities

If you decide to use a towel heater, it's better not to move it far from the riser and prefer models equipped with Maevsky valves. This way, you can avoid airlocks.

The shower cabin, on the other hand, can be moved to the wall opposite the riser. It's crucial to correctly set the angle of the drainage pipe and install the shower on a small podium made from blocks. The connected utilities and boiler were hidden behind a wall of blocks, leaving a hidden access panel for easy maintenance.

Finishing Materials

The podium on which the shower cabin was installed was tiled with white mosaic. The ceiling was made from moisture-resistant gypsum board. The walls were tiled halfway up and painted white with Dulux bathroom paint.

Installing Plumbing and Furniture

It's important to plan the necessary number of cabinets for storage. In our project, a narrow but spacious cabinet for cosmetics and household chemicals was added. This bathroom renovation in a typical P-44 house took two weeks.

Design: Anna Kovalchenko

Photo: Olga Shangina

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