Bathroom refurbishment
How to maximise return on investment from a bathroom renovation
Neil Bell of Easy Bathrooms explains how you can maximise your return on investment from a bathroom refit, while ensuring that tenants are happy with the quality of the finish
W
hether you’re a private landlord with a handful of tenants to look after, or a social housing firm with thousands of properties on your stock, the issue of return on investment remains the same.
Reputable landlords and housing associations want tenants to feel at home,
comfortable and at ease in their properties, and part of that is about installing good quality furnishings and fittings. However, it’s important to strike a balance between ensuring clients’ happiness, and not overspending; even for the ‘accidental’ landlords who’ve had property passed down to them and don’t consider themselves to be savvy investors. When it comes to renovating an outdated bathroom, it’s difficult for most
people to know where that balance lies — how much should you spend? Is it worth paying a bit more for quality, or should you do things on the cheap to save on the upfront investment?
There’s no justification in purchasing good quality products and appointing an inexperienced, poor fitter to install them
The truth is that those who choose poor quality fittings, usually end up going
back to a reputable supplier to rectify the situation. It’s therefore almost always better to invest in good quality fittings and finishes in the first instance. But that doesn’t mean that you need to splash out on the most on-trend furnishings. In fact, tenants usually prefer basic, robust products that will
last for the duration of their tenancy, rather than fittings that are flimsy or break easily. After all, are there many people who actually enjoy complaining to their landlords? And that’s good news for you too, because keeping things simple means that
you can appeal to a wider audience when you are on the hunt for a new tenant in the future. So, it is best to invest in good quality, everyday fittings that are sold with
a guarantee. That way, if anything does go wrong, the retailer will rectify it at no cost to you, reducing the price of the product over its lifetime. But it’s not just the products themselves that you need to consider. It’s also
vital to choose the right tradespeople to carry out the work. There’s no justification in purchasing good quality products and appointing an inexperienced, poor fitter to install them. Using trusted professionals means that the finish of the bathroom will look great and last longer too. So when it comes to quality, the choice is clear; pick good standard products
and great workmanship. But what about knowing what type of products and furniture to install? For example, if space is tight, then should you fit a bath over a shower, or a
full shower? Full height storage or an under-sink vanity unit? These are frequently asked questions, and the most important thing to consider when
making these decisions is to focus on your target audience. For example, fitting a bath in student accommodation might be a waste of
www.housingmmonline.co.uk | HMM March 2018 | 31
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