Renovation and Business Structure for Rental Property

So I did a thing…I renovated my bathroom…finally!

When I purchased my Co-op apartment nine years ago it came with a bathroom that was stuck in the 1950s and literally falling apart. My bathroom had the original wall tiles, tub, sink, and plumbing. Only the floor tiles were changed since the original construction of this apartment. I hated my bathroom, from taking a shower sideways because the shower plumbing was placed on the side wall, to the ugly black wall tiles.

I decided at the beginning of this year it was time to demolish my bathroom and update it for myself, and the next occupant to this apartment.

Indulge me for a moment lol. This is how I would market my updated bathroom during a walk through with a potential woman tenant: This bathroom has a lot of character – it’s vintage, royal, cute and sassy. It’s an oasis of peace and rejuvenation. This luxurious and modernized bathroom will make a woman feel pretty inside and out, and provides a personal moment for a woman to reinforce her fierceness and femininity.

(Side note: In case you are wondering, I do provide ad copy and content development services. Contact me 🙂  )

Here are some key takeaways that I learned during my renovation project:

1. Make sure your contractor is licensed, insured and experienced: I did my due diligence when searching for a general contractor to take on my bathroom renovation. I looked on Angi, Home Advisor, Google Reviews, contractors’ websites, and asked friends for referrals.

2. Make sure your general contractor explains everything and make sure you ask questions: Your contractor should tell you everything that NEEDS to be done for your renovation, and what additional enhancements CAN be done. Start off with getting a base quote from a contractor, and get a quote for additional customizations that a contractor can offer. Also, get MEASUREMENTS of EVERYTHING! You need to know the square feet, linear feet, length, width, and depth to allocate for your space before purchasing your materials and accessories for a renovation. I walk around with a tape measure now lol.

3. Stay within your budget and stick to it: I had to keep in mind that I was renovating this bathroom not only for myself, but for a future tenant. I contracted an experienced and reasonable general contractor, and didn’t spend as much on materials as I do not plan on being in my apartment for much longer. Economical but fashionable was my mindset.

4. Plan for surprises: Now, this is what I mean when I say stay within your budget. A surprise may pop up that you have to spend MORE money on! Some of my surprises included: Old plumbing from the 1950s that needed to be changed and updated; Purchasing a second sink because the one I originally had was too wide for my allocated space; and Additional customization I included during construction.

5. Think outside the box and improvise: The theme of my bathroom included gold accents. Gold is one of my favorite colors. The shower rod in my bathroom is unique and a part of the original design of the bathroom. It was hard to find this type of shower rod I needed due to the structure of the bathroom walls. Only one random website on the Internet sold this type of shower rod for $250. I wasn’t about to pay that. So instead, I improvised. I purchased metallic gold paint and had the shower rod painted.

6. Plan for a renovation project to go over the proposed completion date: If your renovation project is not for an upcoming episode on HGTV where your renovation will be completed by the Production’s team deadline of 2 days, plan for hiccups. Plan for a possible longer stay at your Mom’s house or hotel during the renovation. As you know, sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Your renovation may go over one week or one month from the proposed deadline. If you have a renovation project that is over the deadline by months (or years), please get a lawyer.

7. Don’t turn up your nose to Amazon: I had to switch out the legs to my bathroom sink and found new gold furniture legs on Amazon that fit perfectly. I also purchased a longer shower arm to attach to my shower head, cute curtains, and a hard to find peach colored toilet lid cover from Amazon.

8. Transfer your rental property to an LLC and get adequate insurance coverage: If you plan on renting out your home, consider transferring your property out of your name to a new business entity. You can create a LLC business structure for your rental property to shield your personal assets against liability and debt of the business. Also, insurance can protect you and your business against financial loss, such as accidents, lawsuits, and natural disasters. More on this soon – stay tuned!

9. Have fun: I enjoyed the process of meeting small business owners in the home design industry, contractors, and finding the right materials and accessories for my bathroom. I had the opportunity to recreate a whole new look for my bathroom. And, I learned so much about construction and renovation.

Special thanks to A.K Azad Construction Co. of Brooklyn and Timeless Tile NYC of Brooklyn! A.K. Azad did an absolutely beautiful renovation of my bathroom. And Timeless Tile NYC has a large array of gorgeous tiles and vanities to chose from!

This was my first renovation project and it won’t be my last. I sure would like to use someone else’s money on the next renovation project though. 😂

If you have questions or would like suggestions about renovating your bathroom or another room in your home, please feel free to contact me! Also, view pictures of my renovated bathroom below and vendors/stores I used to complete the look!

• Construction Company used for Renovation: A.K. Azad Construction Co.
• Floor and Wall Tiles: Timeless Tile NYC
• Vanity: Fine Fixtures – Timeless Tile NYC
• Vanity legs: Geesatis – Amazon
• Mirror: Amanti Art – Home Depot
• Lighting Fixtures: Wesley and Quoizel Landry – Lowe’s
• Shower Fixtures, Toilet Tissue Holder, Wall Mounted Towel Bars: Kohler – Wayfair
• Shower Grab bar: Kingston Brass – Overstock
• Curtain: Miss Selectex – Amazon
• Bathroom Rug: Anthropologie
• Wall Art: House of Hampton – Wayfair
• Paint: Benjamin Moore -Bejamin Moore Holbro Decorating Center
• Soap Dispensers: Target
• Towels: Deborah Connolly Designs – T.J. Maxx
• Garbage can and toilet brush: T.J. Maxx
• Shower Arm: Aqua Elegante – Amazon
• Toilet Lid Cover: Gorilla Grip – Amazon
• Shower Curtain Liner: Kent & West – Amazon
• Shower Curtain Hooks: A Flatbush, Brooklyn dollar store