Though the kitchen may hog the limelight, when it comes to return on investments, bathroom upgrades take the lead. But a bump in house value is not the only reason to turn your attention to this room.

As the space where we “put ourselves together for the day”, the bathroom, GDC Built owner Grant Crapp says, is arguably the most important room in the house.

“Everyone who lives in your home will spend time in this room every day,” he says.

It’s not a cheap room to renovate, but when it comes to getting the best results for your budget, some things matter more than others, and there are ways to avoid common pitfalls.

The first step is to have a clear vision of what you want. Grant suggests a simple Google search or a flick through social media to find a picture that speaks to you and share it with your builder.

“If a client doesn’t have a building background, it can be hard to get into their heads. A visual really helps articulate exactly what you’re after and helps inform a more accurate quote from the get-go,” he says.

“You don’t need to worry if you don’t have an architect or an interior designer – there are plenty of sources of inspiration. Pinterest is a great starting point.”

Once the design aesthetic is established, it’s time to look at how that fits (or doesn’t fit) with your existing layout.

Depending on whether you’re happy to keep and simply reskin the existing layout or if you want to change the position of key elements like shower, bath, toilet and vanity, this step can cost you big.

“Understand where your waste outlets are in your bathroom and if you can plug into them, you’ll keep costs down,” Grant says.

“If you’re looking to move things around, then the cost will depend on factors such as the foundations of your home. A concrete slab requires a lot more labour to move the location of plumbing than, say, a foundation of bearers and joists.

“You should also consider the position of any windows and how that may impact your layout. If you have a window midway up the wall, for instance, a bath is a beautiful addition centred underneath it.

“Consider any other sources of natural light as well. Natural light is key, and something I suggest to many of my clients is the addition of skylights.”

With the broad strokes established, you can turn your attention to the details.

If you have budget restrictions, it’s helpful to make a list of “must haves” (the features you don’t want to negotiate on) and “nice to haves” (where there’s some wriggle room).

Grant says the details, however, are where an upgrade can really convey a sense of quality. Some have more bearing on the overall impression of quality than others.

“Think about that picture you showed your builder at the start and look at the finer details – the tiles, the lighting, the trims and the finishes. They’re probably the things that drew you to that image in the first place, the things that made the space beautiful,” he says.

“You can get away with cheaper lights and vanities, but your tapware and tiling selections speak volumes when you enter the room. That’s where I tend to advise clients to invest their money. Floor-to-ceiling tiles, for instance, give a real wow factor.

“Lighting choices as well – feature strip, wall sconces, warm versus cool – you’d be surprised how much lighting can impact the feel of a bathroom.”

More functional considerations include wall strength when choosing towel rail placement and ensuring the gradient of the “fall” in the floor is neither too steep, nor too flat, to ensure adequate drainage of excess liquid.

While drenching your bathroom in the same tiles for floor and ceiling might look chic, it’s important to ensure your floor tiles have a suitable “slip rating”, to minimise the risk of injury.

Grant adds that in the hierarchy of construction priorities, waterproofing is the most important thing.

“There’s zero tolerance for waterproofing errors in bathrooms. If it’s not spot on, it can cause extensive problems,” he says.

“Ventilation falls into the same category. Adequate windows and extractor fans help avoid mould and paint defects. You want your bathroom breathing.”

At the end of the day, when it comes to a hefty investment like a bathroom, there’s one aim: do it once and do it right.

Working alongside draftsmen and design experts, GDC can take customers through their renovation journey from start to finish and can offer concept, design and construction services, saving time and money.

“At GDC, we always strive to be exceptional. It comes down to what I call the ‘one percenters’ – those minute details that demonstrate a level of craftsmanship I’m happy to put my name to,” Grant says.

“Everyone we work with, down to our subcontractors, know about our standards. At the start of each day, on every job, I ask the team – ‘Are we building towards excellence?’ That’s our motto.”

For bathroom perfection down to the “one percenters”, contact GDC Built.