What are some of the typical design errors when planning an additional small bathroom?
— Betsy H. Dear Betsy: Remodeling or adding a lavatory is one of the most common home improvement projects, particularly as a family grows. Unfortunately, most of these bathroom projects are not given enough thought during the design stage. Either the finished bathroom does not meet the family’s needs, or is unattractive or inefficient. When adding a bathroom, even just a lavatory, it can sometimes be difficult to steal enough space from another room. Sometimes, for convenience to water and drains, the bathroom door is located off the kitchen area. This definitely is a mistake and may even violate building codes in some areas. Sanitation may be an issue and people just don’t want bathroom sounds and odors near where they eat. Another common problem is installing an inexpensive vent fan in a new bathroom that does not have a window. You don’t need a large (air flow capacity) vent fan in a small bathroom, but you do want a quiet one. A noisy one will not be used because the sound can dr
