Instead of paying through the nose for a designer bathroom why not design it yourself? Designing your bathroom yourself isn't difficult, it could save you a lot of money and it's very satisfying. Here are some ideas that will give you a head start.

Measure and draw your bathroom to scale

The first thing you should do is measure and draw out your existing bathroom on a sheet of squared paper. Try to be as accurate as you can because every inch might count depending on what you want to get in your new bathroom and how much space you have to play with.

Measure the length of walls at both edges of the room in case it is wider at one end than the other, they often are. Measure floor to ceiling and the position and size of any windows including the depth. Also measure the size, position and shape of any fixed objects in the room such as pipework and radiators.

Draw plans of your bathroom looking down from the ceiling and looking directly at each wall. When you've finished you should have five drawings on squared paper and a set of measurements to go with it. Take these, together with a tape measure, with you wherever you go because you will need to refer to them often.

Leave the magazines and bathroom showrooms until later

Showrooms and magazines and are trying to sell you something so they go out of their way to show things to you in the most appealing way to suck you in. This may not always be best way for you. You will be using these resources later of course but leave them until you have done some research and have a better idea of what it is you want in your new bathroom.

Make use of a digital camera

Take a digital camera with you wherever you go and use it to record everything you see. Make a note of what each image is about and carefully file it away on your computer for later reference. You will be amazed how useful this technique can be and most people don't think of doing it.

Call your friends

Most people will talk to you about their bathroom especially if you are a friend and especially if they have recently remodeled their own bathroom. Visit all of your friends and start to build an information folder full of ideas based on what they have done in their bathrooms.

Ask lots of questions to find out what their ideas were before they remodeled, how their ideas changed while they were doing it, what they like about their bathroom and just as important, what don't they like about it. Make good understandable notes while you are looking around so that you don't forget anything.

Most people will either have remodeled their bathroom in the last few years or know of someone who has. If your friend knows of someone with a new bathroom ask them if they can arrange for you to go and see it. The more you see the better.

Look over some houses for sale.

Real estate agents in your area will arrange for you to go and view properties for sale and if you tell them that you are looking for a great bathroom they will try and find them for you.

Some people might feel uneasy doing this but don't be because I think that it's a great way to get fresh ideas to design your new bathroom with and it might be more in the agents interest than you think. I've known people do this and end up buying one of the properties that they viewed because they loved the bathroom and realised that it would be much easier and cost effective to move instead of remodel their own bathroom.

Buy some magazines

Go down to the newsagent and pick up a few magazines on home improvement and bathrooms remodeling. Now that you have an idea of what you are looking for you will be able get most benefit from the articles, adverts and glossy photographs.

Tour the showrooms

If you think that you know what you are looking for now is the time to visit the showrooms in your area to find out what is available and start matching your ideas to items that you can buy. Make notes and take pictures with your digital camera of everything that you find interesting.

Pick up brochures on home improvement and bathroom remodeling

Find as many brochures as you can get for free from the showrooms. Make sure that you have the manufactures brochure for everything that you might be interested in. If you don't see the paperwork them be sure to ask for it.

Surf the Internet

You can use the Internet to find contractors, product specifications and all kinds of general information about bathroom remodeling, do-it-yourself and home improvements so you should make full use of it.

Have fun remodeling your bathroom.