裝修前的幾個測試 Renovation Without Regret: Testing Before I Commit
裝修往往是一件「一經決定、難以回頭」的事，牽涉金錢、時間，也牽涉日後長時間的生活品質。近來為家裏準備浴室裝修，我心想，與其事後後悔，不如在動工前多做幾個小測試，用實際行動來確認自己的選擇是否合適。以下分享兩個我在裝修前採用的方法。
Renovation is often a point of no return. It involves money, time, and long-term impact on daily living. As we prepare for a bathroom renovation at home, I thought, instead of regretting decisions afterwards, it is far better to run a few small tests before committing. Here are two approaches I found particularly helpful.
1. 畫出來，就看得清楚 Changeable Floor Plan
家裏的浴室需要改變間隔和設施，其中一個浴室的間隔比較難搞，若要放進所有想要的設備，需要花點心思。於是我畫了一個合比例的平面圖，用來比較不同設計方案。
我用顏色紙裁剪出馬桶、浴缸、面盆，用 blue tac 貼在房間平面圖上，方便移動位置。當裝修公司來報價時，我便用這些平面圖向師傅解釋自己的想法。他看着那些可以移來移去的紙塊，顯得相當欣賞，還笑着問我：「你做邊行的？」
他有所不知，陳師傅我雖然不是正式裝修師傅，卻可不是浪得虛名的！
A bathroom renovation is coming up at home, with changes to both layout and fixtures. One of the bathrooms has a particularly awkward configuration, so if we want to fit in everything we have in mind, it takes a bit of careful thinking. That is why I drew a to-scale floor plan to compare different design options.
I cut out little paper shapes for the toilet, bathtub, and basin, and used blue tac to stick them onto the floor plan so I could move them around easily. When the renovation company came to give a quote, I used these plans to walk the plumber through my ideas. He was visibly impressed—especially by how movable everything was—and jokingly asked, “What profession are you in?”
Little did he know—while ‘Sifu Chan’ may not be a professional renovator, I am certainly not a name without substance.
2. 在牆上試過，才安心 Tile Test
在英國，很多店鋪都容許顧客購買一塊瓷磚樣本帶回家試用，不喜歡的話還可以退貨退款。我和老公選了幾款心儀的瓷磚帶回家，實際拼在浴室牆上，看看在真實光線下的顏色和質感。
除此之外，我還為它們進行了「壓力測試」：看看濕水後是否容易乾；又假設將來染頭髮時，若 Henna 染料不小心滴在牆上，是否能輕易抹掉而不留下痕跡。結果全部順利過關。能夠在裝修前做這些測試，心裏踏實得多。
In the UK, many shops allow customers to buy tile samples to take home and return them for a refund if they don’t like them. My husband and I brought home a few tiles we liked and placed them against the bathroom wall to see how their colour and texture looked in real lighting.
I also conducted a few “stress tests”: checking how quickly they dried when wet, and whether any Henna dye—if accidentally splashed during hair dyeing—could be wiped off easily without staining. All tests were passed. Being able to test tiles this way before renovation begins really brings peace of mind.
這些小小的準備工夫，未必能保證裝修過程一帆風順，卻能大大減少事後後悔的機會。對我而言，裝修不只是「選得快」，而是「試得清楚」。希望這些做法，能為同樣準備裝修的你帶來一點參考。
These small preparatory steps may not guarantee a completely smooth renovation, but they do greatly reduce the chances of regret. For me, renovation is not about making quick decisions, but about testing things thoroughly. I hope these ideas offer some useful reference if you’re planning a renovation of your own.
若你喜歡這篇文章，可以請我喝杯咖啡，支持《整D嘢》持續下去。If you enjoyed reading this, you can tip me to help keep ‘Things I Made’ going.
