As a homeowner, you probably have several ideas on how to turn your old bathroom into a nice oasis—a bathroom that can help you not only start the day right but also give a pleasant end to a tiring day. The cost of remodeling, however, can be daunting. Construction tools, materials, and labor fees require a significant amount of money. Don’t feel discouraged, though. Instead of forgetting about getting that bathroom you deserve due to the cost, take a look at these tips on how you can save a few bucks to get that bathroom you’ve been visualizing.
Leave The Plumbing Alone
Changing the plumbing’s layout is where you’ll spend a good chunk of your budget, and it’s one aspect of the renovation where you’ll need a professional. If you can, keep your bathroom’s basic layout as it is. Rearranging your bathtub, sink, or toilet could cost you a pretty penny. Rearranging could also mean you’ll be moving plumbing pipes, sewer pipes, and the toilet discharge. If you push for a plumbing remodeling, your bathroom renovation cost may go over your budget.
So, expand or rearrange your bathroom only when absolutely necessary. It’s always an option, but you need to carefully consider the benefits versus the huge bill that such a renovation would entail. If you don’t have any water line issues, you can focus on redesigning your space without rearranging its features. For instance, if you want your bathroom to give the appearance of being spacious, paint the walls a lighter color, change the shower curtain in favor of a glass door, or add a skylight. These may add to your expenses, but they are cheaper than moving those load-bearing walls, as well as the plumbing.
Additionally, these renovations will allow you to finish your project faster and avoid a long wait.
Frame Your Mirror
Give your bathroom mirror a stylish look by framing it. The frame hides the mirror’s normal wear and tear. Besides, it can make your mirror stand out, giving it that elegant look that gives your bathroom an overall trendy vibe. You can pick the design and color of the frame based on the overall aesthetic of your bathroom. For instance, if the space has light and earthy tones, use wood to frame your mirror. And if you want to go the whole hog, you could replace that clunky and boring medicine cabinet with one of these colorful vanities and transform your bathroom into something more modern and comfortable. Plus, you’ll be adding a lot more storage.
Updating The Toilet
There is a clever way to update your toilet without replacing the whole thing; you just have to replace the seat and the lid. This will give your toilet a brand new, modern look with just a fraction of the price of a whole.
Change The Showerhead
A simple change in the showerhead, and you can get the look and feel of a spa. For a comparatively low price, a massage or rain shower head can give you the feel of a luxurious shower. Changing the showerhead is as easy as pie, so you can do it yourself.
Once you install your new shower head with beads, test the water pressure and check for any leaks. This way, you can avoid any inconvenience once the bathroom project is done.
Scrimp On Tiles
Tiles are beautiful, especially if you cover your whole bathroom with them. Using other materials, however, can also create something as beautiful and still be considerably less expensive. Use tiles for the shower instead. You can decorate your bathroom with affordable and durable materials to save on renovation costs without sacrificing its appearance. For instance, you can use tiles for the shower instead of leaving it plain to add color and texture to the space. For that warm, homey look, try reclaimed wood or beadboard for your bathroom walls.
Add New Paint
An application of a fresh new coat of paint is sometimes overlooked. It’s a simple and economical method of remodeling, and it can transform your bathroom into something fresh. For example, painting your bathroom a bright color can make the space appear more spacious. It’ll add illumination to the room too. A well-executed paint job on your bathroom can even make you disregard the elements of your bathroom that you haven’t changed yet.
Install New Lights
Lighting is one of the first things that people want to change in old bathrooms. Badly placed bathroom lighting can make your bathroom a place of gloom. For an immediate and dramatic effect, well-placed LED lights can really spruce up a tired-looking bathroom.
If you have a source of natural light like a window, you can refrain from covering it to allow sunlight in the bathroom during the day.
Go For A Prefabricated Shower
Your ageing shower will eventually show signs of wear and tear. Replacing it with a custom-built ceramic tile shower will be costly, however. A prefabricated shower stall, on the other hand, is far cheaper because you won’t be hiring tile setters. Besides, a prefabricated shower just takes hours to install whereas a custom-built tile shower takes days to build.
Do Your Renovation In Stages
You don’t have to do your remodeling all at once. You can space the work out over time, splitting the costs so that your expenses will not come at you in one huge wave. Staged remodeling will help first-time remodelers as well. They wouldn’t feel overwhelmed and can learn from each step of the remodeling process. You can plan the aspects of your bathroom you want to change so that your project won’t take too long. With careful planning, you’ll be able to ensure your bathroom will be available after each stage.
For those who are accustomed to DIY, staged remodeling is something they are familiar with. They usually bring in a specialty builder or a contractor for those jobs that need a professional and then do the remaining easier part in stages.
If you think staged remodeling isn’t for you, communicate your preference with potential contractors. There are contractors who are not too keen on doing jobs in stages. They’d want to finish a job as quickly as possible. So, try to find a contractor who will agree to your preference.
Summary
Renovating your bathroom is not only costly; it takes a lot of hard work and can be stressful. But following cost-saving tips would make your expenses manageable, without sacrificing quality. At the end of the day, you’d want your bathroom to last for, at least, ten years of use.