It comes that time of the year again where you have to renovate something, and this time it is time to rebuild the bathroom. But you have heard countless times from your friends and family that such a feat can cost you well over $20,000, especially if you want to make it luxurious as possible. Well, guess what. With the right plan, you will be able to do the transformation with a much smaller budget while still making it look cool, open, modern and luxurious.
So, what are those secret and magical ways to make a cheap renovation? Well, they are not that secret and they are not certainly magical, they are actually quite simple, you only need to keep them in your mind while you go through the process.
Most surveys have shown that the average bathroom remodels price is somewhere around $10,000, but without the right plan, it can reach well over $30,000. However, those same surveys also report that if you plan the design of the restroom completely by yourself, you can actually survive this whole ordeal with just a couple of thousand dollars.
Another important thing to note is that by spending a few thousand dollars you are increasing the value of your own home by a lot more. So, if you needed another inspiration why you should go through with the remodeling, this will definitely help you decide.
Plan your budget
Just like any other big investment in your life, you will first have to set some boundaries and create a plan that will help you get a better understanding of the costs of a bathroom remodeling. Calculate the costs of the materials you will need to acquire, the costs of the items you will need to purchase such as the toilet, the bathtub, the faucet, the shower and so on. You will also have to decide on the kind of tile you are planning to use since they can be the most expensive item in this whole process.
After you have set out a plan and have made a budget, make sure you keep a few thousand dollars extra on the side in case something goes wrong and you need to cover some extra expenses.
Get the right toilet and the tub
A lot of people like to spend hundreds on a toilet, but end up having to change it in just a few years because it has started leaking or it because it has been broken. So, before you go all out on your toilet, why not give it a thought about which one you should get and maybe even check a toilet reviewer to help you with the decision.
The same goes for tubs. You need to make sure that you find the best model for you. Recently, Kohler walk-in tubs have been popular and to read its review, make sure to check https://walkintubreport.com/
Save on tiling
While everyone wants to have huge tiles all over their bathroom floors, walls, and ceilings, it is definitely the most expensive part of the renovation. So, if you plan on saving some money while renovating we recommend that you limit how much tiles you are going to install. If your final expenses seem too expensive, you should consider removing the idea of tiling the ceilings or the higher parts of the wall.
There is no point in having tiles so high up because the water will probably never reach that height, so focus on tiling the places where water is most likely to be present such as the floor, walls next to the faucet and the shower and so on.
You should also consider installing them by yourself, because a contractor may ask you for a hefty price for such work. Installing them is quite simple and easy, and you can’t really go wrong, so why not try and add a few tiles by yourself? If all goes well, then you can continue tiling the whole bathroom step-by-step until you finish it.
Don’t go all out on the mirror
A restroom without a mirror is definitely incomplete, so not buying a mirror is not really an option. Although, you can still save a bit on this item. Instead of getting a custom-made mirror with well-polished wooden bezels that will cost you several hundreds of dollars, you can just get a mirror and then create the frame all by yourself. Just get a few wooden strips cut down to the size you prefer and then glue them to the sides of the mirror.
By doing this you will probably spend somewhere around $40 to $50.
You don’t have to get a granite countertop
It has become very popular to have a granite countertop in your bathroom these last couple of years, but do you really need one? While it makes sense for you to dish out so much money for your kitchen countertops because you will be using it every single day for multiple hours, it does not really make sense to do spend the same amount for your restroom. So, why not just go for a cheaper variant that will look just as good?
If you do not want to give up on the idea of a granite countertop then there is another way you can save money. Instead of going shopping for a pre-made granite countertop why not get yourself a slab by yourself and then combine it with the cabinet you already have or the new one you bought? You could also find a second-hand granite slab which might be a bit scratched up, but that probably won’t be so noticeable and you will also save a lot of money.
Do not change the layout
This is probably the most costly change people do during their bathroom remodel. By changing the layout of your restroom, you will have to go through several complicated processes that can be quite expensive. The plumbing will have to be readjusted, some walls or floors might need to be removed so the contractor can work on the plumbing and a bunch of other issues that might rise up.
So, if you plan on saving on money, make a new design of your bathroom, but keep the same layout of the shower, the toilet, and the sink.
