So, it’s time for your bathroom renovation. You probably want to do as much work as possible at once but your budget gets in the way. Still, there are ways to cut your bathroom renovation costs and make room for more improvements than you originally planned.
1. Don’t move the plumbing
If you think you should renovate your whole bathroom’s design, think again. That would include moving the plumbing, which could easily cost you about $5,000 every time you move plumbing fixtures. So, it’s better to plan a design with the existing plumbing fixtures in place.
2. Go green with new fixtures
If you decide to buy some new fixtures, then do it the right way:
First of all, make sure the new fixtures or appliances are eco-friendly – not just that they are good for the environment, but they will reduce your bills in the long run. Look for low-flow toilets, sinks, as well as showerheads – they conserve water and save you money. Plus, low-flow showerheads cost the same as the traditional ones, or even less.
Secondly, when installing new plumbing fixtures, make sure you hire reliable professionals who will make sure everything works at the optimal level. Also, some professionals like Canberra Plumbing are excellent at giving advice on how to keep the fixture in the best possible state for as long as possible, saving you money on fixes in the long run.
3. Do your own demolition
If you are planning to replace tiles, you will have to tear apart the existing fixtures. If you hire a professional to do it, you will spend around $1,000. So, think about doing it on your own.
Of course, a DIY demo requires some careful planning. First of all, you’ll need the right tools – a large crowbar, a pry bar, a claw hammer and sledge hammers at Fiskars. You have to know what’s behind the walls, too, especially if there are electrical wires or water pipes. And don’t think that a DIY demo will be for free – besides getting the right tools, you’ll probably have to hire a hauling service or rent a dumpster to get rid of the debris.
4. Save money on countertops
Granite countertops are highly popular right, as well as quite pricy, but there are ways to spend less here.
First, pick a non-neutral color because it’s cheaper than beige, tan, and brown (which are more expensive because they are more popular).
Another way to save is to buy a slab that has minor imperfections. The bigger the imperfection, the cheaper the slab will be. Know that the sink basin will take up a lot of the surface, so the imperfection may not be visible at all.
You could also have a small DIY project – use an old dresser as sink pedestals: cut out the top of the dresser for the sink, remove the interior drawers and cut holes in the back for the plumbing pipes. These dresser sinks cost thousands of dollars but you can make one all by yourself with the right tools.
5. Visit a recycling center
It’s incredibly cheaper to buy lightly used building materials than to pay for a new item. You can find windows, tubs, faucets, and laminate flooring in many resale resources.
In order to find the right item for your bathroom, you should visit the recycling center more often. You could really get lucky with finding a barely used sink that’s just perfect for your bathroom and very cheap, too.
6. Renovate the old tub
Instead of buying a new tub, why not trying to renovate the old one? An old tub (or a shower, for that matter) will, at one point, start showing signs of aging but before you spend money on getting a new one, see what can be done about the old one.
It’s possible to have it professionally resurfaced, which is a cheaper option than buying a new one. There are also a few DIY resurfacing products on the market but if you want optimum results, it’s best to hire a pro. If it’s just the caulk that’s in a bad shape, there are ways to remove it by yourself.
7. Limit the tiles
Lazing new tiles can be expensive, especially if you hire a contractor to do it for you. To save money on it, limit the amount of tile by focusing on the high-impact areas, such as the floor, and not on the inside the shower stall walls. The alternative solution is to tile a horizontal stripe along the wall, and just paint the rest.
If you really want some specific, artistic tiles that are also expensive, then use them only as an accent together with a cheaper version. It will be more noticeable and you’ll still manage to save money.
Final comment
Renovating a bathroom is a costly endeavor but it doesn’t have to leave you almost broke. Careful planning and identifying the ways you can save some money will allow you to do more at a better price.
