Even
bathrooms need refreshing after a couple of years of usage. But a face-lift
sounds perfect in your head until you begin crunching the numbers.
According to Angie’s List, [1] US citizens spend about $10,00 when remodeling
their bathrooms. Nevertheless, if you plan everything carefully, you can save
loads of money and still get a renovated bathroom. Here are simple cost-cutting
solutions when renovating your bathroom.
Shop In Large Home Improvement Stores
Most of the bathroom necessities (tiles, fixtures, etc.) are expensive
everywhere, but large stores usually offer great deals.
For example, any price at Home Deport that ends with .06 will be put on a sale
in the coming six weeks, and so on. Furthermore, paint is always on sale during
holiday weekends.
With a good reason, every employee at Home Deport is allowed to give up to $50
discount. So, if you are purchasing the last type of item in stock, you can get
a great deal
Use Accessories Instead of Rebuilding
If your large fixtures are in good shape, opt to change the decorations instead
of rebuilding everything. You can find all the accessories you need at most
dollar shops. Widen your space with industrial-chic shelves, get a new shower
curtain, paint the walls and you could be surprised with the new look. This
approach will save you a decent amount of money.
Alternative to Tile Bathrooms
On average tiles cost about $25 per square foot which is not a bargain. Instead
of tiles, you can use waterproof wood panels, wood laminate, plastic wallpaper,
rubber leather, etc. If you still want tiles, you can find someone selling leftovers
on eBay or CraigsList. [2] [3] This way, you can renovate your bathroom on a
far smaller budget.
Fake It Till You Make It
Why throw hundreds of dollars away on a cabinet when you can transform your
current one for a few bucks? Wood paint can make your old cabinet look brand
new. And you don’t even have to move anything.
Purchase Used Materials
Many surplus materials get resold at a meager price. Furthermore, Habitat for
Humanity ReStore, [4] along with many other reuse centers don’t accept discards
if they aren’t in fantastic condition. So, if you get lucky enough, you may end
up buying a brand new product. Try and look for bathtubs, sinks, toilets,
paint, tile, etc. You may be surprised at what you can find. Most of these
stores receive donations daily, so remember to check regularly. If you want to
change your counter-top, you can check for discounted remnants in your granite
company. They could offer you a far cheaper solution.
Don’t Touch Your Plumbing
If you don’t have to, keep your plumbing the way it is. Even though it may
widen the space a little, if you want to rearrange your bathroom essentials,
you will need to pay about $5,000.
Last but not least, if you decide to make more significant changes, hire a
professional. Even though a simple video tutorial can teach you how to install
your tiles, this takes a lot of practice. A local contractor will help you
avoid expensive errors and help you save money.
[1] https://www.angieslist.com/articles/how-much-does-bathroom-remodel-cost.htm