Did you know that remodeling a bathroom can have an average cost of $16,000 according to Remodeling magazine? That is for a small five-foot by seven-foot bathroom. It is a major expense and you are smart if you are wondering about ways that you can have a beautiful new bathroom and not spend more than you can afford.
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A bathroom remodel may not be the sexiest home improvement project out there, but updating your bathroom can make a huge upgrade to your living space. A bathroom renovation can be a fun project that does not take too much time and it certainly does not have to suck up all of your savings.
Much of the costs of bathroom remodeling come from the materials you choose and the labor it takes to install. If you are willing to take on some of the tasks of your bathroom remodel, you can save a lot on the final bill. Most people are best at hiring bathroom contractors because of the time, effort, and skills it takes to get the job done correctly.
With smart shopping, conservative changes, and a good amount of research into materials and labor costs you can save tons of money on your bathroom without sacrificing beauty and comfort. Here are our top suggestions to help you save money on your bathroom remodel.
BATHROOM REMODEL IDEAS
When coming up with a plan of how you want your bathroom to look, you can turn to many sources of inspiration to come up with just the style you desire.
The more expensive route to brainstorming ideas is to hire a designer and architect to draw up a plan from your ideas. This route is fast and easy and will result in a solid and easy-to-follow plan of action. But this convenience and expertise come with a bigger price tag.
To save money look for inspiration all around you. Find bathrooms that you like and study them with a more detailed eye, take notes and pictures and make drawings of what you like. You can also search the internet for inspiration, as many sites have good ideas for bathroom makeovers.
AVOID MOVING PLUMBING OR ELECTRICAL
Changing the location of the sink or adding a new outlet can lead to a lot more costs. This kind of work requires specialized tradesmen who charge a lot for their labor. It could also trigger the need for more building permits, which can mean more fees, more time, and more bureaucracy.
Unless your bathroom layout is absolutely driving you crazy, try to create your design around the current plumbing and electricity, it will save you a lot of money on your bathroom remodel.
DO SOME WORK YOURSELF
Labor is a huge part of the final bill of a bathroom renovation. If you have some skills and a lot of free time, you can do some of the work yourself.
Do be very cautious about taking on such a big project. You can injure yourself, damage your home or get into trouble with the building department. Most people find that hiring professional bathroom contractors to do the work is the best solution overall.
FIND USED MATERIALS
There are many ways you can find leftover materials from another construction project or old materials that are being thrown away. Sites like craigslist and eBay offer a way to buy used items that you can get a huge discount on.
If you ask at home improvement stores, they may have returned items or floor display models that they can offer at a big discount.
For tile, many people buy the tile for their project but have boxes or half boxes left over. They may offer these leftovers for sale or even for free. Looking around for discounts and leftovers can save so much.
USE LESS TILE
Tile is a classic, clean-looking material to use on bathroom walls and floors. Tiles also protect the frame and subfloor of the house from water. Tile is also an expensive material and even more expensive to have someone install it.
Using less tile in your design goes a long way to reduce the cost of the bathroom remodel. Alternatives like wood, drywall, and plaster are much cheaper and can still be incorporated in a beautiful way.
MAKE YOUR OWN VANITY
A stone top vanity can take a bathroom to the next level of beauty and excellence, but it can come at a high price.
For the cabinet part of your vanity, you can look around antique stores and thrift shops for an old dresser, then refurbish it with paint or stain, new hardware and make holes for plumbing.
Most countertop stores have leftover pieces from bigger projects that they will sell at a low price that you can use as the vanity top. Then you just need to cut a hole for the sink and you can have yourself a stunning piece of bathroom furniture for a decent price.
With a little bit of work, you can have a gorgeous bathroom vanity for a fraction of the price and you will be able to show off to your friends how creative and talented you are.
OPEN SHELVING
If you are thinking of having some cabinetry in your bathroom, you might want to know that a real cabinet can be really expensive. That is why considering open shelves could be a money-saving idea. They look modern and elegant and can do all the work that a cabinet can do without so much of the costs.
REPAIR YOUR TOILET
If you are not looking to go for a different color or style of toilet, you can probably just replace all the parts of your toilet and save money. You can find a replacement for all the parts of the toilet at a home improvement store and it is not hard to replace them yourself. You will also save because you won’t need to hire a plumber to install a new toilet.
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