When planning your bathroom renovation, make sure your goals include doing a well-designed, high-quality job completed in a timely manner that also meets your budgetary requirements. Here are some tips to help you reach your goals. For most, it will be a question of finding the closest compromise.
1. Plan your bathroom in advance. The best way to be satisfied with your renovation is to plan your project upfront. That means creating a floor plan including the location of doors, windows and fixtures, and selecting your desired layout for renovation. Keeping the original layout will be the most economical as this won’t require expensive plumbing changes. You can find online bathroom design programs for free. Home and Garden TV has an inexpensive DIY design application. Once you’ve arrived at a design, you should try to stick with it. Make your changes during planning, not during implementation.
2. Gather design ideas while considering form, style and price. Look at finished bathrooms to get an idea about the types of materials, lighting and fixtures you’d like to have. Create a design book of your selections and use it to build a projected budget that’s very accurate. Include the costs of all materials as well as labor. At this point you might want to get some quotes from contractors. If your numbers don’t add up to a figure that falls within your budget, make the changes you need for an affordable plan. Make certain to adhere to your budget. When you make changes in midstream, you’re adding to your costs — so make a commitment to yourself not to do this.
3. Update your floor without replacing it. Freshening stained grout can do the trick. If your floor is tiled and in good condition, you might consider updating your grout lines rather than floor replacement. Begin by scrubbing the existing grout with a toothbrush and a mild bleach solution. Use one cup of bleach to 10 cups of water. If that looks fine, coat the cleaned grout with grout sealer. If you’d prefer a different color of grout or the existing grout is permanently stained or damaged, replace the old grout. Apply new grout and sealant.
4. Create visual focus with stencils. You can achieve a seamless wallpaper look with exotic patterns such as Moroccan Tile and Faux Damask. Create color combinations that work with the rest of your design while spending pennies. Even beginners can get amazing stenciling results. If you’re doing a feature wall or are seeking a furniture or fabric embellishment, this is a budget-friendly way to obtain great design. Are you cut out for stenciling? Take a look at this YouTube video and make up your mind.
5. Be the general contractor and hire your subs. If you aren’t building a bathroom appropriate to the palace at Versailles, consider being the contractor for a small- to medium-sized project. You’re likely to need a flooring professional, plumber, painter and electrician. Whether the workmanship is yours or a subcontractor’s, make certain that it’s high quality. Hiring honest, competent contractors in important. Ask your friends and associates for recommendations. If that doesn’t work, try Angieslist.
6. Choose your materials for wall and floor with price in mind. Don’t be fooled by a name when determining quality; check product reviews. For walls and floors, ceramic tiles and mosaics are inexpensive, durable and always in style. To add flare, consider local use of glass tiles. These are quite expensive but can lend design impact. For a small area they can make a big difference. Lighting can also create a soft relaxing mood. You might try wall lighting with indoor-outdoor LED strips. This can add dramatic lighting flexibly to any area. You’re limited only by your imagination.
7. Select fixtures such as toilet, sink and tub for quality and price. American Standard has an elegant yet simple pedestal sink for $130. Add extra storage with baskets, wall hooks and shelving, and save hundreds on a vanity while maintaining a spacious look. A sophisticated waterfall faucet for your sink or bath can be purchased for $45 to $400. Most visitors to your bathroom won’t be able to tell the difference, so why spend more?
Staying within your budget doesn’t mean skimping on comfort. Whirlpool tubs start at about $700, so why not bathe in comfort? When choosing your plumbing and electrical fixtures, look for the best price. There can be a huge variation from one supplier to the next.
8. Use high-end finishes and fixtures with restraint. In most cases, you can achieve a high-end appearance with well-considered low-end finishes. When you set out with value as your goal, there’s every reason to believe you’ll get there. Just as you can create a masterpiece with your camera, you can create a superb design in your home. Design is the key. You don’t need high-cost items to achieve the best outcome.
Author Bio:
Darryl Crosby is the Marketing Manager of Schedule Fred Inc. A home repair company based in Bethesda, MD that helps homeowners take care of the small projects throughout their bathroom projects.
