How to save money on a bathroom remodel

After the kitchen, the bathroom is the most remodeled room in the home. They get outdated and worn down faster than other rooms in the home. Unfortunately, it also tends to be one of the most complicated and expensive remodeling projects you can undertake. But does a bathroom remodel have to break the bank? Not necessarily. Here are a few tricks to limiting costs when remodeling your bathroom.

Revamp, don’t replace

Are the tiles in your bathroom puke-green? You don’t have to call in a demo crew to tear it all out. As long as your tiles are in good shape you can re-glaze them a different color. The same goes for the vanity and cabinets. You can replace the counter-top and re-face the cabinets to get a new look without a demo and starting from scratch.

Don’t impulse buy

Once you’ve decided to remodel the bathroom, you’ll have an urge to go out and do all the shopping for the new space immediately. But force yourself to take it slow. Give yourself time to shop around, compare prices and products, and make wise selections. If possible, plan your shopping trip around holidays where there will be good sales. You can ask your contractor if they have any leftover materials from another project that they could give you at a discounted price.

Don’t change the layout

If at all possible, don’t change the existing layout of the bathroom. The biggest expense for a bathroom remodel is when you have to move the shower to where the toilet used to be and put the toilet somewhere else. If the contractor has to cut into the walls and a plumber has to come and move pipes around, it’s going to cost a lot.

Build your own designer mirror

Don’t spend a small fortune on a fancy, store-bought mirror. Get a large, builder basic mirror if you don’t already have one and create your own frame for it then paint the frame as you please. It will be a great focal point for the bathroom and will add a lot of flair for a relatively small price.

Be resourceful

Visit a stone yard and look for leftover pieces of stone you can get for a bargain; it could end up being your new bathroom vanity. Get multiple estimates and don’t be afraid to pit contractors against each other to get a better price. Check out second-hand stores, you never know what kinds of deals you might find there.

Source: Architectural Digest

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