The bathroom of your home can be one of the most inspiring rooms to renovate within the home. An outdated bathroom can really drive the whole home down in value as a great bathroom is often something that is highly sought after when people buy a home.
Renovating your bathroom doesn’t have to be a huge and complicated task and there are a few ways you can cut down on costs, given a little thought. So long as you follow a few simple guidelines, you can have yourself a new bathroom that will add value to your home and make you proud of your new renovation.
1. LIST YOUR MUST-HAVES AND LUST-HAVES
When you start looking around for bathroom accessories and fittings, there are going to be items that you fall in love with and never would have considered before. However, you need to consider your budget at the same time. The best way to get around this is to list your essentials and your splurges that you hope for, but wait and see if they are obtainable after the essentials have been purchased. Consider your storage and tapware first and see what is left of your budget. Then, you can choose which of your splurges you will install, such as heated flooring or a rainshower.
2. LESS IS MORE
Sometimes, less really is more. If you keep trying to add more features, you may find the bathroom feeling cluttered and end up spending more than you need to. Try to opt for minimalist pieces and utilise every centimetre of space by including recessed shelving and cabinets with mirrors to add even more storage.
3. CHOOSE YOUR BUILDER WISELY
If you choose a builder to do the renovation for you, it’s important to remember that cheaper doesn’t necessarily mean better. If possible, have a chat with some people you know who have had some renovations completed to get an idea of which builders in your area can do a good job. Asking for their references is also a great option when choosing a builder as they can give you some real feedback from their previous clients. Choosing a trusted builder who can provide value for your money is a good way to save on costs in the long run.
4. THINK ABOUT THE TIME TO RENOVATE
If you have a builder doing the work for you, it’s a good idea to have a chat about how long it will take to complete the work. This is something to bear in mind, especially if you don’t have a second bathroom. If your renovation takes a long time you may need to stay at a hotel or motel for a while as some of the work gets completed, and costs like this can add up surprisingly quickly. If you can handle it, hiring a porta-loo or two can be a cheaper solution.
5. TRY TO WORK WITH THE EXISTING LAYOUT
You may be dreaming of a stunning new bathtub where a bathtub has never been before, but you should consider working with the current layout. You usually can get new connections and fittings installed, but this can sometimes be a tedious and expensive job. Instead, minimise costs by working with where the current fittings and facilities are.
6. CONSIDER WHAT CAN BE DONE YOURSELF
It can seem easy to get a builder to do all of the work for you, but to try and save some money, think of the things you could do yourself. It could be as simple as doing the re-painting with your own hands. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, think about any of the current items you have that can be renovated yourself. You may save hundreds of dollars if you can master the art of DIY.
7. SAVE MONEY ON YOUR SHOWER SCREEN
A shower screen is a trendy new look in bathrooms that can help your bathroom appear larger than it really is. A clear, frameless, shower screen will always win when renovating a bathroom. However, if you think you want to go for a hotel-style “wet room” look, save some extra money by having no shower screen at all.
8. CONSIDER YOUR VENTILATION
There’s nothing worse than creating the bathroom of your dreams only to find that it is full of mould within months and you have to spend more dollars redesigning to solve the problem. One aspect that many people forget about is ventilation. Ensure that you have adequate ventilation by installing ceiling fans and having appropriately sized windows for the scope of the bathroom. Also remember that it is ideal to have the exhaust fan venting the air out of the home, otherwise you could end up with moisture problems in your ceiling space.
9. CONSIDER THE RIGHT TILES
If you look for inspiration on Pinterest or online, you might see images of stunning bathrooms with tiles the size of half a wall space. Although they look immaculate, it’s important to remember that tiles that are large in size can sometimes be a large headache and cost large amounts of money. Larger tiles are heavier, and therefore can be a hinderance on your bathroom, depending on the construction of the home. They’re also harder and therefore more expensive to install and if your walls and floors aren’t perfectly square, you might find that these larger tiles make this a lot more obvious. Instead, try and find tiles that are smaller in size and have the right texture to avoid slips and falls.
