A renovated bathroom can add to 's value.
A bathroom is one of the places in your home that you can remodel that guarantees good returns on the money you spent. A bathroom remodel is an often-desired upgrade that home buyers look for. With planning, a solid budget and a little bit of elbow grease, you can increase your home's equity by following some simple steps to renovate a bathroom inexpensively.
Instructions
1. Decide on a budget. Renovating inexpensively doesn't always mean going with cheap materials, but it does mean finding ways to renovate using good materials and staying on budget.
Decide if you are going to have a full remodel or a partial remodel. Determine if you'll reuse existing cabinetry or existing shower doors if you'll replace them. The answers to these questions will affect your budget.
Consider what you'll need new and take this list to a home improvement store to begin comparison shopping for the best price. Check out home resale shops and even architectural salvage shops to see if they have deals on unique pieces you can use.
2. Draw out a plan. Before you start ripping off the old tiles, you need to have a good plan. If you are doing a full remodel, determine whether you are going to change the footprint of the bathroom. If you are doing that, then that would mean you may have to re-work the plumbing and electricity. Include the new locations into your plan.
3. Do most of the work yourself and know when not to do it yourself. The biggest amount of money people spend goes to labor more than materials. If you do most of the work yourself, you would be amazed at how much money you would save.
If you are not a handyperson, do some things that are easy for someone to learn to do. Demolition work is probably one of those that can be easily learned, but make sure you know avoid the pipes and electrical wiring to avoid accidents and damages that could add to the cost later.
Know when to hire. For example, if you do not know do the plumbing and electrical, hire an expert. You may pay but you will be sure that the work will be done correctly. Ask the contractor if you can pay for just labor and tools and provide the materials. You may be able to find materials and accessories cheaply elsewhere and avoid the contractor's markup.
4. Hire reputable workers and contractors by being your own subcontractor.
Eliminate the middle person, and hire the contractors directly. You can go to stores and request information of contractors they can refer to you. Buy your materials from them, and they likely will be even more willing to assist you in your contractor search. If you have friends who had recent remodels, ask for referrals.
5. Buy materials directly and shop around for best prices. Make sure to measure correctly. Buy a extra tiles for future repairs, especially if you are buying styles that would be discontinued someday. Discontinued tiles are priced lower since they will no longer be available; just make sure to buy an extra box or two for future needs.
6. Reuse existing cabinets, toilets, bathtubs and shower doors if they are still in good condition. You can refurbish or refinish them to make them look good again. Do not buy a new mirror if your existing one still works, but frame it to make it look new and attractive.
7. Go to salvage yards to find pieces that you can use for your bathroom renovation. For example, claw foot tubs are inexpensive when you buy them at salvage yards as opposed to going to antique dealers. You can also use an old dresser table or furniture that you can turn into a sink by drilling holes for your fixtures and plumbing.
Tags: your home, full remodel, home improvement, make sure, most work