This is a collaborative post.
A bathroom renovation can be an infinitely rewarding project, but if there’s one thing most of us can agree on, it is the fact that there is a pretty hefty price tag that comes with it! Upgrading the toilet, the plumbing, the decor, the tiles, and everything else that gives you a place to sit, relax, and, of course, conduct the essential duties can be costly. But what happens if we need to renovate our bathroom for cheap? “Cheap” is, of course, a word that is vastly open to interpretation, so let’s try and cover as many different areas as possible and give you a variety of solutions.
Planning and Prioritising
The first step to a successful bathroom project is planning carefully. If you are looking for a very specific aesthetic, you’ve got to understand if you have the budget to spend on this makeover. A very good example is if you want to completely alter the feel of the space, you don’t necessarily have to change everything from top to bottom.
For example, you may be able to get away with changing some of the fixtures and fittings to instantly revamp the entire area. Copper is a very good material that also has a very striking look, and if you are leaning towards something like this, you can then look at swapping out your normal toilet roll holder for a copper toilet roll holder. But whatever you have in your mind, you have to first prioritise your renovation goals. This means determining which areas of the bathroom require the most attention and then allocating our budget accordingly.
If you start to focus on the essentials, you can achieve pretty much what you want without overspending. Most of us cannot afford to go over budget, and so if we can plan very acutely what we need, there is less chance of spending more than is necessary. However, anybody that’s undergone a renovation will tell you that you should over budget. So bear this in mind, especially when you are looking to renovate a bathroom because there can be a number of hidden issues that cause problems.
Is a Lick of Paint All You Need?
Lots of people talk about a new lick of paint being a cost-effective approach to breathing new life into any space, including your bathroom. If you have vanity cabinets that you don’t want to throw out or you don’t like the look of the space anymore, this might be a very good starting point. A lick of paint can instantly update the space and make it look more modern and clean.
One of the big issues people can experience with old bathrooms is that over time, the steam and the heat can erode any sense of style from the space. Light and neutral paint colours can instantly create a bright and airy feel, as well as changing the colours of the vanity cabinets to give them a fresh and updated appearance. Replacing those outdated fixtures and hardware can also impact the look and functionality. This is especially true if you are using old shower heads.
You can now get energy-efficient modern-looking shower heads to not just revamp the aesthetics of the bathroom, but also ensure that you use a lot less water. Giving yourself a few little changes like this can be a better place to begin because if you end up making massive changes to the bathroom that you will ultimately become dissatisfied with over the ensuing years, making a few little swaps like this is a far better insurance policy. Because if you are generally happy with the bathroom in terms of the layout and the functionality, why go all out to upgrade it when a few little swaps can do an awful lot?
DIY or Should You Hire a Professional?
If you want to save money on your bathroom renovation, you can always benefit from tackling the work all by yourself. This means that you may have to think long and hard as to whether you have the ability to do it yourself, but also if the task is too much to deal with because of external pressures.
There are many DIY-friendly tasks you can do, for example, painting and installing fixtures, but there are, of course, things like plumbing and electrical works that you should leave well alone and let the professionals take over. You may have lofty ambitions to renovate the space yourself, but this is not something that you can learn overnight. You might want to look at electrical courses or comprehensive guides on how to do plumbing work, but the most important thing to remember when you are doing these things by yourself is that you have the confidence to understand how to solve any problems.
Many old bathrooms can take a lot longer than you think to renovate because if you moved into a new home that was previously occupied by an old couple, they may have opted for the “make-do-and-mend” approach to everything, which means that while the home has solid, sturdy walls, there can be a lot of work ahead of you, including some questionable design choices. For example, wallpaper in a bathroom may seem nonsensical, but it was a design trend many years ago! You’ve got to think that if you are upgrading a bathroom, especially one that’s very old, there may not have been any major changes made within the last 30 or even 40-plus years.
What About Regrouting and a Few Other Little Changes?
During the process of renovating a bathroom, you may find that water escapes far more freely than you realise. Regrouting and resealing, sometimes called re-caulking, can instantly revitalise the appearance of your bathroom. Because over time, mould can slowly infiltrate the bathroom, regrouting and resealing can do wonders and it is an amazing DIY skill that we can all learn how to do.
As the grout and the sealant can become discoloured and deteriorate, this is another thing that, in addition to upgrading the fixtures and fittings, will change the look of the bathroom. When you make changes such as this with good quality sealant, it can give you a lot more inspiration as to what else you can upgrade quickly and cheaply.
For example, if your bathtub or the tiles show many signs of wear and tear, rather than replacing them, you can refinish or reglaze these to give your bathroom surfaces a fresh and glossy appearance. Bathtub refinishing can give your bathtub a facelift by painting a tough coating over the surface and is far more cost-effective when you consider how much it would be to replace the tub. There are many DIY kits that include epoxy resin with a number of accessories that will give you a lot more bang for your buck.
Don’t Forget Deep Cleaning
If you are looking for ways to completely reinvigorate your bathroom, you need to give your bathroom a proper deep clean first and foremost. A good cleaning can reveal the hidden potential of your bathroom, and so if you work hard over the course of the weekend to remove mould, grime, and dirt from the surfaces, grouting, and tiles, this might be just what you need to give that bathroom the facelift it needs without making massive changes.
The key to cleaning a bathroom is not about doing it quickly, but about making sure that you’ve got the right cleaning materials so you can clean the bathroom like a cleaner. It is not just about the once-over approach but about making sure that you are blitzing absolutely everything.
Doing One Thing at a Time if You Are Really Cash-Strapped
This is critical if your budget is extremely tight. A bathroom renovation can take some time from beginning to end, from as little as a couple of weeks to even a couple of months, depending on what problems are lurking underneath. Therefore, if your budget is extremely tight, you can break this down into smaller, more manageable projects. For example, by starting with the fixtures and hardware and then later on making changes to the painting and flooring.
On the topic of flooring, there are a number of budget-friendly options available, for example, laminate or vinyl flooring that mimics the look of more expensive materials. Durable and easy to install, but also easy to clean, which can make a big difference if you want to have that show-home bathroom look but still have young kids who are not the cleanest.
When it comes to renovating a new home, there is a lot to bear in mind. Renovating anything on a budget is achievable, as long as we plan properly and have a little bit of creativity, as well as patience. We have to remember it is not necessarily about how much we spend, but more about how we allocate our resources. Considering some or all of these options will ensure you have an amazing-looking bathroom, all without any added financial strain.
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