Bathroom Workbook: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?
If you’re planning to remodel your bathroom, you want to update the look, increase resale value, add functionality, amenities and storage or a combination of all or some of these. Simple enough.
But the scope of the project depends on a variety factors — most of all budget, but also how long you’ve been in the house and how long you plan to stay there. As with most things, there are three levels of bathroom remodeling: good, better and best, says Leslie Molloy, a design consultant at Normandy Remodeling. In this new series, we’ll take you through the planning and execution process for remodeling your main bathroom.
Of course, the costs below are all relative and will depend on a variety of factors, including where you live, how old your home is and what kind of renovations have already been done. Remodeling a bathroom from the 1990s is a lot different than overhauling one built in the 1920s with mud-set floors and galvanized plumbing. “Older houses likely have had a series of previous remodels that we usually have to peel back the layers and see what’s there,” says Brad Little, president of Case Remodeling in Charlotte, North Carolina.
A look at three typical cost ranges
The first step is deciding which level of remodeling is right for you. Let’s take a look at three different cost ranges for bathroom remodels and common materials and finishes for each.
1. The Basic Bathroom Remodel
Often runs from $3,000 (DIY) to $12,000
What you might get: You probably won’t be able to move any plumbing around, but you could replace fixtures and other materials with stock, off-the-shelf products like you’d find in a big-box store.
Designer Lynn Madyson says this bathroom in New York is her example of a basic remodel. “Off-the-shelf options have gotten a bit better in recent years,” she says. “You can get a little creative by doing an interesting backsplash to make things look more high-end.”
Countertops: At this level, low-end granite and cultured marble are most popular.
Tile: Don’t expect to tile an entire bathroom, but you could do a bathtub or shower area with ceramic tiles or standard white subway tiles.
Walls: Apart from a bathtub tile surround or counter backsplash, painting the walls is the most affordable choice here.
Cabinets: If your cabinets are in good condition, you might just want to refinish or paint them. Otherwise, you’re looking at off-the-shelf units.
Lighting, fixtures and finishes: All basic, off-the-shelf products. Keep in mind that because the plumbing fixtures at this level have plastic pieces on the inside, they will likely need to be replaced every five to seven years.
Tip: You can make up for the stock materials by putting more focus on the accessories. Splurge on a nice light fixture or cabinet hardware. “Accessorizing will draw the eye more so than the type of tile you have, especially if you put up a shower curtain that hides it all anyway,” says Little.
Designer Louis Cook of PerfectView Remodeling says this bathroom falls into the basic bathroom remodel range. It includes a 24-inch vanity, a low-end granite countertop and a typical fiberglass bathtub-shower unit.
Continue reading Bathroom Workbook: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?
Bathroom Workbook: How Much Does a Bathroom Remodel Cost?
