So you’ve heard that bathroom remodels are one of the most lucrative remodels when it comes time to sell your home, and you’re ready to take advantage of your extra time at home by tackling your bathroom. Great! Not only will you be increasing the value of your home, but you’ll also be creating a better space for you and your family. While those two benefits are great, another perk to upgrading your bathroom is that it can be a very budget-friendly project. Here are six key tips for remodeling your bathroom without breaking the bank.
Plan and Budget
One of the biggest steps in making sure you stick to your budget is to create one in the first place. Making sure you have not only a budget, but also a plan for your bathroom remodel, will help you to be sure you don’t break the bank. Starting without a plan by updating the tile here, then replacing the vanity, and then maybe painting, will leave you with more work and wasted funds. Go through ahead of time and determine what you want to update along with what you’d like those updates to look like. For example, picking a new vanity. If you decide on a larger vanity than the one you have now, you’ll need less new floor tile. If you don’t determine that beforehand, you’ll be left with far too much floor tile and have flushed your money right down your new toilet!
Don’t Change Your Plumbing
This might not be an option if you’re looking to make a major change to the structure and layout of your bathroom, but if you’re simply looking for a facelift, avoid changing or altering the plumbing if you possible. This can increase the cost of your renovation tremendously.
Update, Don’t Completely Toss
Another great budget-friendly renovation tip is to update instead of tossing. For example, instead of completely replacing your toilet, you can replace the toilet seat and lid. You’ll be able to update the look, color, and comfort, without having to sink a significant amount of your renovation budget into a new toilet. You can use this same idea for a few different areas of your bathroom. Another example would be a bathroom mirror. Instead of buying a completely new one, try framing, reframing, or painting the current frame of the mirror you already have. This is a much more budget-friendly option and still gives your bathroom the facelift it needs.
Natural Light For Long-Term Savings
One of the most wanted and necessary features in bathrooms is natural lighting. You do your hair, makeup, and shaving in the bathroom and having lots of light is important far beyond the point of preference — it’s a necessity. If you’re able, replacing your window with a larger, clearer (if it’s a second-floor bathroom), or more functional window can greatly increase the amount of light in your space. This is often a better option than installing more lights as that can be an energy bill drain and will sometimes require you to rework or rewire the electrical to your bathroom.
Another great way to make the most of the lighting and the space in your bathroom is with open shelving. This will allow you to not block the light in your bathroom and provides you with unique decorating options.
Add a Pop of Color
In addition, if you’re looking to brighten your bathroom, another great way to do so is to add a pop of color. The best and most cost-effective way to do this is by painting one of your bathroom walls or adding a colorful vanity countertop. Any color, even muted, will be a great way to brighten your neutral or white bathroom.
Update Your Accessories
This addition is an easy and budget-friendly way to tie a little bow on your bathroom renovation. Adding new towel racks or railings, drawer handles or knobs, faucets or drains that are a different finish will upgrade your bathroom in a subtle but meaningful way.
Whether your bathroom upgrade encompasses all or one of these tips, remodeling your bathroom will benefit your family both now and in the future, should you ever decide to sell your house. And with the extra time at home, it’s the perfect time to get to work!