Designing on a Budget: Remodeling Your Bathroom

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After kitchens, a bathroom remodel is the best way to add value to your home. It’s a nice room to target as a project because they’re generally smaller than other rooms, and a lot can be done to make a big difference in how they look. It’s hard to do much to a bedroom to transform it. Sure, you can put in new shelving units or carpet, but bathrooms are a great room to remodel because there are so many options for upgrades. Homeowners can go extremely high end or get things done on a budget with the changes they make. Even if you don’t have a lot to spend, small upgrades to your bathroom will make being in your house a joy. Check out these six ideas for designing your bathroom on a budget.

Tackle Easy DIYs First

Believe it or not, a lot of basic bathroom upgrades can be done at home pretty easily. YouTube has been a godsend for DIY bathroom upgraders because there are so many instructional videos that will walk you through minor repairs step by step. If you bought a house with an intact bathroom from the early or mid-20^th century, then there’s a lot that can be done. Start by replacing the fixtures. Sink faucets, handles, bathroom flush handles, and toilet seats. A new showerhead and curtain and updating drawer handles can almost make the place look brand new. All this stuff can be purchased for a bargain at your local home repair store. If you want to spend a little bit more to make things look nice, a lot of higher-end clothing stores sell designer home fixtures on their websites.

Spend a Little to Save a Lot

Homeowners can cut down on their utility bills by focusing on making their bathroom energy efficient. Changing out your toilet for a WaterSense-certified model reduces the amount of water needed for a flush by as much as 5 gallons per flush. Replacing windows in your bathroom with energy-efficient windows will stop heat or cool air from leaking out.

Brighten the room with energy-saving LED lightbulbs. It will take a while for the bill savings to cover the replacement costs, but once you do it’s all gravy from there. Newer windows are also built to maximize natural light.

Projects if You’re Handy with a Drill

Getting into power tools may seem like a lot for some homeowners. If that’s the case, then you may be better off hiring a professional. However, if you know your way around a drill, you can make a lot of bathroom improvements yourself. A great way to upscale a bathroom is by installing a classy glass shelf above or next to the sink. It’s a great look that you can put soaps, flowers or cosmetics on. You can also buy a nice modern mirror and install it with basic tools. A better mirror can change the whole look of a bathroom and reflect more light around the room. You can also use a drill to replace toilet paper and towel racks. Chrome accessories are always a great choice that doesn’t cost a ton.

New Countertops

If your bathroom has counter space, new countertops are a great way to give it a luxury feel. New countertops are probably the best thing you can do to upgrade a bathroom. Even the nicest shower curtain or chrome finishes can’t mask dated countertops. Changing out countertops can certainly be a DIY project, but if you’re unsure about doing it yourself, go ahead and call a professional. There are some great online countertop estimators that will break down price according to the material. Granite is always a great, classic choice because it is scratch-resistant and looks great. There are a lot of style options to choose from. If there’s a little breathing room in the budget, take a look at quartz. It’s more durable and it will make your bathroom look like it belongs in a five-star hotel. For the most affordable option, the laminate can be installed in a variety of colors to fit your bathroom’s décor. The main drawback with laminate is that it will need to be replaced earlier than other materials.

Choose Your Tile Strategy Wisely

The new tile looks fantastic and is a great choice for any bathroom remodel. The only problem is that hiring someone to do tilework can get expensive quickly. However, don’t think that retiling your bathroom is an all or nothing proposition. You can refresh a bathroom by installing artistic tiles in high-impact areas like the floor and leave tile inside the shower walls for a project later on. More expensive colorful or artistic tiles can be mixed in pattern alongside cheaper neutral tiles. Of course, if you’re in no rush, you can always give laying tile a try yourself. There are plenty of resources online to learn how to install the tile. Start somewhere you feel more comfortable making mistakes like behind a toilet or around a corner.

Don’t Sleep on a New Paint Job

Changing up the color scheme in your bathroom with some paint is an affordable, high-impact part of a remodel. What’s great about paint is that you can change it as often as you like because it costs relatively little and painting a bathroom can be done over a weekend. The corners and tight spaces will take some patience to get through, but the payoff is big. And don’t buy the cheapest paint you can find. Consult someone about buying paints that will fight off moisture, so your bathroom stays mold-free. You can go from warm colors to cool and see how they both fit with the countertops, shower, and other parts of your bathroom design.

Closing Thoughts

Bathroom remodels are the perfect home upgrade, especially if you live in an older home with an original design. Start with these six affordable remodel ideas and then go from there as your confidence builds. Soon you’ll be eager to show off your designer bathroom to all your guests.

About the Author

Emmy Noell is from New Jersey and graduated from Ramapo College in 2017. She currently works as a writer and editor at Marble.com which is a blog that talks about home design ideas with an interest in home remodeling, specifically kitchen and bathroom renovations.