I wanted to get a poll and hear peoples opinions on a project I am considering. Both of our bathrooms are in need of a full remodel. My plan is to tear out the front down to the studs and do a full remodel. Since this will cost a lot of money, I was wondering if it makes since to do a facelift in the rear bathroom. Its quite small and I planned on adding laminate flooring, new base boards, adding a small new vanity top, new cheap fixtures, a new blower, and sanding/restaining the current vanity. I have no plans to touch the shower for the time being. I am considering this for three reasons: 1. The bathroom looks very old and dated, I would like to give it a facelift 2. I can only get a couple weeks off of work per year 3. Bathroom remodels as we all know are very expensive. The delay would allow me to pay off my front bathroom and save money for a full remodel in the back. My time frame after I finish the front bathroom to do the back bathroom was around 2-3 years. Should I just wait it out, or spend a little money to freshen it up? My max budget would be 1000.00 for the facelift. Thanks
bathroom facelift. Good idea or waste of money
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Joined
·
37,499 Posts
Pictures would be nice.
Main bathroom first.
Laminate should never be used in a bathroom!
100% sure that old vanity can even be sanded? Most cheap ones are just a thin veneer over particle board.
Main bathroom first.
Laminate should never be used in a bathroom!
100% sure that old vanity can even be sanded? Most cheap ones are just a thin veneer over particle board.
Bathroom remodels are only as expensive as you make them.
Shopping around can drastically reduce the price.
End of the year sales.?
Warehouse sales.?
Contractor supplies stores.?
Surplus stores.?
Local government surplus resale.?
Local papers.?
Sites like craigslist.? People who bought too much or for some reason needs to get rid of it.
Purchasing a little at a time until you have what you want, then do the work.
Both bathrooms are due able as long as you keep one toilet/shower usable.
You would be surprised how much difference just a little bit makes.
New shower curtains.?
New throw rugs.?
New fixtures.?
Paint.?
Maybe some pictures.?
Two weeks should be more then enough time.
Shopping around can drastically reduce the price.
End of the year sales.?
Warehouse sales.?
Contractor supplies stores.?
Surplus stores.?
Local government surplus resale.?
Local papers.?
Sites like craigslist.? People who bought too much or for some reason needs to get rid of it.
Purchasing a little at a time until you have what you want, then do the work.
Both bathrooms are due able as long as you keep one toilet/shower usable.
You would be surprised how much difference just a little bit makes.
New shower curtains.?
New throw rugs.?
New fixtures.?
Paint.?
Maybe some pictures.?
Two weeks should be more then enough time.
Joined
·
11,194 Posts
I would keep the $1,000 as a contingency fund for the remodel of the front bathroom. After the work is done, you can see what money you have left to spend on the small bathroom.
I would say that the work you listed for the small bath is quite optimistic for a $1,000 budget. If your budget on the front bath is also optimistic, you will need the contingency.
I would say that the work you listed for the small bath is quite optimistic for a $1,000 budget. If your budget on the front bath is also optimistic, you will need the contingency.
You mentioned remodeling, and going to the studs, but nothing about structural concerns nor moving walls, so maybe redecorating is more in order. Both of our bathrooms were definitely 1970ish, so we stripped the gold speckled paper from one, and whatever the other had, did a little sanding and patching, primed, painted, and they were instantly 30 years newer. Then sanded and painted the vanities, replaced the gawdy, overstated doors and drawer fronts on one of the vanities with ones that I made myself from material that I had in the shop, replaced the faux gold hinges and handles with white ones, and we ended up with two brand new modern looking bathrooms for less than $100. The only thing that I planned on doing and still haven't is the floors, but they looked great once we got all of the distractions out of the way, so might still go quite a few more years.
Joined
·
11,733 Posts
Where there is a will there is a way.
if you post some pics, I'll see if I have any ideas.
We just updated one of our bathrooms, by painting
the walls and refinishing the wood countertop,
and replacing the toilet with a new higher toilet.
We kept the Thirty year old sink, cause I still
love it.
We bought the bathroom a fresh new look for very
little money, just lots of elbow grease.
Is the vanity in good shape? Can it be painted or
refinished?
Post some pics.
if you post some pics, I'll see if I have any ideas.
We just updated one of our bathrooms, by painting
the walls and refinishing the wood countertop,
and replacing the toilet with a new higher toilet.
We kept the Thirty year old sink, cause I still
love it.
We bought the bathroom a fresh new look for very
little money, just lots of elbow grease.
Is the vanity in good shape? Can it be painted or
refinished?
Post some pics.
Over the years, my wife and I have done a couple of to-the-studs bathroom renovations, plus one kitchen. All were in different houses around 50-60 years old. Unless you go crazy (fancy jetted Roman tub, marble floor, plumbing rerouting, etc.) or hire the work out, a bathroom reno is not nearly as expensive or time consuming as a kitchen. Both the bathroom renos I've done added together didn't cost a quarter as much as just the kitchen cabinets in my current house. And one was in a house with just one bathroom. Believe me, you've gotta plan something like that carefully unless you want a port-a-potty in your front yard for a while.
Something to consider is why you're wanting to do this reno: are you planning to stay in the house for years to come, or are you planning to sell and just want to freshen things up to make the place more attractive to buyers? In one of my bath renos, I removed the tub and replaced it with a fancy corner shower with tempered glass doors my wife found on the internet. The thing cost more than $2,000, versus a cheap plastic one I could've bought for $300 at my local big box store.
Something to consider is why you're wanting to do this reno: are you planning to stay in the house for years to come, or are you planning to sell and just want to freshen things up to make the place more attractive to buyers? In one of my bath renos, I removed the tub and replaced it with a fancy corner shower with tempered glass doors my wife found on the internet. The thing cost more than $2,000, versus a cheap plastic one I could've bought for $300 at my local big box store.
To answer some of your questions: Yes this is my mothers house, I live in it and will be inheriting it. I plan on staying here for many years to come. I have to do both bathrooms at seperate times for two major reasons. 1. Financial, I cant afford to do both bathrooms at the same time. 2. I dont want to be without a bathroom throught the remodel process. I plan to start with the front bathroom. I will be reframing a couple walls, taking it down to studs, and blowing into a closet. I want to set everything up so that when I remodel the back bathroom, everything is ready to go. My idea of doing a facelift in the back bathroom was to buy me sometime before I remodel it. Its very dated and could use a little TLC. I also plan on saving the blower and new toilet. in both bathrooms. I am planning to re-route plumbing myself but will probably bring in an electrician to do all the wiring.
Joined
·
11,194 Posts
Be aware that Calif. went to a mandatory 1.28 gpf flush law last year. A lot of 1.28 gpf toilets were rushed onto the market to fill the shelves at the big boxes.
You need to be careful in your selection, or you may end up with a toilet that doesn't flush very well. While there are some good ones out there, there is also a lot of el cheapo junk.
Yes, but the Toto Drake is a pretty expensive toilet. And that's fine. IMO, even though there are fancy features on today's toilets, one of the specs you can continue to look for as a mark of quality is the trap way. You sometimes have to work to find this spec. On the Toto it's 2 1/8", which is large. That's good. There are larger - 2 3/8" is the largest I'm aware of. Some cheapies are as small as 1 1/2". Not good. Large trap = quality toilet, small trap = low quality toilet. Usually.
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
