How much should that bathroom reno cost?

Once you’ve decided to do some remodelling in your bathroom, the next question tends to be just how ambitious you want the project to turn out. As with many other types of major renovations, it’s generally best not to redo your bathroom just in order to sell your house, unless it’s particularly out of date and needs cosmetic changes in order to be attractive. Although moderate renovations can get a high rate of return on sales, even over 100%, upscale remodels tend to get a lower rate. Since the costs can add up quickly, you’ll need to plan and budget carefully from the beginning.

The two main categories of expenses are labour and materials. Labour costs tend to go up with the amount of work being done, but especially with the type of work. Plumbing or electrical work will generally require hiring a contractor or builder, since it’s generally not advisable for you to try and to such specialised work yourself. Adding a window, adding or moving lights, or moving plumbing are some of the most expensive options in redoing your bathroom and will be the most dependent on outside labour, so you’ll want to think hard before making a definite decision to change the layout of your bathroom. Aside from that, if you need to save money, see how much of the demolition, painting, tiling, and basic installation you can do yourself and with some help from friends.

Extending the bathroom into another space, if you can do it, will also be one of the more expensive options, but it does tend to be a good idea for comfort and, if the bathroom was especially small, can also improve the value of the house, so there is some chance of getting the investment back. This is generally a better idea in older or smaller houses, where the existing bathrooms didn’t have much space.

As for expenses in materials, fixtures can also add up quickly. As mentioned already, changing the floor plan and moving fixtures will add to the costs considerably. Even if they’re not being moved, though, premium fixtures will have premium prices, so you might have to choose between the beautiful sink, the beautiful bathtub, and the high-end toilet. Think about what’s most important to you, and consider function as well as looks. 

For surface finishes, even if you do the tiling yourself the materials cost will add up, so especially if you’ve found a beautiful but expensive tile, you’ll likely want to stick to the bath area and accents. On the other hand, since even a large bathroom countertop will likely be smaller than your kitchen, you may be able to get away with a nice product here, especially if you can find some remnants on sale. You can create a vanity from a smaller cabinet or table of your choice, which may be a cheaper option.

The main things to keep in mind include what your priorities are, and how to stick to your budget. If the options you love are expensive and your budget can take it, then go ahead. You’ll be able to create a bathroom that works for you with most any size budget.