The average cost to remodel a bathroom is over $16,000. If you have a dated bathroom and money is tight, you may be looking for ways to reduce those expenses while still freshening up your space. Learning how to save money while remodeling a bathroom can help you to reduce the costs while still getting a bathroom that is stylish and modern. Here are some of the best tips for saving money on a bathroom renovation project. 
Complete Demolition On Your Own
One of the ways that you can save money while remodeling a bathroom is to complete demolition on your own. This includes removing any flooring, fixtures, and walls in the space yourself, rather than paying a contractor to complete the work. However, if you are demolishing on your own, you need to know what you are doing. It is important that you do not remove any load-bearing walls or damage the plumbing while removing fixtures or flooring. Both of these mistakes can be costly to repair and can negate any savings associated with demolishing a bathroom space on your own.
Reuse Any Fixtures You Can
Many people do not realize that fixtures can be repainted or powder coated to give them a new appearance. For example, you can sand down a wooden vanity and then either restain or repaint the vanity to give it a new and fresh look. A bathtub that is stained can be powder coated to help it look as good as new. Reusing old fixtures is generally cheaper than buying new fixtures, so if your fixtures still have life in them, consider going this route.
Retain the Same Bathroom Layout
As you look to remodel or renovate a bathroom, one of the decisions you have to make is about the layout of the bathroom. If you are on a budget, retaining the existing layout in the bathroom can help you to save money. This means that your sink, toilet, and shower will all be in the same position they currently are. When you switch up a bathroom layout and start to move fixtures, you need to alter the plumbing in your bathroom. Having to call in a plumber to re-plumb or repipe your bathroom can be costly and can drastically increase the cost of a bathroom renovation project.
Shop Around For the Best Prices
One of the common mistakes homeowners make when undergoing a bathroom renovation is not shopping around for the best prices for the materials needed for the renovation. Tile, stone, and fixture prices can vary from one vendor to the next. There are many places you can go to look for materials for your bathroom, including online retailers. Many retailers also have materials that may be close-out pricing. Don’t be afraid to shop around and compare prices, or ask if a vendor has any discounted materials for sale.
Don’t Go Overboard on High-End Materials
Some materials may look beautiful, but you can quickly exceed the budget or sink more into a bathroom remodel if you go overboard on high-end materials. And unfortunately, it can be hard to get a good return on investment with too many high-end materials. Instead, select one or two high-end items that are must-haves in your bathroom, and then try to counter those items with more affordable materials. Let your high-end items make a statement and be the star of the bathroom, instead of having them compete with other high-end finishes.
Carefully Review Contractor’s Quotes
The final tip to help you save money while you are remodeling your bathroom is to carefully review quotes from contractors. The cheapest quote is not always the best, nor does it always wind up being the cheapest. Always find out what exactly is included in your contract. Are your materials included in the quote, or do you have to buy those separately? Are dumpster rental or disposal fees included or do you have to arrange to have the trash discarded? Is the contractor obtaining and paying for building permits or are you? Always take the time to carefully review a contractor’s quote and work to see what is included in the quote and what may wind up costing you more down the road.
A bathroom may be the smallest room in your home, but it can be costly to renovate and can negatively affect the value and feel of your home if it is dated. Fortunately, there are many ways to update or remodel the look and feel of your bathroom, even for those on a budget. Here at Columbus Bath Design, we can work with any budget to help to maximize the money you have and change the look of your bathroom. Reach out to us today to learn more about us or to get started on a bathroom remodeling project.
