Bathroom Remodel Under $10,000

Bathroom Remodel Under $10,000

When it comes to gutting your kitchen or bathroom you can easily expect to spend over $10,000. However, maybe you can’t afford to spend that or simply you don’t want to spend that. I just didn’t want to spend that much cause I knew I didn’t have to. First and foremost I needed contractors, and I knew a bulk of the budget would be going to them. However, having the better contractors (not the cheapest) is the way to go. They won’t mess up on your install (or even demolition) which can add cost and additional change-orders to the budget. Sometimes they can even make a “lower end” tile look great if they know how to do flawless work. I had contractors quote me $10,000, $6,000, $7,000 and even $12,000. I opted for the middle man based on price and our initial consult, I mean I had to have this Bathroom Remodel Under $10,000. Everything I listed as a “want”, he said was doable. So with a majority of the budget going to contractors I needed to find ways to create bathroom on a budget.

Tiles

Tiles can really transform a space but they can eat up your budget if you don’t know where to shop. For the shower I knew I wanted lugged ceramic subway tiles in a grey to cream shade. Now you are asking, lugged? Yes, lugged tiles are easier to install because they eliminate the need for spacers and ensure a perfectly consistent space between tiles. Two great aspects of lugged tiles is the contractors save time (a.k.a money for all of us) by not using spacers and as an O.C.D homeowner I know that each space between each tile will look perfectly consistent. After some searching I found Bellavita’s Tile H-line in Pumice. I placed a google search on my computer and waited. A few weeks later I got a notice that there was a post on a Facebook Virtual Yard Sale that someone in a neighboring town was selling the exact tiles for under $200. I jumped on it and grabbed all the tiles that night. Literally saving almost $600!

With shower tiles picked up, I needed my carrara white basketweave marble floor tiles. To keep with the style of the home I knew exactly which tiles I wanted. They were available online for $10.95sq. ft. However, because they are a natural stone you want to make sure to see all the tiles before purchase as they can vary. For that reason I headed to Floor and Decor (love this place) and saw that they carry the same mosaic tiles. I knew from previous client projects that Floor and Decor is great about honoring a competitors price. Instead of purchasing all my tiles for $14.95sq. ft at the store I got the competitors price and was able to view them all in person.

Toilet and SinkI headed to Crawford Supply (a local Bath and Kitchen Showroom) to purchase my new toilet and sink. I was literally ready to purchase that day but, the staff was so snutty. Little did they know I have sent many clients to them and more importantly I came with check book in hand. Well, I can promise you I will not shop there again or send them clients! I never understood why it is so hard for people to NOT judge a book by it’s cover.

Anyhoo, I did walk around and found the toilet and sink I wanted but, with their “stuck up” attitude I didn’t want to give them business. I walked right out with my notes in hand and got online. HA HA HA! Found the toilet and sink from Build.com for cheaper. I opted for the Devonshire Kohler sink based on the sink size and space to place kids toothbrushes etc. However, when it came to the toilet we needed (okay wanted) a one piece and for that reason I the Adhair by Kohler was the perfect fit.

Bath Tub / ShowerThe tub is an original cast iron that had been refinished poorly before. Possibly by a homeowner with a DIY product from the hardware store. I knew that if I removed it, it would add to the contractors fees. I also knew that if I wanted to replace it with a similar full DEEP cast iron tub it would cost me almost over a grand plus the labor. Easily looking hitting over $1,800. I did not want fiberglass so I needed to find another option. Luckily my contractors had a guy that specializes in repainting cast iron tubs. Stripping, sanding, and then adding the new layers of paint. Like repainting a car. Refinishing the tub this way saved me between $1,000-$1,200.

Fixtures

I needed everything, from the lighting to the faucets. After finding what I liked at a supply store I headed back online to shop. For the sink faucet I kept consistent with the Devonshire Kohler Collection but then changed it up in the shower. I have always had Grohe and knew that it was reliable, I didn’t want to change the circular style of the kohler products purchased so I opted for the circular backplates but with a more modern clean look with the Grohe Eurosmart line.

I kept this style of circular backplates for the hooks and toilet paper holder but again, opted for a more clean modern twist and for that reason the Kohler Archer toilet paper holder worked best.

Now, the lights. I wanted saber lights but the kohler purist lights were out of my budget. Needless to say I was happy to find George Kovacs Saber lights for half the price.

Bathroom Remodel Under $10,000

Toilet Paper Holder $40