Like kitchens, bathrooms tend to be an important upgrade whether you are selling, renting or or just improving your home. And, like kitchens, they can take more time to remodel than say a dining room or bedroom. You must consider the bathtub, toilet, cabinets, counter, floor, walls and tile – all in one small space. A typical small bathroom remodel takes an average of 3-4 weeks to complete. In this article, we’ll tell you how to cut that in half.
Changing the Layout
If you are changing the layout of the bathroom, this will add to your time and cost exponentially. One little change in the placement of a tub or toilet is all it takes. Those changes require plumbing alterations and often, a longer time to alter floors and tile walls.
If you must change the layout, and you want to minimize costs and time – try keeping the bathtub and toilet in the same, exact location. All bathroom fittings are connected to a downpipe by horizontal pipes placed at a slight downward slope. This is done to prevent backups. The sink, cabinets and other accessories are easier to move than your toilet and bathtub because they usually have a greater slope.
Changing the Bathtub
Replacing a bathtub will add to costs and time even if you keep it in the same exact location. Bathtubs can cost anywhere from $200 to $2000, however, the cost of separating the tub from the wall and floor and moving/disposing of the old tub will add to the cost and time.
Bathtub Replacement Alternatives
Many people consider bathtub refinishing to be a life saver when it comes to an old, stained, chipped or damaged tub. No need to separate, move or demolish the old tub and your get a bathtub that looks brand new. Some people even use tub refinishing to simply change the color of an outdated tub. By refinishing your bathtub, you can easily shave a week off of your remodeling schedule. Most refinishing projects take less than one day.
Replacing the bath fixtures for a quick change
After you refinish your tub, check out the many modern fixtures available. You can totally change the look of the entire bathroom with a new refinished tub and new shower or tub trim. Shower columns can add hand-shower capability and provide a fresh, modern look.
Keeping a tile wall intact
Tiled walls in bathrooms are common. If you are changing the size or shape of the tiles, you must demo the existing wall and re-tile. But, if you have a few damaged tiles and just want to make them look new, refinishing is a great alternative. We simply replace the missing or damaged tile with any tile that is the same size and refinish the entire tile wall.
This will shave at least a few days off your remodeling schedule as your tile wall can be refinished in the same time-frame as your bathtub.
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