The $50, $500, $5,000 Bathroom Remodel

Written by Jaymi Naciri Posted On Sunday, 22 February 2015 07:43

Looking to redo your bathroom? We'd all love one of those giant showers with the all the jets everywhere and a big soaker tub for two. Throw in some new cabinets while you're at it, and sparkly finishes to replace your old, rusted ones. Sounds good, doesn't it?

But not everyone has the budget to support that expensive reno. The good news is you can make an impact on your bathroom even without big dollars. Here, we lay out some options for a $50, $500, and $5,000 bathroom renovation budget.

The $50 Bathroom

The biggest bang for your buck with a $50 budget will be in changing your paint color. You can get a gallon for as little as $20, plus another $20 or so for supplies if you keep them to a minimum.

Or, if your cabinets are looking a little tired, pick up a quart of good paint and transform your space. Then, swing by Target and pick up a couple of $5 bath towels. Quality is less important than color since these will just be for display. Anna's Linens is another great place to find a bargain, like these $3 bath towels and $5.99 bath rugs.

If you are a DIYer with a good eye for a deal, you might even be able to pull off a flooring redo in a small space.

Check Lowe's and Home Depot for closeouts, clearance, and overage returns. Your local flooring shops may also have some merchandise they are willing to discount. Tile Clearance is another great place to look for everything for floor tile to wall tile and deco inserts.

If the only thing you really want in your bathroom is a more luxurious shower, try this five-spray WaterSense showerhead, $32 at Lowes.

The $500 Bathroom

At $500, you can replace a vanity, flooring, refresh your tub, and make your bathroom prettier and more functional. But, as Huffington Post advises "prepare for a lot of DIY. You can make a lot of updates to your home on your own with great success. But there are some projects you should leave to the professionals. Electrical and plumbing projects, for example, are complicated -- and doing them incorrectly can lead to additional repairs and additional costs."

A new single vanity can be found at Lowe's for as little as $119 on sale. A faucet will cost you a few bucks more. You can also replace an outdated wall mirror with smaller framed option like this $29 espresso framed mirror. And don't forget about the lighting. New vanity lights can cost less than $100 and do wonders for the modern livability of your bathroom.

A more luxurious spa experience can be had with a $79 TotalSpa 3-in-1 Hand Shower Slide Bar with Body Jets

The $5,000 Bathroom

The average bathroom remodel (and we're taking a total overhaul) costs about $15,000. But for one-third of that, you can achieve a great result.

The tricks for remodeling with a $5,000 budget are the same as for $50 and $500: 1) Make smart choices for the highest impact for your budget; 2) Research, research, research; 3) The more you do yourself, the more you get. You may choose to outsource the tricky stuff like plumbing and electricity, but demo and tiling are two things you can help with so you have more money for other cool stuff, like this $1000 American Standard soaking tub.

Too much of a splurge? You can scale back to this Kohler soaker tub for $634. Either way, you've upgraded your bathroom to more of a spa experience. Prefer to upgrade your shower instead? A multi-jet panel will turn it into a vertical spa.

Float your vanity for $1,500, choose a standout color for $1100 or express your classic side with two espresso single vanities side by side for $406 each. Tile your floor, shower, and all the way up your walls if you so want. By selecting a more budget-friendly tile and using the good stuff for accents, you'll make it go farther. Or, forgo broad use of tile and choose key areas to add in rich detail.

Get more information about bathroom tile here.

Of course, if you really feel like expressing yourself through a few stellar items, there is always the Neorest 550 toilet, priced at $2,992. With a dual flushing system, a programmable nightlight, hands-free automatic flush, an integrated warm air dryer, and a built-in air purifying system, what could be better?

Want more ideas? Check out this Better Homes and Gardens video on remodeling a bathroom for under $5,000.

Rate this item
(5 votes)

Agent Resource

Limited time offer - 50% off - click here

Realty Times

From buying and selling advice for consumers to money-making tips for Agents, our content, updated daily, has made Realty Times® a must-read, and see, for anyone involved in Real Estate.