5 Cheap Ways To Update Your Bathroom
It may not seem possible, but you can update your bathroom cheaply. If you are like me, you might watch those popular DIY home remodeling shows that make it seem like bathroom remodels must cost five figures! They make you think that you must rip away everything and replace with new. But resist the temptation to put yourself through such a stressful remodel. You don’t have to spend a ton on a bathroom remodel and just with a few hacks, your bathroom will look like it cost thousands!
Bathroom remodeling can take a toll on homeowners with unmet timetables, surprises and high costs. Since bathroom remodeling can cost thousands, it pays to think outside the box. Try searching for smarter and more economical alternatives.
Here are 5 Cheaper Ways to Update Your Bathroom
1. Use Lower-Cost Lookalike Materials
Sometimes, the best option for saving money is to keep existing material. But if you must swap out materials, there are inexpensive alternatives that can look just like the real thing. Like, instead of real wood plank flooring, you can use premium vinyl flooring when updating your bathroom. Vinyl flooring these days looks far better than earlier vinyl floors. Doing premium vinyl flooring and even plank vinyl can give the same look as real wood. You can do laminate countertops with the look of authentic natural stone. There are faux-stone ceramic tile backsplashes that can mimic the look of marble.
2. Install Your Own Bathroom Vanity and Top
Bathroom vanities and tops are actually easy to install and can save money in labor costs. Since bathrooms are small, it is possible for you to buy a fully assembled bathroom vanity units and vanity tops, which makes it easy to install yourself.
3. Refinish Your Tub Instead of Replacing It
You might be tempted to replace an old tub, which can cause many headaches, from labor costs to not being installed right. Unless your tub is falling apart, consider relining or refinishing it. Bathtub and shower refinishing is an example of “repairing and retain rather than remove.” If your tub is mainly cosmetic, such as a scuffed surface and some nicks, you can refinish your bathtub or shower. Bathtub refinishing is cheaper and can last you a long time. There are many refinishing companies and many options like changing the color and adding more fancy hardware.
You can choose to buy and install a new bathroom cabinets easily, but they can get expensive. An easier and cheaper way to make your existing cabinets look new is to strip out the old hardware and replace it with fancy new hardware. Just make sure to line up your existing hardware with new hardware so you do not have to drill new holes.
