Planning Your Budget
How much money do you really need?
If you put the biggest rocks into a vase first, the smaller ones will fit in around them, and you’ll still have room for water. When you’re renovating anything, you have to first consider the biggest costs, but be sure not to forget to fit the smaller ones in there, too.
The Biggest Costs
When you’re talking bathroom design, the biggest costs show up in the fixtures, tile, and paid labor (for installation, demolition or renovation). When you’re trying to figure out how much money you’ll need to save for your design or redesign, you have to first decide how much labor you want the job to involve (do you want to help?), then consider the range of fixtures you want to choose from and, finally, choose the tile you want (if any).
Fixtures
Toilets and tubs range from basic designs that are fairly affordable to luxury styles that are much more expensive. If your budget is limited and you love the Mexican glass bowl sink that will make a great focal point in the master bathroom, you may have to restrict your choice of tub or toilet. Price all the products you intend to replace and fit them into your budget before you make any purchases - unless, of course, you find that sink at a yard sale for $10. Then you can buy it.
Tile
There is a huge price range when it comes to buying tile for the bathroom. You can pay $1 for each 12-inch square tile you purchase, or you can spend $10 for decorative 8-inch tiles. Generally speaking, the more you pay per tile, the better quality the tile is and the longer it will last. If you talk to any tiler, he or she will tell you there is a lot more wastage of the lower-priced tiles because they break easily. You may want to consult the tiler before you make any purchases to ensure that you’re getting a quality product that he or she can work with. On that note, the tiler will cost you a bundle, so you have to add significant labor costs to the cost of the tile. Tile is by far the sturdiest flooring and wall covering choice, but strength comes with a price tag.
Labor
Tiling isn’t the only labor that costs a significant amount. Before you commit to making any structural changes to your bathroom, you should look into the labor costs to do so. You can save some money by completing the demolition on your own, but if you plan to do any of the reconstruction on your own, you have to weigh your time against your money. The professionals can get these projects done properly and quickly, and they may actually cost less than if you try to do the job yourself. Plumbers, contractors, tilers and drywallers all make a premium wage for a reason – and you may be happy to pay them to keep yourself headache-free.
Beneficial Buffer
After you add your major expenses to the less expensive decorating features you have in mind, we suggest that you add a 20 percent margin to the bottom line in order to cover hidden costs and surprises. This way, you’ll be ready if the plumbing springs a leak or if the wiring is fried. If you don’t end up using the extra money, you’ll have a nice nest egg for your next project!
