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The least expensive type of remodeling project is a simple face-lift, but depending on the materials you choose, the cost can vary by thousands of dollars.
 | The cost figures in this article are national in scope and are compiled from the same data that contractors use to establish their estimates. Some good references are Repair & Remodeling Costs Data by RSMeans Company, Inc., National Repair & Remodeling Estimator by Craftsman Book Company, and Remodeling Cost Book by BNI Building News. These estimating books are intended for members of the trades, but are good references for homeowners, as well. You can find them at bookstores or directly from the publishers. |
Making cosmetic changes
In many ways, you get the biggest bang for your buck with a simple makeover. An outdated color scheme, old mildew-spotted paint, and pitted or rusty fixtures can make an otherwise usable bathroom look like the restroom at the local truck stop. A few basic changes can breathe new life into and create a fresh clean odor in the dingiest of bathrooms. Depending on the state of your loo, you may decide to choose one of these scenarios or combine several for a complete makeover. If you decide that new paint and wallpaper and a vanity and countertop swap will fill the bill, add the cost for the two projects together.
| The difference in price between a basic remodeling project and a deluxe job depends on the type of materials you choose. In most cases, choosing the best materials you can afford works out in the long run to give you the best return on your investment. |
Changing the paint or wallpaper
Bathroom color schemes come and go, and if yours has gone, some paint or wallpaper can be a remarkable improvement. Of course, you may be faced with finding a color and pattern to match a turquoise tub and toilet, but be assured, there are hundreds of them to choose from. Although the bathroom isn't a large room, painting or wallpapering in tight quarters takes time. Expect to pay $300 to $600 to have a typical bathroom painted and new wallpaper hung. This work is labor-intensive, so if you do the work, you could cut this figure in half. The largest variable is the price of wallpaper.
Replacing the vanity and countertop
If your bathroom vanity is showing its age, a new paint and wallpaper face-lift will probably make you see just how dated it is. Replacing the vanity with a new sink and faucet goes a long way to enhancing the style and appearance of the room. The installation of a new vanity and countertop, sink, and faucet is straightforward and can most likely use the existing plumbing. A small 24-inch vanity, sink, countertop and faucet cost between $300 and $500, while a larger top-of-the-line unit with double sink and faucets can cost as much as $2,000. In this case, the materials are the largest component of the cost because the installation of a small sink or a large one is roughly the same.
Putting in tile walls and floor
Replacing old or installing new ceramic wall or floor tiles makes a dramatic change in the look of any size bathroom. Tile costs $5 to $8 a square foot installed and is one of the most expensive wall or floor coverings, but if properly installed, it is easy to maintain and will last for years. The cost of materials and labor to install tile depends on the amount or surface area covered. For example, tiling the three walls of a bathtub, approximately 60 to 70 square feet, costs $300 to $400 depending on the condition of the walls and the type of tile. Tiling a floor may cost slightly more than tiling a wall because the subfloor may need to be beefed up to hold the tile.
Upgrading fixtures
Replacing outdated or worn fixtures can give bathrooms a new lease on life. A new toilet, sink, or bathtub can make the whole room appear new. Unless your plumbing is very old, replacing a toilet or sink is straightforward, but swapping out a tub is a major project. To get the most value out of installing new fixtures, combine it with a decorating face-lift — paint or wallpaper — and add new wall accessories.
The following guidelines can help you estimate costs:
- To upgrade the sink and toilet in a half bath with mid-grade products, expect to pay between $1,500 and $3,000.
- To upgrade the sink, toilet, and tub in a full bath with mid-grade products, expect to pay between $3,000 and $5,000.
- To upgrade the fixtures in a full bath with top-of-the-line products, expect to pay between $8,000 and $15,000.
Doing major reconstructive surgery
Remodeling a bathroom is expensive because of all the plumbing pipes and electrical wiring that are under the floor and behind the walls and therefore expensive to relocate. You can change the infrastructure of your house, no matter how complicated, but you'll pay the price. With few exceptions, there's very little that can't be rearranged in your bathroom, but the cost of the project can double if the existing plumbing has to be modified.
As a new design unfolds, keep in mind that there are good reasons to redraw the floor plan of your bathroom. Just remember that moving a toilet on a floor plan is a whole lot easier than actually doing it.
 | The most economical approach to adding space to an existing bathroom is taking space from an adjacent room, such as a closet of a bedroom or linen closet next to the bathroom. Because converting space requires removing walls and framing, that job is best left to the professionals. |
Estimating the cost of this kind of project is difficult because you have to estimate more than materials. Incorporating new plumbing into the existing system is a major cost factor, and unless you are an experienced do-it-yourselfer and have completed large plumbing projects, you have to get bids for the work. Major remodeling of a large master bath can run from $15,000 to $30,000 for the materials and labor and can cost several times more if you include luxury fixtures in the design.
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