Bathrooms never used to be one of the main focal points of a home, but in recent years people are taking more care to get the bathroom of their dreams. The cost that it would take to completely update a bathroom by a professional could break any bank, but a lot of the work can be done yourself provided you have a few extra muscles and hands to help you out.
Unfortunately a lot of people who did the work themselves end up going way over the budget they had planned to spend on their bathroom renovation. One of the biggest mistakes they made was not planning appropriately for their project.
A well-thought-out plan is key to staying within your budget when fixing up your bathroom. Check out your finances to see how much money you can spend on your bathroom renovation.
You’ll need to budget as much as you possibly can without going broke. It’s better to budget too high and end up with money left over than to plan a budget too low and end up spending more money than you could afford.
Measure the bathroom and see what you have to work with. You want to measure the area carefully and buy cabinetry, sinks, and tubs that fit into the space perfectly. There are many digital measuring devices now that will help you with measurements.
Start out with a list or a crude drawing of what you’re expecting to do with your bathroom. Are you looking for a different shower, tub, or sink? Where do you plan on putting them?
Decide on whether you’ll paint, wallpaper or tile. Get an overall idea first of what you want and draw it on paper or use the computer to see if it would work. It always helps to have a backup plan on other ways you would renovate your bathroom in case something doesn’t work in your original plan.
Take your list or drawing along with you to the home improvement store. Compare prices of the items you’re looking to get. Check them out thoroughly to find the one you want at the best price.
Be flexible. You may have an original plan and then spot something else you like better like a pedestal sink that’s cheaper than the one you originally were thinking of getting. Jot down all of the prices of the items you need, but don’t buy just yet!
Take a few paint or wallpaper swatches home with you. Check to see how they would look in your bathroom. Paint color in the store can look very different at your home, depending on lighting, so take the sample cards and see if your color choices will work in your bathroom.
Take a look at your figures and see how they fit into your budget. Did the figures go over budget or did they stay within the limits you set? You’ll need some breathing room within your budget to account for any unexpected items you end up needing, and of course, figure in the taxes of the items you plan to buy.
Once the idea is in place and you’re satisfied with the approximate cost of your plans, go out and purchase the items. Try to get everything you need before you start your renovation project so that you can eliminate the need to run back and forth to the store to buy the things you have forgotten.
If your budget and plan well before the renovation starts, you can enjoy your dream bathroom while basking in the fact that you were able to achieve it within your set budget.
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