When it comes to the bathroom, there’s a fine line between it being unapproachable and inviting. Similar to the kitchen and unlike other rooms in the house, the bathroom has to be cleaned often. Anywhere that water is present, there will inevitably be grime built up and foul odors. Couple this with the toilet and you can see how you can easily turn this safe space into a nightmare. Dirt and grime aren’t the only things that require your attention in a bathroom, to keep it pristine, you need to plan small to large remodels somewhat regularly.
Due to the nature of the bathroom, with all the abuse it takes in the form of water, shaving cream, toothpaste, makeup remover and so on, it can get worn out relatively quickly. This renders it uninviting even if cleaned regularly. The problem is bathroom remodels are expensive and because of this reality, people tend to neglect their bathrooms. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are several budget-friendly options for your bathroom that most people don’t think about or aren’t aware of. Here are a few to explore so that you can keep your bathroom pristine:
1) Bathtub Reglazing
Replacing a bathtub is very expensive and can lead to tiling complications that exacerbate the cost of materials and labor. A cheaper option is bath fitters, but it also requires quite a bit of labor and is more expensive than most people think. It also doesn’t last very long. Rather than learn to live with nasty watermarks, rust and the general wear and tear of your tub, try reglazing. It’s a relatively cheap process; all it requires is a few coats of special paint and can be applied by professional in under an hour, significantly mitigating high labor and material costs.
2) Fixtures
Often times, the bathroom is fine, but the fixtures are out-dated or have taken a toll. This is a relatively cheap and easy problem to solve. Rather then do a full remodel, update all the fixtures, including; the faucets, handles, towel racks, toilet paper dispensers and light fixtures. For a tiny investment, you can give your bathroom a facelift with no labor cost, as these are simple DIY upgrades.
3) Paint
The bathroom walls take a lot of abuse, with all the moisture and staining. A good way to quickly freshen up your bathroom is a new paint job. This is a small job that can be done as DIY project that will take you less than a day. Make sure you use a semi-gloss paint, it repels moisture, is easy to clean and will last the longest.
4) Re-caulk & Re-Grout
Grout is porous and caulking gets worn out. It doesn’t take too long for it to get grimy, but when it does, it can make an otherwise nice bathroom look terrible. The good news is, they are very cheap materials, you can re-caulk and re-grout regularly without making a dent in your pocketbook. Keep it on hand at your house, whenever it gets unsightly, get to work!
Original article found at: http://dreamcasa.org/living/remodel-and-renovation/bathroom-remodel-budget-friendly-options/