You dream about a bathroom that’s high on comfort and personal style,
but you also want materials, fixtures, and amenities with lasting
value. Wake up! You can have both.
A mid-range bathroom
remodel is a solid investment, according to Remodeling Magazine’s
annual Cost vs. Value Report. An average bath remodel of $16,500 will
recoup about 62% of those costs when it’s time to sell your home, and a
more extensive $52,200 job returns about 55.5%. In addition, you can
maximize the value of your investment by using these smart strategies,
which will create a stylish yet budget-friendly bathroom.
1. Stick to a plan
You can afford that Italian tile you love if you can live with the total square footage you already have.
Keeping
the same footprint, and locating new plumbing fixtures near existing
plumbing pipes, saves demolition and reconstruction dollars. You’ll also
cut down on the dust and debris that make remodeling so hard to live
with.
Make the most of the space you have. Glass doors
on showers and tubs open up the area. A pedestal sink takes up less room
than a vanity. If you miss the storage, replace a mirror with a deep
medicine cabinet.
2. Keep the same footprint
You can afford that Italian tile you love if you can live with the total square footage you already have.
Keeping
the same footprint, and locating new plumbing fixtures near existing
plumbing pipes, saves demolition and reconstruction dollars. You’ll also
cut down on the dust and debris that make remodeling so hard to live
with.
Make the most of the space you have. Glass doors
on showers and tubs open up the area. A pedestal sink takes up less room
than a vanity. If you miss the storage, replace a mirror with a deep
medicine cabinet.
3. Make lighting a priority
Multiple
shower heads and radiant heat floors are fabulous adds to a bathroom
remodel. But few items make a bathroom more satisfying than lighting
designed for everyday grooming. You can install lighting for a fraction
of the cost of pricier amenities.
Well-designed
bathroom task lighting surrounds vanity mirrors and eliminates shadows
on faces: You look better already. The scheme includes two ceiling- or
soffit-mounted fixtures with 60 to 75 watts each, and side fixtures or
sconces providing at least 150 watts each, distributed vertically across
24 inches (to account for people of various heights). Four-bulb
lighting fixtures work well for side lighting.
4. Clear the air
Bathroom ventilation systems may be out of sight, but they shouldn’t be out of mind during a bathroom remodel.
Bathroom
ventilation is essential for removing excess humidity that fogs
mirrors, makes bathroom floors slippery, and contributes to the growth
of mildew and mold. Controlling mold and humidity is especially
important for maintaining healthy indoor air quality and protecting the
value of your home—mold remediation is expensive, and excess humidity
can damage cabinets and painted finishes.
A bathroom
vent and water closet fan should exhaust air to the outside—not simply
to the space between ceiling joists. Better models have whisper-quiet
exhaust fans and humidity-controlled switches that activate when a
sensor detects excess moisture in the air.
5. Think storage
Bathroom
storage is a challenge: By the time you’ve installed the toilet,
shower, and sink, there’s often little space left to store towels,
toilet paper, and hair and body products. Here are some ways to find
storage in hidden places.
• Think vertically: Upper
wall space in a bathroom is often underused. Freestanding, multi-tiered
shelf units designed to fit over toilet tanks turn unused wall area into
found storage. Spaces between wall studs create attractive and useful
niches for holding soaps and toiletries. Install shelves over towel bars
to use blank wall space.
• Think moveable: Inexpensive
woven baskets set on the floor are stylish towel holders. A floor-stand
coat rack holds wet towels, bath robes, and clothes.
•
Think utility: Adding a slide-out tray to vanity cabinet compartments
provides full access to stored items and prevents lesser-used items from
being lost or forgotten.
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