Home Improvement: Bathroom Remodeling Tips

Second only to kitchens, bathrooms are a close second for the most popular home renovation right now. And what’s not to love? The return on your investment in bathroom remodel is significant, plus you get to enjoy a luxurious, pampering bathroom when you come home from a stressful, action-packed day.

The most important step of your bathroom remodel happens before anyone arrives swinging their hammers. Setting a firm budget will determine the success of your remodel. The average cost of a bathroom remodel is more than $10,000. Where you live will drive how much above or below this average your remodel will be. In the West or in the Northeast, expect to pay more. In the South, you will likely save some money. Much of your costs on will depend upon the level of upgrading you’re planning and whether or not you’re expanding the current size of the bathroom. If your plans don’t involve expansion, this will cut costs significantly.

Changing the layout of the bathroom raises the costs as well. Sometimes this is essential to truly creating a usable, comfortable space. Either way, you need to create a budget.

Remember this is an average. An upscale remodel will run more than $26,000. It’s important to note that upscale bathroom remodels actually recoup less of their costs than mid-range remodels do. A mid-range remodel will net you 102% of your costs, while an upscale remodel will only return about 93%. Expanding a room and redesigning layout fall into the category of “upscale” remodel.

You need to first determine how much money you are going to spend for your remodel. Now, allocate those funds between your expenses. Your budget categories are going to fall under labor, fixtures, flooring, countertops, and cabinets. Budget roughly 35% of the total amount for cabinets.