Crafting Elegance
What do you think of when you hear the term “remodel?” Maybe you think of a total overhaul—gutting, ripping, demolishing, right down to the very bones of the room. A complete facelift in terms of style, furniture, appliances, hardware and structures. Remodels can also be a here-and-there project—a style refresh like new upholstery or shiny new appliances. Whichever type of DIY bathroom remodel seems either feasible or appealing to you, know that any remodel of your bathroom will be a handsome return on investment (ROI).
According to Zillow, a mid-range bathroom remodel will give you an ROI of about 70%, whereas an upscale bathroom remodel gives way to about a 56% ROI. Still, even with a lower ROI for an upscale remodel, there is immeasurable enjoyment for you as a current homeowner to consider.
How to Start Your DIY Bathroom Remodel
Before you dive into any remodeling, decide how far you want to go. Are you demolishing down to the studs, or are you just sprucing up the space? This will depend on your skills as a DIYer, your budget and your desire to take on such a beast versus hiring a contractor for the job instead.
Know Your Budget
Your remodeling budget is probably the greatest determining factor in your DIY remodel. A full-scale bathroom remodel is expensive, and depending on where you live, the size of the bathroom (even a small bathroom remodel can drive up prices with custom fits) and any special requirements it may need could cost between $6,000-$12,000.
Find Your Dream Style
Tearing the glossy pages out of a magazine may seem like an archaic way to gather remodeling ideas, but it works. This is where you should begin. By knowing what you want your bathroom to look like, you can visualize the end goal and build the steps in between to get there.
Consider a style—farmhouse or modern chic? Traditional or mid-century modern? Landing on a style will help you determine colors, upholstery and bathroom appliances.
Know Your DIY Abilities and Limitations
There’s plenty for a novice DIYer to do in a bathroom remodel. For a DIY small bathroom project, you could tackle things like the demolition of an old vanity, dry walls and toilet removal, but you’ll need to call a contractor if you aren’t versed in the more advanced work like plumbing and electrical. Recognizing what you can and can’t do ahead of time will allow you to budget properly, no matter the size and scale of your bathroom makeover.
The Best DIY Bathroom Remodels for Your Bathroom Makeover
Painting the Wood
A fresh coat of paint is a cheap, easy DIY way to transform any room. For a bathroom makeover, choose a paint type that’s suited to environments prone to moisture and humidity. This will ensure that your hard work doesn’t go to waste and the new layer of paint will last.
Paint the bathroom’s various features, like its wood valances, trim and walls. Choose high gloss for anything that’s not a wall. A high gloss sheen is better for humid rooms. It’s easy to wipe down, too, which is perfect for a bathroom.
New Vanity
For a more advanced DIY and one that will drastically improve the look of your bathroom, upgrade the vanity. This will require some demolition work on your end. You’ll need to dismantle the piece and tear it away from the wall, stripping it down to nothing but the pipes. Lucky for you, there are plenty of helpful guides out there that can walk you through this process—including installing a new vanity and setting up its plumbing.
If plumbing work stumps you, farm out this part to a contractor. You can save a lot of money by doing the demo work yourself and instead spend the savings on an expert who will establish the plumbing correctly and quickly.
New Toilet
You might feel that a new toilet in your bathroom isn’t doing enough to call the work a remodel, but you’d be surprised what this small upgrade will do for looks and ROI. Many old homes have equally old toilets that are unfairly small and ugly. Newer toilets are made more ergonomically, and no one wants to be saddled with the too-small toilets of days past.
Update the Bathtub Liner
A fresh new liner for your shower or bathtub is a tremendous way to give a bathroom an easy makeover. Yes, you can replace the bathtub in its entirety, but there’s no need when there are liners that can simply be placed over the top of the existing unit. While you can hire a professional for this job from one of the hundreds of companies that specialize in bath fitting at a price between $1,000 to $3,000 (depending on the bells and whistles), this process can be DIY at half the cost.
Perhaps the most challenging part of this DIY remodel project is locating the liner itself. Standard sizes can be found online, but if you require something custom, you may need to find a company that will special order this for you. Otherwise, once the liner arrives, it’s smooth sailing. Basic plumbing knowledge is required, but aside from this, the job calls for simple cleaning and caulking.
New Hardware
Don’t underestimate what brand-new hardware can do for any room. Purchasing new knobs and door pulls for a bathroom is like the cherry on top of a small bathroom remodel. Even if you’re keeping the old vanity, you can spruce it up by installing new knobs. This is a DIY job that anyone can do, only requiring picking out the new hardware from just about any home improvement store and the use of a screwdriver or drill.
It’s the Little Things
Feasible projects for a small DIY bathroom remodel are really about the little things adding up for what feels like a grand makeover. For advanced DIYers, a full-scale, all-hands-on-deck remodel is certainly within reach, but for average Joes, these small DIY remodels are plenty to see a solid ROI as well as a fresh new bathroom.