Bathroom Renovation - Advice & ideas

[Kaz111]

Hi all,

I have a property that will be tarted up for sale in a years time. The property is semi rural west of Melbourne (pop 13500) and the home features heavily in timber with bare timber skirting boards & window frames, timber kitchen and timber peaked ceiling in living room. The skirting boards and window frames will all be painted cream for sale and kitchen updated (beige laminex ). This will not be an ultra modern home - just warm and cosy.

The bathrooms have timber vanities, red tiles, and beige tiles.

With a budget of $2000 per bathroom, what are your suggestions to spruce them up? Tap ware has been changed recently.

The red bathroom tiles meet a beige carpet.

Can you throw some suggestions to me all you interior decorators?

 

[hofmann05]

vanity and splashback, or top and splashback and paint doors, and fancier spout.

Get an awesome frame made at the picture framers for the mirror

toilet roll holder

towel rail

you can get tiles sprayed if you want to go that far but they look alright. $100 to $150 a m2. Good results though. Thats prices up here.

 

[Ms Jade]

For $2000 I would rip out & replace the floor tiles to a beige or something the same tone but slightly darker than the beige tiles in your shower (hopefully the shower tiles are OK), re-paint, change accessories to chrome & replace vanity with a new one. You'll also need to replace the tiles above the vanity.

That said, what price point will you be targetting? It may not be necessary to even spend that. The floor tiles look terracotta to me, which is dated I grant you but not the end if the world & can still look fine in a country-style house. The easiest reno would be to paint the vanity white and replace the top if necessary - which will cost very little. Replace the splashback with simple white tiles. Change accessories to chrome as per above.

In either case I would paint the walls & trims white (in a tone that matches the terracotta & shower tiles. SUggest 1/2 antique white USA would be a good place to start). Also, get rid of that lace curtain. if you have to replace it with something perhaps use a micro-venetian.

Just noticed. Is the toilet & shower frame cream or white? If the former then forget the 'paint white' advice.
Oh, and have you thought about going more white than cream for the timber trim around the house it you are really going to repaint it?

 

[hofmann05]

For 2k jade? Changing the floor tiles means new toilet, new vanity and a potential can of worms if you damage the bed and thereby waterproofing. You still have the paint, splashback and IMO ( thats my first IMO, I will try not to overuse it) the mirror.

Awesome shower head is another good one. You pick em up for $100 ish and just screw it on.

Agreed on the curtain. You can just get the stretchy wire screwed into the reveal top and bottom with bunched, stretched chiffon in between. Just need to sew the hem/loop at one end, the other end should come ready off the shelf, or use the stuff you have. It's not like you are ever going to need to open it and those venetians are expensive, even when they are not custom.

Glad to see someone else hates cream. So project/council house. Neutral in its daggiest form. I'm loving the light greys at the moment.

 

[Ms Jade]

Well theoretically you could still use the same toilet & vanity (but wouldn't, as you could replace them for $600).I have done this before: Jackhammer up the floor tiles, screw cement sheet to floorboards (assuming floorboards - if not, even better) + 8 sqm of tiles + adhesive, grout, paint on waterproofing membrane.
Materials = $550. I should have perhaps pointed out that it's based on DIY.

 

[hofmann05]

Not a job for the faint hearted or inexperienced though Jade. I still say can of worms. What if you loosen up the shower base with the jackhammer? What if you bugger up the waterproofing, you are now theoretically responsible. I have insured waterproofers do mine, it's not a cheap fix if it goes wrong. How do you safely waterproof up to the existing shower base without removing tiles from the hob? How do you remove tiles from the hob without damaging more waterproofing? There is tip fees, cleaning much of the house for dust, jackhammer hire if your not a tradie and you have to calculate the labour.

Thats why I love the idea of spray painting. You could probably get the floor done for under a grand including labour.

 

[Ms Jade]

When i said 'jackhammer' i was thinking of those ozito hammer drills. Most bathrooms I've done were so old that the tiles mostly came off with a chisel (unless stuck to render etc). Yes, there is dust & rubbish removal with every renovation.
Never been stopped then or later by any other issues you describe.

 

[hofmann05]

Fair enough Jade. I hope my posts didn't come over argumentative, it is hard to convey tone on these forums, I like your posts.

As a builder I suppose I am very caught up with following codes and standards because that is how I protect myself. If you have a waterproofing issue on your own property you can look for solutions, I have to rip the bathroom out.

 

[Jane - Hotspace]

Hi Kaz,

OK here's what I would do (interior designer who consults by photos for property investors every day!):

1) Leave the floor tiles as they are - previous posters are right - a) they are a bit dated but you will be able to pull it off in this type of property, and b) will cost too much considering 'periphery' work such as toilet, vanity etc. as mentioned by Hofmann05
2) Replace the shower screen with a frameless or semi-frameless one (semi-frameless is more likely to be what you end up with considering tight budget)
3) Replace the toilet with a new, compact style
4) Remove net curtains and install 50mm slat wooden blinds
5) Leave vanity base as is
6) Leave shower wall tiles (would be great to replace but won’t fit into $2k budget)
7) Replace towel rail and toilet roll holder with new (chrome style). Remove wooden hooks completely
8) Depending on what the wall colours are on the rest of the house interior, you may be better to leave as is (perhaps paint one coat of the same colour to freshen up)
9) See if you can wrap the vanity top (www.granitetransformations.com.au) and then fit a top mount sink/tap (square or round sink with tower style tap). Use a granite colour similar to the wall colour
10) Fit basic tile splash-back or extend granite up the wall to the under-side of the mirror
11) Fit a frameless mirror (poss with bevelled edge) if budget permits

It’s going to be tight budget-wise so make sure you price it all up before you start! May be able to DIY some parts (eg painting, installation of blinds/accessories) to keep costs down.

These suggestions will give you a more modern, fresh looking bathroom and the perception that it is more spacious than it actually is - hence vanity top the same colour as walls, frameless shower screen, more compact toilet etc.

Hope that helps – good luck!

 

[vbplease]

Thats why I love the idea of spray painting. You could probably get the floor done for under a grand including labour.

Hofmann, would you have a link to the spray paint that you mean? or maybe you have a photo of job that you've done? thanks.

 

[hofmann05]

http://www.thermoglaze.com.au/

These are the guys I have used. Unlike other companies, they will do floors. I have not actually done a whole bathroom yet, only repairs. I have seen it done at a hotel though and it is very effective.

 

[Jane - Hotspace]

Thermoglaze are fantastic.

Just a note for anyone considering spraying their tiled floors though - I believe they will only coat tiles in areas where there is unlikely to be any contact with furniture (chair legs etc.). So, perfectly fine for bathrooms but not for lounge and dining areas. If anyone knows otherwise - please post!

Another thing is the cost. I did recommend Thermoglaze for one client last year and the quote they got was actually more expensive than replacing the tiles.

Sometimes its the ideal finish to use - and sometimes not. Definately worth checking out as an option though.

 

[Jacque]

The bathroom isn't too bad actually but to modernize for under $2K I'd do the following:

1. Don't touch the flooring. Too expensive and not economical for your budget. Clean well and throw a lovely modern light coloured floormat down for show purposes only.

2. Replace shower screen and loo with a semi frameless or white framed number. New loos are cheap these days but don't go for a tacky plastic lid- at very least buy a heavy duty plastic lid with porcelain cistern. I stick to Caroma as they can be easily repaired if need be (have learnt my lesson here with cheaper imported brands!)

3. Replace vanity and sink to modernize - taps are ok and interchangeable.

4. Replace fittings ie: loo paper holder, towel rack etc

5. Ditch the curtain and replace (if necessary) with a simple roller blind.

6. Repaint in white to freshen the abundance of timber.

Happy renovating!

 

[Ms Jade]

Fair enough Jade. I hope my posts didn't come over argumentative, it is hard to convey tone on these forums, I like your posts.

As a builder I suppose I am very caught up with following codes and standards because that is how I protect myself. If you have a waterproofing issue on your own property you can look for solutions, I have to rip the bathroom out.

No problem, hofmann - and thanks. I am always *hit scared about waterproofing every time but (fingers crossed) no issues so far. I have heard many horror stories about waterproofing issues in new builds so I understand. One thing I would never try & DIY is a fully integrated / tiled shower base - that looks like a job for the experts, and many more issues than using an old style shower base.

 

[Kaz111]

Thanks to all.

I'll have to remember to post a picture of the renos (in a years time). You have all given me something to think about. Looks like the floor tiles will stay (just with a bit of spit and polish in the grout lines) and I'll cosmetic reno the rest.

Thanks again

 

[Annietom]

to be honest, the way you describe the rest of the house, I think this bathroom is quite nice. I'd get a real estate agent to tell you if the $2K is worth spending. Get nice big fluffy white towels, scented soap bowls and spend the rest on a holiday!!! that's what I'd do!

 

[Cupcakes]

to be honest, the way you describe the rest of the house, I think this bathroom is quite nice. I'd get a real estate agent to tell you if the $2K is worth spending. Get nice big fluffy white towels, scented soap bowls and spend the rest on a holiday!!! that's what I'd do!

I think I agree. If you put in a new shower, toilet & vanity without doing the tiles the next person may just decide they want to redo it entirely. Wouldn't it be a bit of a waste?

Could you paint the vanity a cream colour to match the skirting boards and put new handles on it? How much would it cost to replace the top of the vanity?
Change the tiles near the vanity.
Put a nicer frame on the mirror.
Change the toilet roll holder & towel rack to something more modern
Get rid of the curtains
Paint the walls
Put out fluffy towels, a vase of flowers, soap holder etc

You would only have to spend a few hundred doing the above and you could take the towels, vase etc with you to your next home

Then again I have NO reno experience so I'm not sure what would be best.

How much does it cost to entirely renovate a bathroom like that?

 

[Dylan33]

I'm just finishing my bathroom. which is very similar to yours. I was putting it off for ages like a trip to the dentist. Anyway this is what I did.

Painted the wall tiles white. Also used the tile paint on the 30 year old toilet cistern. Had great results with the White night product from Bunnings. $75

New frame less mirrored wall cabinet. $120

New soft closing toilet seat. $35.

New taps and shower fittings. $200.

New Marbletrend 750mm Vanity with top. $320.

My shower is in the bath so I'm fitting a glass screen across part of the bath for about $300.

New chrome towel racks and toilet brush holder. about $200.

i painted all the walls and ceiling white too. the difference in the light in the room is amazing.

All items were from Bunnings.

The floor tiles I have left for now and will do something with if need be at a later stage.

My window is over the bath and I need to do something with. It gets wet so I'm thinking of some kind of good quality plastic louvered shutter. Maybe on tracks to slide over window when taking a shower?

the work needed is well within your budget. Go to Bunnings and have a scout around the bathroom dept.

you can use the tile paint on anything as long as you use the cleaner and the primer first.

Good luck.