Are you looking to sell your home? If so, a bathroom renovation can help move your home.

Friends of ours recently sold their home, less than two weeks after putting it on the market, and at 99% of their asking price. This news
was encouraging for them as well as the entire neighborhood as their quick sale and good price pointed to a real estate market that appears to be stabilizing.

Interior Updates Add Value

But, we also learned that a handful of interior renovations is what sealed the deal for our friends. Earlier this Spring the homeowners decided to renovate one of their bathrooms, a move that wasn’t as costly as might be imagined. True, the husband did some of the work, which helped drive down costs but they were able to find other cost savings which kept the project under $5000.

Let’s take a look at how you can save money on your upcoming bathroom renovation:

Non Load Bearing Wall Removed – I haven’t seen too many bathrooms with this design, but our friends had a wall that jutted out between the toilet and the tub which made the bathroom look smaller. Because the wall didn’t bear any load, the husband removed the wall before the contractors showed up. With no change in square footage, the bathroom suddenly appeared much larger.

Sink, Tub and Toilet – Instead of replacing the tub/shower, our friends installed a liner for a fresh look and for a fraction of the cost of a complete replacement. The sink and toilet were fine, although they chose to replace the faucets to update the sink’s look.

Light Fixtures, Exhaust Fan – The exhaust fan was newer, therefore it didn’t need replacing, but the homeowners decided to replace the cover. An electrician came in to replace both the ceiling light and the vanity sconces, replacing all with more modern units which were also more energy efficient.

Drywall, Floor Tiles – After the faux wall was removed, dry wall was needed to patch the hole where the wall once stood. Also, because a hole was left in the floor, our friends decided to replace all of the tiling. Working with their contractor, they found what they needed at a home improvement store. New dry wall was purchased while enough “scrap” tiles were found to complete the project and at a greatly reduced price.

Paint and Shine – Once the contractors left and the drywall was spackled and primed, the wife took over and painted the walls and ceiling. Once done, she added an attractive border, replaced the shower curtain and bought new curtains for the window. Also, the wife replaced the rug and put out new towels. Lastly, the husband replaced the light switch cover and put in a new doorknob. Project done.

Keeping It Simple

Of course, some bathroom renovations are much more extensive requiring an entire gutting of the bathroom, replacing plumbing and electrical wiring or even removing a load bearing wall. In this situation, our friends determined what needed to be done and found the least expensive way of updating the bath a move that ultimately helped them to sell their home.

Are you planning a bathroom renovation?

Tags: bathroom renovation, exhaust, Home Improvement, lighting, paint, real estate, shower, sink, tile, toilet, tub