Renovating a Bathroom on Budget – What’s Worth Your Money & What Isn’t

Are you moving into a new home or improving your existing one? Either ways, the situation is apt for a bathroom makeover. But since you will have to redo other spaces of your home as well, you can’t spend the entire budget (or even a large part of it) on the bathroom alone. Which is why budget bathroom ideas are so in vogue. When scouting for bathroom fitters, you can specifically ask for trendy cost-efficient designs and ideas. Or, you can pitch in with some of your own as well.

Whether it’s the wobbly loo or the cracked basin, there are shortcomings in every bathroom for sure. However, there also comes a point when these things can no longer be overlooked or ‘adjusted with’, which is where a bathroom makeover comes in. But is it worth spending hundreds of pounds for a shower screen? Will that low-cost vanity unit you bought be the source of future regret? These are difficult questions that cloud the minds of anyone opting for a budget bathroom makeover.

If you are similarly confused as well, read on to know which part of the bathroom renovation deserves your money, and which doesn’t.

Worth Spending –

• Taps

First and foremost, the taps in your bathroom should be durable and robust. When the budget is strict, function should always precede form in the pecking order. So look for taps that feature ceramic discs, which last considerably long as opposed to rubber washers that wear out faster. The advantage with ceramic discs is that years from now, you’ll still be able to screw your tap without any extra effort or tightening. Also, go for a tap that offers anti-limescale technology as it’s known to prolong the tap’s lifespan. And if saving water is something you are passionate about, consider buying taps that use a spray. Instead of one large outlet, these taps have multiple smaller outlets that release gentler drops of water.

• Composite Baths

Do you love the idea of letting your body soak in lukewarm water for hours together after a long and tough day at work? If yes, it’s worth buying a bath made of cast-stone. Cast-stone because the material is excellent at retaining the temperature of water. Over the long term, it can save you the money that would have otherwise gone towards heating extra water for your old bathtub. Another advantage with composite baths is that they are highly resistant to wear and tear; you can also easily polish out any scratches.

• Shower Enclosures

The days of using shower curtains are passé and shower enclosures are a must if you are installing a bathroom anew. It’s also a fixture that will serve you for years to come so don’t hesitate in loosening your purse strings for an enclosure that comes with pre-coated glass protection and a thick glass – 8 to 10mm for flat panels and 6 to 8mm for curved glass – that is unlikely to crack easily.

• Furniture

Buying good quality furniture units is a good idea, regardless of whether you are renovating your bathroom or not. After all, more storage space in the bathroom for toiletries and other knick-knacks is never a bad thing. But the only thing you should be mindful about is the quality of the furniture. Opt for wood veneer wherever possible or a lacquered finish at the very least; you can’t go wrong with either in terms of a premium appearance and durability.

Worth Saving –

• Lighting

The bathroom installation cost typically tends to go north when it comes to redoing the lights. This happens because most bathrooms are lighting deficient and homeowners end up overcompensating for this during the renovation. Instead of a professional lighting layout, go for a dimmer switch which lets you alter the lighting with the touch of a button. Another low cost way of enhancing your bathroom’s lighting is to mount lights around the mirror. To ensure uniform lighting, make sure lights are mounted on all sides of the mirror.

• Tiles

While marble, natural stone, and wood are all fantastic to have in your bathroom, there is no denying that they are expensive and can eat up a major part of your bathroom renovation budget. This is where modern ceramic tiles come in. Printing processes these days easily replicate the appearance of more premium materials on ceramic tiles. This gets you the look of more premium materials at a fraction of their actual cost. Another option is mosaic tiles, which are not only cost-effective but also currently trending.

• Bathroom Suite

When the budget is limited, it’s best to invest in a basic bathroom suite and keep aside a major part of your resources to buy premium fixtures like showers, faucets and taps. It also pays to choose a low-key design as it’s less likely to age while making it easier to stylise using towels, basin mixer taps, or tiles.

Renovating your bathroom doesn’t have to be an exercise in breaking the bank. In addition to these ideas, you can also consult your contractor on other ways to save money without compromising your bathroom’s appearance. If you’d like to know more about these ideas, get in touch with us today. Castle Point Construction are bathroom installers Essex and its homeowners trust. We offer an expansive array of bathroom designs that deliver full value for your money. Call us today for expert advice and get a ‘FREE’ quote in return.