By HILARY JOHNSON
Do It Yourself Bathroom Remodels
If your bathrooms are out of date and falling short on style, it might be time for a remodel. You don’t have to pay a professional to get professional results, though. You can make small or even big changes to your bathrooms yourself.
Here are some ideas for do-it-yourself bath remodels that can save you time and money:
Remove or Refurbish?
A lot of times, remodeling can mean complete demolition of what is currently in the bathroom. Tearing down everything might be exactly what your remodel needs, but it also might not. You can save money as well as time and effort by simply refurbishing some of the existing furniture and appliances.
For example, you can sand down cabinets to repaint and change out the existing hardware to give your cabinets a whole new look. Depending on the material of your countertops, you might be able to keep the existing counter and have a new material poured over to create an entirely new look. Or, if you can remove the countertops easily enough, you can save and reuse the cabinets and only replace the countertops.
Keep It Simple
When doing a full remodel, try to make things a little easier on yourself by not getting too crazy. For example, when replacing your old toilet with a new one, install the new toilet in the same place as the old one to avoid cutting new holes in your floor and messing with the plumbing. For vanities and tubs, if you are replacing, aim to find replacements that are the same width to avoid having to cut into walls.
Even your tub and sinks can be refinished in some cases, saving you a lot of time and trouble – as well as money.
Tile Work
Tiling your bathroom walls or the floors can be a lot of work. You can save yourself some trouble in the future by choosing a neutral color scheme for the flooring and wall tiles. This can make it easier to redecorate in the future if your new décor scheme ever goes out of style or you want to change it.
Another good rule of thumb is to keep any extra tiles that you have after the floors and tiles are replaced. That way, if you ever need to replace or repair anything, you will have the extra material on hand rather than having to track down a style that may or may not exist in the future.
A Splash of Paint
Sometimes a new coat of paint and a few decorative items can go a long way. If you are wanting to remodel your bathroom but don’t have the time or money to do a complete remodel, you might be surprised how much impact just a small change will have.
As always, when doing any do-it-yourself projects, remember to keep safety first and always wear the appropriate safety gear, and do your research before attempting to operate any sort of machinery.