Home Improvement

Bathrooms on a Budget

Recreating your bathroom’s design doesn’t have to cost an arm and leg – especially with adequate planning.

When redesigning any bathroom, labour costs account for a significant chunk of the budget. Hence, you should begin by determining how to minimise these costs. One easy way to do so is to retain the positions of your WC and sanitary ware as they are and simply replace the pieces themselves. By doing so, you eliminate the costs of relocating your plumbing system.

Revamp With New Tiles

If your bathroom space looks old and outdated, you can give it a face-lift with a new set of tiles. Not only are tiles durable, but they also require little maintenance. Hence, they are a viable option for humid rooms such as the bathroom.

Before making a huge purchase, test out the tiles first to ensure that they are a good fit for your bathroom and go with your worktops. This will save you the trouble of having to make expensive reorders.

Update Your Worktops

Updating your worktop counters in the bathroom is also an option to refresh the style without ripping out the whole thing. Depending on the style you go for, for example a laminate over the real materials, this part of the bathroom can be very cost-effective because of the big impact it can make. One material which looks great as the real thing or a laminate version is quartz worktops surrey.

DIY Tiling

Another way of minimising costs and adding a personal touch is by tiling halfway up the wall and covering the areas that are in constant contact with water. Not only does this need fewer tiles but it also offers you the opportunity to alter the colour scheme and mood of your bathroom by painting the area of your wall above the tiles.

You can reduce the costs further by doing the tiling yourself. It easy to find assistance on the process as there are lots of online tutorials and self-help guides. Also, take full advantage of resources available closer to home: The head of marketing and online at Topps Tiles recommends that you should visit the local tile store to find out more about the best tools, tiles and grouts to use.

High-End, Low-Cost Tiles

Natural stone tiles possess a timeless appeal due to their subtle appearance and ability to resist wear. However, they are quite costly and aren’t a viable option for rooms prone to moisture due to their porosity.

Another great way of adding shade and detail to your bathroom without having to hurt your wallet is by opting for mosaic tiles. Even a few sheets can prove to be very handy. This is because the sheets can be divided into strips to create borders or highlight focal points.

Patterns are a good way to add a personal touch to budget materials

Opt For Wall Panelling In Order to Save Time

Tiling is a long process and can interfere with your daily schedule. However, you can avoid this by considering wall panelling. Wall panels are completely waterproof and can be installed easily over existing tiles.

A Lick of Paint

Applying a fresh coat of paint is a cost-effective way to add colour and make a huge transformation to your bathroom. You just have to ensure that the paint you choose can withstand warm moist conditions, for example, Dulux Bathroom+.

Considering that people don’t take long in the bathroom, go for colours that make an instant impression. Make use of the free Dulux Visualiser app to help you visualise what colours look like on your wall in real-time and also order testers using the app so as to try out the colours beforehand.

Invest Now, Save Later

When it comes to purchasing brass-ware particularly, it makes more economic sense to invest in quality products. Not only is quality brass-ware pleasurable to use, but it also more durable than its cheaper alternatives.

To ensure that you get sufficient water flow when you turn on the tap, choose brass-ware that suits your water supply.

Shower, Bath or Both?

If you desire to save on space and cash, you should consider a shower-bath in case you intend to invest in a separate bath and shower. On the off chance that you treasure the convenience granted by a shower enclosure, low profile shower trays and slender frames are now widely available.

Additional Cost Savers

Shower valves enable you to regulate the amount of water flowing out of the shower-head and also control its temperature. The valves can either be concealed and hidden behind the wall of the shower enclosure displaying only the control plate and handles, or they can be exposed. When the valves are exposed it means that the pipework will be visible within the enclosure which is definitely not a sleek look. However, installation is easier as it doesn’t require chasing pipework into the wall, hence, repairs are also easier in case of any issues.

One can also opt for an electric shower rather than a mixer one.

Budget-friendly Vinyl Flooring

Generally, British bathrooms are usually small, hence, you shouldn’t expect to pay much for flooring replacement particularly if you choose to install vinyl flooring.

If you are keen on saving costs opt for the sheet variety. This is due to the fact that installation is easy and it is very durable. However, repairs can be difficult to carry out. Therefore, in case your bathroom experiences high traffic, consider luxury vinyl tiles. Even though they are more costly than the sheet variety, they offer highly realistic wood and stone-effect designs and not to mention that they are water-resistant, wear-resistant and simple to fit. Replacement is also easy in case of damage.

Sometime back, one would be forced to forgo style for affordability. However, due to advanced printing technology, laminate floors are increasingly able to imitate the natural materials they are meant to look like.