Is bathroom renovation worth the inconvenience and expense? We’ll break down the factors in a typical remodeling project and compare them with the simpler process of remodeling just the tub and shower.
Remodeling your home isn’t just about your family’s comfort—you also want to make sure that you’ll get a healthy return on investment (ROI) when you sell your house. Bathroom remodeling projects generally have a fairly good ROI, but more isn’t necessarily better. In fact, a small to midrange bathroom renovation project can do the most to increase home value.
A total upscale bathroom remodel typically costs more than $75,000 and can take weeks to complete. However, some smaller bathroom upgrades can both improve your home’s resale value and make your bathroom more functional for your use. If you’re not ready to take on the high cost and inconvenience of a full bathroom renovation, you can save money by upgrading the wet area of your bathroom—that is, the tub and shower area that needs to remain waterproof—with a custom tub liner and wall surrounds from Bath Fitter.
Factors to Consider With a Full Bath Remodel
A full bathroom remodel can entail significant structural changes to the wet area, flooring, plumbing fixtures, cabinetry, countertops, electrical systems, and more. Here are some of the factors to consider when you’re thinking about investing in this home improvement project.
Installation Process
Depending on what and how much you want to install, this can be a complicated process. Additionally, installation is rarely the first step. Your contractor may need to demolish or remove existing fixtures, cabinets, or bathroom flooring to get the process started. Of course, if you’ve ordered brand new items, you’ll also have to wait for them to be delivered.
Construction, Plumbing, and Floors
If you take on a complete, upscale remodel of your primary bath, remember that you’ll have to live without that bathroom while work is going on. Relocating plumbing or ripping up floors is substantially disruptive and can cause a mess that may not be entirely confined to your bathroom as contractors come and go.
Timeline
Because so many factors go into a bathroom renovation project, it’s hard to give an average timeline. A small bathroom makeover that’s mainly cosmetic and focuses on new tilework, grout, and fixtures (showerheads, faucets, etc.) can take two to five days. Of course, if you’re changing the floorplan or the larger bathroom design, you may need to move plumbing and light fixtures. This process can take from several weeks up to a month.
Unfortunately, even well-designed home renovation projects with experienced contractors can run into setbacks, such as finding unexpected damage or experiencing shipping delays. The larger the scale of the project, the more likely it is to encounter a delay and the more time it will take. Additionally, anything that you DIY will take longer than it would for a professional contractor, so your bathroom will be out of commission longer.
Factors to Consider With Bath Fitter
Bath Fitter is an all-in-one custom solution, and it’s often preferable to a complete bathroom remodeling project. In comparison to a full bath remodel, a new tub liner from Bath Fitter is far less expensive, disruptive, and inconvenient.
A tub liner is a sheet of acrylic molded to fit your tub and potentially the walls around it, as well. Because each Bath Fitter product is a single piece of material (the tub is one piece, and the wall system is one piece) that’s non-porous, it’s easy to wipe clean, and there’s no grout to scrub. Since each liner is custom made, you can also have your pick of accessories like shelving, soap dishes, and grab bars.
Installation Process
Installing a Bath Fitter acrylic liner begins with a free consultation where a representative walks you through your options. You can do this virtually or right in your home. Then, you or the consultant will take careful measurements and photos.
These measurements are sent to the Bath Fitter manufacturing facility, which will create a custom unit out of a high-gloss, nonporous acrylic sheet. After more than 35 years in the industry, Bath Fitter has a substantial inventory of nearly every make and model of tub available, allowing the company to customize the liner right there in the factory.
Once the sheet is ready, a Bath Fitter technician will come to your home to first clean and make any necessary repairs. Then, they will fit the custom unit atop your existing tub, trimming as necessary and applying adhesive to stick it in place. Finally, the technician will caulk all the seams to make the liner watertight.
Construction, Plumbing, and Floors
Bath Fitter doesn’t need to disrupt your plumbing or flooring to install your new bathroom liner. It will work with your existing plumbing hardware and any type of flooring, from laminate to marble.
Timeline
Because a Bath Fitter liner is customized to the shape of your tub and fabricated in the factory, the time it takes to install is minimal. No demolition is needed, and you can usually start enjoying your new tub within 24 hours.
Our Recommendation
Full bathroom remodeling is a time-consuming, expensive project, and the luxury bathroom design you love may not be as appealing to the house’s next owners as it is to you.
Unless you’re ready for a substantial investment of time and money, consider a Bath Fitter tub complete with wall surrounds. It’s an easy fix for the wet area of your bathroom that will save you cleaning time, and it comes with a lifetime warranty for as long as you own your home.
FAQs About Bathroom Remodels
Do bathtubs increase home value?
The desirability of a bathtub depends on the home buyer. For families with small children, bathtubs are invaluable, as tubs are the best option for bathing children too young to shower on their own.
How can I save money on a bathroom remodel?
There are ways of renovating your bathroom space that won’t break your budget.
- Keep the basic layout the same to avoid expensive plumbing changes.
- Consider opting for materials that look like the real thing but are inexpensive and easier to clean, such as vinyl flooring that simulates the look of natural stone or wood.
- Refinish shelves and cabinets or replace hardware, such as drawer pulls, instead of replacing the whole unit.
- Refresh your entire wet area by installing a custom bath liner over your existing tub.
What’s the most expensive part of remodeling a bathroom?
When looking at the entire cost of bathroom renovation, labor costs usually make up the most considerable portion—anywhere from 20% to 65%, depending on the project. Retiling and plumbing tend to be the most labor-intensive services.
