5 Low-cost Bathroom Remodeling Projects with a High Return on Investment

bathroom-low-cost-remodel

Real estate people say it all the time: bathrooms and kitchens sell houses. Conversely, outdated kitchens and crummy bathrooms throw up barriers to sales like nothing else. Even if you aren’t looking to sell, it’s comforting to know that any bathroom remodeling you do is not only making your house nicer, but you will earn back a decent percentage of the cost when you do decide to sell your home because it will increase the overall value.

Home remodeling isn’t cheap, and kitchen and bathroom remodeling can be especially expensive due to the big-ticket items involved; however, it is possible to give the bathroom a major update with a few low-cost upgrades. Some are things you can do yourself, but having been professional home remodelers in the Phoenix area for over 20 years, we can’t tell you how many home-improvement jobs we’ve done that involved repairing a do-it-yourselfer’s best efforts, and heard their laments of what a waste of time and money the attempt was, and how they wished they’d just called us in the first place.

Add Universal Design Elements

Universal design focuses on making every aspect of a home fully accessible, which adds tremendous appeal in the Phoenix housing market with so many retirees intending to buy a home and live there for the rest of their lives. Aging in place is always better than moving to an assisted living facility, so any little things you can do to make your home more accessible will improve its value. A full bathroom remodel incorporating universal design features, such as a curbless shower and wheelchair accessible sink adds a lot of value, but if that’s not within your budget, go for the less expensive upgrades, such as adding a folding bench seat in the shower and stylish handrails.

Take Advantage of Tile Remnants

Ceramic and porcelain tile are the most popular choices for bathroom backsplashes, and you can get great prices on materials if you work with the pieces that are left over from bigger jobs. When a granite slab is cut to size for a countertop, there is often quite a bit of the granite left, and you may be able to get a highly discounted price on it. It never hurts to ask!

Update Fixtures

If you don’t want to replace the entire tub or sink, consider just changing out the faucets and shower head. This can give the whole bathroom a more modern style. Touch-activated faucets are becoming more available for home use, and are very popular. Updating the door and drawer handles to match the new faucet design will enhance the effect and pull the room together.

Define the Floor with Dark Grout

First off, let us just say it is much easier to keep dark grout looking clean and new than it is with light-colored grout, which tends to show wear and pick up stains easily. The ease of maintenance should be a selling point, but there is a visual advantage to dark grout also. It can make light colored tiles pop, and have an anchoring effect on the overall design of the room.

If you would like to find out more about the latest in bathroom remodeling, give us a call at 623-544-1211. Our certified universal design professionals will be happy to discuss your remodeling plans with you, and help you get the most value for your investment.