When thinking about carrying out a bathroom renovation, there are various things to consider before diving into the project. Cost is a significant element to think about beforehand, to make sure your renovation isn’t going to break the bank. To get the cost of your bathroom renovation right, you’ll need to research, plan and set a budget in place, before getting started on the work.
In this guide, we have offered up some advice and recommendations for how to effectively budget your bathroom renovation. From deciding who will be doing the work, to thinking about the materials used, make sure you’ve covered everything before making a start on your bathroom update.
Decide who is going to do the work
First things first – you will need to have a think about who is going to carry out the work. You could hire a general contractor, a number of subcontractors, or you could DIY it.
Whilst a general contractor will take hold of the reigns for you and get the job done is a fairly stress-free manner, they typically come with the highest costs for their labour. That’s because they’ll charge for their work, the materials they use, as well as any subcontractors they choose to take on to help them carry out the job.
Subcontractors are slightly less expensive and are a good choice if you think you can effectively manage the project yourself. Alternatively, if you or someone you know has the skills to carry out the bathroom renovation themselves, this is by far the cheapest route available.
Consider all options and work out what’s going to be the best route for you to take. From there, you can begin researching to find out what the average cost of labour will be for your renovation, to begin putting your budget together.
Consider how extensive your bathroom renovation will be
Scope plays a crucial role in the budgeting of your bathroom renovation. A quick and simple refresh will be much less costly than a complete replacement. Pay careful attention to this part of your budgeting plan, as even the slightest of miscalculations could throw your whole budget off.
Remember to include any work that will require moving or rerouting the likes of plumbing and electricity – think about every task, no matter how big or small, and list it when planning your budget. Your estimations will come a long way with plenty of detail at the beginning.
Plan for unexpected circumstances
From hidden damage to mold or even dodgy electrics – there are many risks involved with a project such as a bathroom renovation and it will really benefit you in the long run, if you can plan ahead of any potential risks.
Think about what could go wrong with your renovation and make space for these circumstances in your budget. As a general rule of thumb, it’s recommended that you add at least 15% on top of what your budget comes out to be, to account for anything that doesn’t go according the plan. Of course, this is a rough estimate and if you can put aside more than 15% in case of an emergency, you’ll be much better off.
Include each and every piece of material you intend to use
Spend time making a list of each bit of material you’re going to include in your bathroom renovation, from the tiles to the suite, even any lighting or accessories you have in mind. From there, you’ll be able to carry out some research into the average cost of each material and calculate the cost of materials to allocate within your budget.
Top tip: Some general contractors or subcontractors will offer to purchase the materials for you, but this service often comes at an additional cost. If you’re planning to hire someone to carry out the renovation for you, it’s typically cheaper to buy the materials yourself for them to then install within the space as part of their job.
Take your time to find the right quotes
Don’t scrimp on the research it takes to find a good contractor with a decent quote. This part of your budget planning needs plenty of time and patience allocated to it, and doing so will pay off when you’re left with the bathroom you dreamed of for the cost you had hoped for.
Try to give as much accurate information when requesting quotes for labourers – without the right information, your budget planning won’t be best utilised and costs may creep up when the time comes for the work to be carried out. Make sure to get multiple quotes from a variety of reputable workers – inviting them to visit your space and assess the work to be carried out could better prepare you for your budget planning.
Our last tip would be to keep things as realistic as possible, including how you expect the finished product to turn out and the time you think it will take to complete, as well as understanding that hiccups do happen during jobs such as this. With all this in mind, you should be able to spend some time planning a precise bathroom renovation budget, knowing that you have covered the main points and what cost you have to play with for the bathroom you’re hoping for.