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I was a little worried about the tile making the bathroom look like a dungeon since there isn't any natural light. On the shower wall it looks almost like granite but on the floor it looks like the faux wood. I like it and it really isn't too dark.
I had a heck of time finding a modern looking vanity that wasn't crazy expensive. We went with the Godmorgon vanity from Ikea because with the sink top it was about $500 and I liked the drawers for storage. The problem is there is exactly 3.25" behind the drawers for the plumbing. That means the valves just barely fit behind the drawers and the waster water pipe didn't. The internet was not very helpful in helping us solve the problem so I decided to pay it forward by providing pictures on how we did it. That way the next poor soul who googles "how to install ikea godmorgon sink" doesn't have to search through 600 forums trying to find an answer. We had to chop the pipe as short as it could go and get a very tight 90 degree connector. We found these pieces at Ace Hardware in a kit and just cut them to fit using a saws all since we didn't have pipe cutters. I think the kit was about $15.
We also had to position the vanity as close to the return water pipe to make room for the center piece. It just barely fit and makes the vanity about two inches away from the right wall.
I know it's not polite to talk about money in general, but I'm always super curious in renovation posts about the total cost. And not just the total cost, but the cost break down. Then I can see how much I could do it for roughly since I might choose a cheaper tile or light fixture. And there are always hidden costs that people don't mention.
So I'm going to tell you some of our numbers, just in case you are curious or are considering giving your own bathroom a face lift.
The tile was $2.50/sq ft. I found there were many options around that price. If you like a generic square, you can get it for around $.99. The total for our grout, tile, and thin set was $270. The guy we paid to tile it was $400. A new tub and toilet were about $450. Our plumber did all the installation for $400 but he was a friend so it might be more expensive with someone else. Or not. We just prefer our money going to people we know regardless on whether they give us a deal or not.
What killed me was the cost of this shower head and faucet. I was adamant on a model that had separate controls for temperature and pressure. Home Depot didn't have a single one. Lowes only had one and it was about $250. Ridiculous and we probably could have found one cheaper, but we needed it that day. (I adore it months later though so worth it to me. Makes me feel like I'm showering in a fancy hotel)
Like I said before, the vanity ended being about $500, but the faucet was another $50. That is the one thing in the bathroom I hate. The brushed nickel looks super cheap and shows every hard water spot but we wanted to make sure we found one that fits the Ikea sink perfectly and they had all of three options. I really love the vanity though. We fit everything that was in our old vanity and the one in the other bathroom (my child loved to empty it so we moved the contents into our bathroom) into 3 drawers with room to spare. We put baskets underneath it as well for extra storage (we buy tp in bulk and the baskets make it look much prettier). I also like how the drawers are hydraulic and take a little extra pressure to open. It makes it so my toddler can't open them and raid my nail polish.
I did all the tile demo with a mini sledge and a chisel (*tip* put a towel over the tile before you hit it and the shards don't fly in your face). Husband and I ripped out the vanity and mirror ourselves too so we saved money on that aspect. There were several hidden costs to keep in mind should you want to remodel your bathroom, some with prices I remember, some I have forgotten. I've found things like the towel rod and light fixtures are really what update a space and are worth it if you aren't on a complete shoestring budget. Aside: why do people say they are doing something on a budget? It means very different things to different people. The party blogger's birthday "on a budget" is WAY more than I would ever spend. Even rich people have a budget for their bathrooms, it is just $20,000. "On a budget" is one of my least favorite sayings. Anyways,
gallon of paint $30
tile sealer $20
new baseboard $3
New outlet and light switch $10
Plumbing stuff $40
new towel rod $20
new shower curtain rod $10
Contact paper for the drawers $2 (it's stupid how happy it makes me seeing it when I open a drawer)
New towels $20
Bath mats (we used some we had, but black is terrible because it shows every speck of lint. I couldn't find a better looking option for the color scheme though so we used what we had, otherwise they are around $30)
light fixture $60
glass shelves $35 at Target
TP pedestal $10-$20 (Ross is the cheapest place for these and baskets FYI)
shower curtain $20
baskets $20
frames $4 (Fallas Parades is my favorite! $2 each for fancy matted art work I plan on replacing with photos. Hanging them vertically made the space look surprisingly bigger)
The mirror is one I inherited from my parents. I originally wanted a sleek modern looking one but couldn't find one the size I wanted. Most were super ornate and $500 or more. I found an ok one for $200 but if I was going to spend that I wanted to actually like what I was buying. I had this one in my garage and spray painted it with $8 brushed nickel spray paint. It looks glittery when the paint is wet, but I like the finish dry. It looks better than a silver metallic. I'm actually glad I didn't find a modern one because the curves keep the bathroom from looking too sterile. And since it was $8 of paint, the price was perfect.
Grand total: No idea. I'm a little afraid to do the math, but you are welcome to. I just know it will be a few more years until we can afford to do the other bathroom.
5 comments:
I think that mirror is the one we found at family dollar for $20 and had in our dining room for years. Your bathroom looks so elegant. It is so beautiful and functional too. You can decorate my next house if your dad doesn't get to it. I think grey tones are my new favorite 'color'.
I have to thank you for putting up where you got everything. Jeff and I are redoing our bathroom starting next week (we are paying people to do it, alas, as we are not quite as handy, and also we only have one bathroom, so time is an issue), and I've been looking for shelves to go over the toilet. I love the ones you picked!! ::bookmarking the page on Target::
Very inspiring. You did a great job.
Really pretty. Great work!
If you would only be patient enough to find the right pieces for your bathroom, you can have the look that you want for it on a budget. You don't want to spend too much when you know that you can remodel the bathroom on a cheaper way. So, congratulations for a job well done! Lastly, your bathroom doesn't look like a dungeon. The flooring and tiles might be in dark color, but the rest of the details, like the wall paint and lightning combination, gives the room a soft glow.
Waddle Exteriors
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