Our house is about 25 years old. We've already done a couple of upgrades to it, and the next one in the queue is renovating the master bathroom.
Some of the room's issues are cosmetic. The polished brass finish on the light fixtures, faucets, and shower frame is starting to wear off. One of the two integrated sinks in the cultured marble counter top is cracked, and the vinyl floor has a couple of stains. However, the shower needs some major work. The pan is permanently stained, the grout between the tiles is cracking, and a few of the tiles are coming loose.
One day last month after a trip to the gym I stopped at a nearby kitchen and bath showroom to look around. There were so many options I left more confused than when I walked in! The store has a monthly kitchen and bathroom renovation seminar which I thought it might help unconfuse me, so I signed up to attend. Yesterday morning Hubby Tony and I were sitting in the company's classroom along with about a dozen other people.
The (very interesting) seminar covered things that would be applicable for someone doing either a kitchen or a bathroom--types of cabinet woods, counter top materials, and cabinet construction. It was eye-opening in terms of expected cost and job completion time. Did you know that according to the National Kitchen and Bath Association you should budget 5-10% of your house's value on a bathroom renovation? It was shocking news to me; we'll be spending much closer to the lower amount. I thought since we wouldn't be doing anything crazy in the room it would be an easy job, but I learned that things like replacing a shower and counter tops pushes the job into the 'major' category, which could take three to four weeks!
Based on what we learned yesterday, we're taking some baby steps toward getting the job done. I've started browsing home improvement websites to get an idea of what we want in the room and we'll set up an initial appointment with the showroom to get their input, although I'm not sure we'll use their services. The job will get done when it gets done; we've lived with the room as it is for so long, I don't know that a month or so more will make that much of a difference.
Five years ago today: Nighty Night
Oh, dear. I wonder what I can do to my 6x8' bathroom to make it the jewel of my house. My 25 year old brass fixtures, too, are tarnishing. Especially the matching brass register cover I moved heaven and earth to find. I hear the major cost of my renovation will be accessing and replacing the 75 year old soil pipe thingy ma bob for the toilet. It will be an adventure.
ReplyDeleteOh, dear is right! I'm glad it will be your adventure and not mine :-)
DeleteOur house is the same age as yours. Our bathrooms and kitchen are certainly showing their age in wear and tear. I agree that the jobs are huge and a little overwhelming when you look at the choices! We think we'll do the kitchen first...maybe later this summer. I wish we could just wink and it would all be done! ha.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we could find a genie and wish for no-fuss renovations?!?
DeleteOur 40 year old bathrooms are original. We did replace the floors about 15 years ago and had to redo the subfloor in the master bath when we did that. The bathrooms are quite sufficient and usable so we won't be redoing them any time soon. The roofing and exterior paint jobs cost $10,000 this year so nothing else for awhile.
ReplyDeleteI wish we didn't have to tackle the job. I suspect that 40 years ago the quality of fixtures was better than what we got in our house.
DeleteYep a month is nothing when you know something is finally going to get done. We've redone both of our bathrooms. Only changed out the fixtures for the shower/tub - that IS major. Curious at what the percentage of the kitchen budget it. That was hefty!
ReplyDeleteI know kitchens cost more than bathrooms. We've done our major kitchen improvements piecemeal--first the counter tops and new stove/microwave, then the floor a couple of years later.
DeleteI don't envy anyone a bathroom reno! You will be happy when it is over!!
ReplyDeleteThe room's needed work for quite some time now; I think I've probably procrastinated because I'm not looking forward to all the hassle.
DeleteIt will be nice when it's all done! Good luck! Pinterest is great for ideas.
ReplyDeleteYes, I've been looking on Pinterest and another site called Howzz that's nothing but renovation ideas.
DeleteI'm with you. I get totally overwhelmed by the process and the millions of choices that need to be made for even the smallest remodel project. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I'll need all the good thoughts and karma I can get :-)
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