With rising costs, is it possible to renovate a bathroom for under $10,000 in NZ??

With so many designs, beautiful fixtures and brilliant architects, designing a bathroom can seem like a fun filled experience. However, staying within your budget can turn this bathroom renovation process into a stressful experience instead. When clients give us a budget of around $8K to $10K, we always advice them to not try and re-vamp their whole bathroom at the same time. With all the rising costs, it also force's the market to change as well and you'll find business like GG Players (giveaways) start appearing and businesses like ours also need to adapt, Here are our tips on how you can in fact change the whole look of your bathroom under $10,000.

Bathroom Renovations under $10,000 are a definite possibility! YES it is a possibility! Bathroom Renovation Ideas while spending Under $10,000 – On A Budget – NZ.

Looking to update your bathroom on a budget? Rather than a costly renovation, there are some simple ways to makeover your bathroom that won’t break the bank.

1. Decide on your priority for your Bathroom Renovation

Think long and hard about your priorities. Do you want to change the look of your bathroom or are you looking at changing that old bathtub that you have had for ages? Or do you want to add heated floors? The key to bathroom renovations under $10,000 is to have a clear sense of priorities and careful planning.

2. Renovating the whole bathroom

Renovating the whole bathroom can be a near-impossible task under $10,000. If you are still looking at doing it, then you will have to compromise.

You could choose the most important fixture that you want to replace and get the other fixtures either second hard or of a cheaper variety. Get your plumbing sorted first because the price for plumbing is unlikely to differ no matter what fixture you get. Once the plumbing costs are sorted, then get that one thing replaced that is really high on your list. For example you might be wanting to replace your bath, well then get out there and buy the bath of your dreams. However for the kitchen cabinets and sink, look around your home and see what you could re-use.

An example of this is reusing your living room cabinets that you aren’t using anymore. Get them varnished, polish your old sink and get them fitted in your bathroom. This can prove to be a very elegant touch. This kind of renovation can take up to $10,000.

3. Make one fixture the hero of your bathroom renovation

Choose one extravagant thing that you want in your bathroom renovation and make it a focal point. It could either be a Japanese bath with wooden skirting type benches around it to make it look like a spa or a waterfall shower. This focal point can be expensive but it can still fit in your budget as long as you do change much else in your bathroom.

4. Design Design Design

There are a multitude of possibilities if you are not looking at changing your fixtures and are focused on a re-vamp or a new style for your bathroom.

• Make one of the walls a focal point: Use tiles, mosaic, marble or wood. Use whatever you most desire and use that material on an entire wall instead of the whole bathroom. This will keep your costs under $10,000 as Mosaic can be very expensive. You can make this wall the focus of your bathroom. You could couple that wall with a few mirrors or antique looking lamps to give it a Moorish look (especially if you use mosaic on the walls!!)
• Replace your flooring: Replace your bland looking tiles for some colourful tiles. Add a bright rug in front of your sink cabinet, Paint your cabinets a dull gold, hang some brass lamps, add a few plants to add a bohemian look to your bathroom. This kind of renovation will only cost you $5,000-$7,000.
• Use Laminate: Laminate is no more a cheap and boring option! There are a lot of styles and available in laminate which mimic real wood/texture, plus they do not rot, make you allergic and also have a moisture proof board that will save your surfaces.
• Picture Windows: You will be amazed at what a difference a picture window can make to your bathroom. Make sure that you buy a good quality picture window which is realistic as you do not want a shabby looking feel. Frame the picture window with a good wooden frame to make it look like a window. This should typically cost about $5000 to $6000.
• Create an illusion of space: adding mirrors can make your bathroom space look bigger and creating depth which will completely revamp your bathroom. Use mirrors not just for your vanity but perhaps behind the door or the upper half of your walls. This will cost you between $2000 to $6000 depending on the area.
• Lighting: lighting can do wonders to any room. Basic lighting is a must of course, but think about how you can highlight the special features of your bathroom with lighting. Maybe it is that gorgeous tapestry or a simple clean bathroom with a serene painting as a backdrop. Add ambiance  and charm to these features by adding soft light.

5. Limit Your Tile

Tile gets expensive, especially when you hire a contractor to lay it all out for you. To save money, limit the amount of tile and focus on high-impact areas like the floor (instead of the floor and inside the shower stall walls). Alternatively, you could tile one horizontal strip along the wall and paint the rest.

6. Redo, Don’t Buy New

Replacing your old tub or shower is going to cost you a pretty penny. Instead, have it professionally relined, which is much cheaper.

7. Use Lower Cost Lookalike Materials

Retaining and refurbishing your existing materials is always the best option for saving money. But if you must swap out materials, inexpensive alternatives often can look amazingly like the real thing

8. Resist the Urge to Move Major Plumbing

Save money by leaving the toilet and bathing facilities where they are. Do not move the plumbing when leaving everything in the same location will still satisfy your needs. Moving water supply and/or drainage immediately drives up the cost of any remodel project.

What about you? Do you have any money-saving ideas to redesign or redecorate a bathroom? Do you still have unanswered questions about your bathroom renovation in Auckland? talk to the team at Superior Renovations. www.superiorrenovations.co.nz - 0800 199 888