Are you looking to refit your bathroom because it’s tired and out-of-date? An updated bathroom can boost the value of your property, but the renovation process can be quite costly. If you’re on a budget, the good news is that you can turn your bathroom into a modern day masterpiece with cheap but quality enhancements. Here we’ve put together nine simple tips for making over your bathroom without breaking the bank.

Reasons for refitting a bathroom

Whatever your dream bathroom renovation is, here are some reasons why you should refit your bathroom:

• Increase the resale value of your home with a functional and modern bathroom.
• Fix existing problems like loose tiles, leaking fixtures, rotting floors, mould, and electrical issues.
• Create more storage space and clear your counter space by adding mirrored cabinets, shelving, or spa-inspired storage cubbies.
• Make your bathroom look modern and fresh by laying new tiles, using natural materials, incorporating brushed metals, and adding accessories.
• Save on energy costs by installing shower and tap regulators, low-flush or dual-flush toilets, radiant flooring, heated towel rails with controls, and new windows for better ventilation.
• Improve functionality with a shower screen or base, bathroom basin, three-sided shower enclosure, and corner bath.
• Make your bathroom safer by installing wider doorways, shower screens, and slip-resistant flooring.
• Make your bathroom smarter with digital shower panels that let you control water temperature and flow.
• Create your own personal oasis with your dream bathroom.

The importance of a good bathroom

The average person will spend roughly 1.5 years of their life in the bathroom, showing the importance of having a good bathroom. It’s where you start and finish the day, and where you get some of your best ideas. The bathroom is also a good place to relax and enjoy some peace and quiet. What’s more, a good bathroom is beneficial for your health. After all, a bathroom that’s dirty, outdated, and not maintained can pose serious hazards to your health.

How to refit at a minimal cost

Depending on your bathroom’s size and quality, the average price range for a full bathroom renovation is $6,000 to $12,000. But if you can’t afford to spend this much, no worries – you can refit your bathroom for far less with these tips:

1. Repaint the walls

Repainting the walls is the cheapest way to give your bathroom a new look. All you need is mould and mildew-proof paint, satin-finish paint, painter’s tape, a ladder, paint brushes and rollers, a face mask, and overalls.

2. Add simple storage

You can find low-cost but good-quality bathroom storage cabinets, such as off-the-shelf cabinets. What’s more, a DIY assemble, flat pack cabinet is cheaper than an already assembled one. You can also install floating shelves with baskets and boxes, add extra towel racks and hooks, and use decorative containers.

3. Install a large mirror

If you have a small bathroom and a small mirror, consider installing a large mirror. It’ll reflect more light and colour, making the room appear bigger. This way, you don’t have to renovate your bathroom to make it bigger.

4. Update fixtures and fittings

Updating your fixtures and fittings is relatively cheap, but can make a big difference in your bathroom’s look. Replace old taps, light fixtures, sink faucets, towel rails, drawer pulls, and toilet roll holders with new ones that are on sale or discounted. Silver tapware is inexpensive but can add a contemporary, high-end finish. You can also buy quality knock-offs of the more luxurious designer brands, for example you can pay $200 for a knock-off basin instead of paying $1,000 for the designer version.

As for your toilet, if it looks old simply replace the seat. You can find replacement toilet seats for less than $20 at big hardware stores.

5. Buy used or go green

A cheaper alternative when it comes to updating your fixtures and fittings is to buy them used or to go green. You can find used items on sites like eBay, Craigslist, and Etsy. As for going green, consider installing a low-flow toilet, sink faucet, and showerhead to conserve water and save money.

6. Camouflage your cabinets

You can update your cabinets by painting them, which could cost you less than $100 in paint and sandpaper if you DIY. Then complete the look with new stylish handles.

7. Paint the wall tiles, bathtub and sink

It’s cheaper to respray old wall tiles than to retile, even more so if you do the work yourself. It’ll also be more affordable to DIY paint your bathtub and sink than to replace them. Tub and tile paints can easily hide discoloured or unsightly surfaces.

8. Freshen caulk and grout

You can add sparkle to your bathroom for just a few dollars by cleaning the grout and adding straight, clean lines of caulk around the bathtub and sink.

9. Choose cost-effective tiling options

If you don’t have wall tiles and want to add them inside the shower walls, it’ll be cheaper to tile one horizontal strip along the wall and paint the rest. Old floor tiles can’t be resprayed or tile painted, so retiling is the way to go. You can buy tiles for as little as $9 per square metre from online auction houses like GraysOnline.

Ready to refit your bathroom?

Refitting your bathroom can be fun, affordable and worth the investment. Simply follow these tips and you’ll be able to create a sparkling new bathroom that doesn’t cost you thousands of dollars.

If you’re still not sure about your budget, consider applying for a loan. SRG Finance specialises in same-day cash loans and we can help you with a personal loan to help you cover your budget shortfalls.