5 Factors That Could Influence the Cost of Your Bathroom Remodel

Be a smart spender on your next bathroom remodeling project.

Apart from closets and foyers, the bathroom is one of the smallest spaces in your home. However, size isn’t everything, and the cost of your next bathroom remodel might just surprise you. Avoid unexpected dollar signs by learning five big factors that may influence the cost of your bathroom remodel.

1. Finding plumbing a new home It might seem like a simple thing to move your sink, tub, toilet, or shower, but moving the plumbing attached to it can seriously jack up your price point. If you plan on watching your pennies during your next bathroom remodel, think about working within your current plumbing footprint. Your luxurious rain shower or majestic claw foot tub may still be worked into your existing layout—just make sure you’re working with a team of remodeling experts who can tackle the job for you.
2. Saying goodbye to an old wall or hello to a new one If you watch home improvement shows, demolition typically looks like the fun part of a remodel. Before you or anyone else starts swinging a sledgehammer, consider the work that removing or adding a wall requires: cleaning up the guts, matching and patching the existing floor, rebuilding the wall, and redoing molding. All that extra work could mean a much higher cost to remodel your bathroom.
3. A new tub or shower is in the works Does a new tub or shower top your remodeling wish list? If so, there are a few questions to ask. Do you love tile? Are you sticking with a solid surface? What about a threshold? What drain style do you prefer? Tubs and showers run the gamut when it comes to price, so it pays to think about how what level of luxury you want before starting a new project. While one-unit surround showers might save you money, a tiled master shower with multiple heads and specialized fixtures might match your personal style and increase the value of your home in the long run.
4. Going all-out with cabinets There are a variety of wood types to choose from, and each brings a signature style, set of features, and price point. Oak and hickory are on the more affordable side of the spectrum. Oak boasts durability and strength, and comes in a rainbow of new colors so you can forget the infamous dark and drab oak of 1980’s kitchens and bathrooms. Hickory is oak’s brighter, creamier, and equally strong counterpart, and both woods are great for traditional spaces.
5. Maple and cherry are on the higher end of the bathroom remodel cost spectrum, but adds versatility and elegance while providing a blank slate for your personal style. Cherry, in particular, can be used to give bathrooms a contemporary flavor.
6. Unexpected or unmoveable things in your walls You’ve likely heard stories about the strange things found in homeowners’ walls, from support columns and faulty plumbing to creepy crawlies and antique artifacts. Opening up a wall is like opening Pandora’s Box, and those unforeseen roadblocks can impact your final price more than any other factor. Plan for the worst case scenario by adding a comfy cash cushion to your remodeling budget. While your contractor can’t predict the future, you can definitely protect yourself (and your piggy bank) by thinking ahead.

Now that you’re well-versed in five of the biggest factors that influence the cost of a bathroom remodel, you can start a new project as a savvy spender.

For innovative solutions from a talented team of design experts, contact us today or visit our Madison showroom.