Bathroom remodel- go big or keep it real?

MirandaHobbes

DH and I have lived in our moderately HCOL neighborhood for 7 years. Our home price, with updates, has remained about stable (it has gone back up to just over asking price based on the refi appraisal we had a few months ago). We plan on selling in about 5 years, maybe longer. The house is small, 1600 sq, 3 bed, 3 bath. Main bath on main level needs serious reno. Very small- only 33 sq. feet. We have bids for a complete to the studs reno, which would require a loan of some variety, or we could do most of it ourselves and do some short-term no interest financing. The complete reno is the "all-inclusive" option; we wouldn't have to worry about pulling permits, buying supplies, headaches of installs, etc. The diy option we would still use high quality materials, but we'd do the legwork ourselves, hiring a 1-2 subcontractors for the difficult work (laying the tile, for example) but basically we would be managing the project.

We're really struggling over which option we should do. On one hand, we don't want to muck this up- we want the bathroom to look nice, and we want experienced people to advise us. On the other hand, we're thrifty and capable people, who have done reno work before (finished our basements entirely ourselves). In this economy, do you think it is still important to be as thrifty as possible when doing a bathroom reno (to maximum ROI), or do you think it is better to spend a little more to ensure it is done perfectly, even if it means taking out a bank loan? We know we would qualify for a loan from our mortgage lender with what little equity is in our house.

Opinions? Thanks!!

musictchr25

I don't think that it's a smart plan to take out a loan to do renovations to your home. Especially ones that may just be cosmetic and not structural or threatening health or safety wise.  

What is the current state of the bathroom? Is it usable? Is it a health or safety issue? Do you have pictures?

Tiling is a very easy process, especially for a room that is only 33 ft. sq.  Painting is something that can easily be done as a DIY project, including replacing the drywall first, if that is necessary.  

Do you have the need to hire a plumber or an electrician?

I don't think that you should be spending more than a few thousand dollars on such a small space, even if you had to gut the entire thing and start over from the studs and subfloor.  It wouldn't be worth it in the return value of the home.  

MirandaHobbes

musictchr25 said:

 

What is the current state of the bathroom? Is it usable? Is it a health or safety issue? Do you have pictures?

It is definitely usable, just outdated- the tile grout in the tub surround is falling apart so it would likely need regrouting. We did consider glazing all the tile in the room (it's an orangish hue right now), but it alone costs a couple grand because the whole space is covered in wall tile. We put peel and stick tile on the floors.

Tiling is a very easy process, especially for a room that is only 33 ft. sq.  Painting is something that can easily be done as a DIY project, including replacing the drywall first, if that is necessary.  

 

True, and DH and I have assisted with tile projects in our house. We'd have to purchase the supplies (loaned them from a friend of a friend previously). We've done drywall and of course lots of painting, but we'd prefer not to tile or drywall again because we weren't very good at it when we did it previously (you can see the seams, etc). In my city you need permits for drywall (not tile) and replacing any fixture (toilet, sink, faucet). So our work would be checked by a pro.

Do you have the need to hire a plumber or an electrician? Yes, for the install of a bath fan- there is none right now and no overhead light so no electric running to the ceiling. It will need to be vented to the roof, which we can't do. We'll need HVAC permits for that too. Cost for this with labor is about $1000. We need a plumber to bring our bath faucet up to code- it is the old style with seperate for hot/cold, grandfathered in but not allowed to reinstall. We don't need a plumber to install new toilet/sink/faucet but will need homeowner permits.

I don't think that you should be spending more than a few thousand dollars on such a small space, even if you had to gut the entire thing and start over from the studs and subfloor.  It wouldn't be worth it in the return value of the home.  Our original plan was probably around $5K knowing we wanted to hire out the tile at least. But after finding out how much of a hassle the permitting and inspection process is it really has us wondering if it is worth the headache to diy. We're also worried about comparing ourselves to our neighboring homes on the market, all of which are going with exotic updates and selling for well over $350K (heated floors and towel racks, spa tubs, etc).

 

Tough call, but good to think about, thanks! We do plan on DIY'ing as much as we can even if we go with the contractor; like demo, renting our own dumpster, painting, and even the trim work.

musictchr25

Regrouting is a very easy process, and if you don't like the color of the tile, there is tile paint and sealer that you could use to make it look completely different. That alone would save you a ton of money and would still look great.  

Also, just so you understand permits, just because one is required doesn't mean that the job needs to be completed by a professional.  My city requires permits for drywall and pipe changes, but you are able to apply for them yourself so you can DIY the work.  

If you're being quoted $1000 to install a bath fan, light, and run the venting out, you should look for someone else. That's a lot of money for something so small. I don't know what area you are located in, but we had our basement bathroom vent installed for under $100, which required making a hole in the brick foundation/masonry on the side of the house, and a ceiling light added in a room for $150.    

If you wanted to be competitive with the other homes in your neighborhood, you could make those upgrades yourself too.  Installing heated floors under your floor tile would be very easy, especially since the space is so small. It is definitely a DIY job, and because of the small space, it would be pretty inexpensive to do.  

If this bathroom isn't attached to a bedroom, I don't think that replacing the tub with a spa or jetted tub is worth it, nor is a heated towel rack.  But again, this would depend on the area that you live in.  

KTdidit

we are reno-ing our only bathjroom, which is 40 sq ft. We are demo-ing down to the studs and subfloor and only plan to spend around $1000, although we don't have to do any electrical or plumbing. Not knowing your area's COL I think $5k is pretty high.

I definitely would not take out a HEL. The way you worded it "We know we would qualify for a loan from our mortgage lender with what little equity is in our house." makes me think that it would take you up to very close to your apprasied value. I would DIY everything you can.