Transform a bathroom with minimum expense and maximum effect

Next to kitchens, bathrooms tend to be the most expensive rooms in a house to renovate, as they require specialised trade services such as plumbing, tiling and electrical work. Even when buying a house or apartment that has already had a lick of paint and a few 'renovations' applied to bedrooms, hallways and living rooms, the kitchen and bathroom have probably been left untouched, or may not suit your discerning sense of taste and style.

This is a guide to doing a bathroom 'on the cheap' without it looking cheap.

Step 1: Avoiding major costs

Take a good look at your bathroom. You may not like where the bath is, or wish the shower was just 'a couple of inches to the left'. Take a deep breath and toss away any grand plans to move any of these fixtures (toilet, bidet, basin, bath and shower), as the biggest budget buster in a bathroom renovation is plumbing work.

Unless your layout is absolutely and completely unliveable (which is a matter of opinion), ditch any ideas of moving anything that's connected to water or waste pipes.

The second way to keep those costs down is adhering to the "KISS" principle.¹

For example, options for daggy or dark tiles include buying tiles and hiring a tiler (expensive) or choosing a product to paint over the tiles to give them a fresh look. If your budget is already straining under a mortgage, it is advisable to choose the latter.

A product called Tub'n'Tile² does this job nicely, consisting of a two part epoxy resin that simply gets painted over tiles to produce a brilliant, porcelein finish. The only drawback is it currently only comes in two colours: white or vanilla. This limits decor choices, but also helps in sticking to the KISS principle.

Similarly, replacing unsightly floor tiles, which cannot be painted with the epoxy resin and require heavier tiles than walls , is another budget blowout. Consider taking the option of laying down bathroom carpet, which is rubber-backed and made from nylon. This works when the shower has a screen that prevents water splashing over the floor and making the carpet soggy. If this does not apply, perhaps making room in the budget for good quality floor tiles may be the only option, or living with the ones you already have.

Step 2: Preparation

There is simply no good substitute for preparation when it comes to renovations. Unfortunately, this is the most tedious and thankless part of the process.

Unless you are an exemplary housecleaner, the bathroom will have a buildup of grime from soaps, body fats and other dirt in hard-to-reach places.

Before considering painting or applying a product such as Tub'n'Tile, it is essential to get rid of this build-up from any surfaces going to be revamped.

Preparation includes sugar soaping the walls and ceilings to be painted, bleaching any mould spots that have accumulated and sanding all surfaces to be rejuvenated. Don't skimp!

Another area of preparation is covering any taps, pipes and cornices you don't want paint splashed over with easy-to-remove masking tape. Also removing any items to be replaced, such as cabinets, tapware, etc.

Wash down all surfaces to ensure they are free from dust before painting.

Step 3: Painting surfaces

Measure wall surfaces in square metres³ and consult your local paint distributor for the required amount of paint.⁴ You will also need to measure the surface area of tiles to be covered, to determine how many packets of Tub'n'Tile are needed.⁵

Start by painting the ceiling, then come down to the wall surfaces. Give both two coats of paint and allow to dry. This may take longer if the weather is humid or raining, as more time between coats may be necessary.

Applying the Tub'n'Tile product will take much longer to apply because each tile needs to be painted individually to achieve the best effect. But the result is worth it! The tiles (and bathtub/basin) will have a gleaming, pristine porcelein finish.

Step 4: Decorations

A stark white bathroom is all very well for minimalists, but some need a bit of colour in their life. Instead of replacing a row of tiles with feature border, consider purchasing tile transfers that you can simply place over tiles to act as decorative features.

Another idea to add colour to a bathroom is stencilling⁶ a border around the walls.

After applying the tile transfers, and while waiting for those to dry, cut the carpet to size leaving holes for pipes.

Laying bathroom carpet is simply a matter of laying it straight over the floor tiles. If you want it to be semi-permanent, double-sided tape takes care of this.

Step 5: Installing accessories, tapware and exhaust fan

After waiting the required time for all surfaces to dry and seal, now comes the fun part: dressing up your bathroom. This includes installing any new cabinets, towel rails, soap holders and tapware you may have bought.

It may be possible to buy all the accessories from the same hardware supermarket as the paint and Tub'n'Tile products. More and more of these are springing up everywhere, with competitive prices that reflect the growing trend in DIY.⁷

Finally, if you do not already have an exhaust fan⁸, it would be wise to purchase and install one now. Unless your country has restrictions on wiring up appliances like these, you may need to hire an electrician. Or perhaps you have one in the family!

Tallying up the cost

While sitting back, surveying your handywork, now is the time to see whether you have broken the bank or kept under budget... Here is a table showing (in Australian dollars) an example of a bathroom renovation cost⁹