Not that there’s anything wrong with mega-baths, but Mark Clements is a pragmatist. As much as he might covet the SUV of baths, his smallish 10-by-6-foot room put a splash of cold water on any such visions.
The boring, dated bath was at the top of his renovation list when the 32-year-old Lake View portfolio manager and his wife, Leah, moved into a three-bedroom condo. “The earlier owners hadn’t put much into it, and it just lacked ‘oomph,’ ” he says.
But as many homeowners know, cash counts in makeovers. For the Clements, “there wasn’t an unlimited amount of money” to pay for all the amenities they wanted, says Mark. But that’s when the couple’s creative juices started to flow.
They prioritized, budgeted, looked for sweet deals, rolled up their sleeves or simply made do. The result: a sleek bath with a street value of $15,000 to $20,000 for a bargain price of under $5,000.
So how can you not take a bath on your remodel, whether your budget is $50 or $5,000? Here are some practical and creative ideas:
– Change colors. Paint is affordable and adds pizzazz. Paint walls a bedrock color, the ceiling a complementary tone, and trim a third hue. Light colors enlarge a room. Nose around paint stores for returned colors you can buy for a song. Your cost range: $10-$60.
– Add crown molding. Create architectural interest, even in a plain room. Look for cheaper, non-wood molding. Your cost range: $15-$100.
– Buy one hour of a design pro’s time. They can suggest overall themes, colors, materials and hardware. Your cost range: $75-$125. It may be the best money you spend. Visit www.asid.org and navigate to the Illinois page for designer names.
– Switch out switch plates. This is an easy, inexpensive upgrade. Metal and ceramic are popular options. Or, simply paint or wallpaper existing switches and outlet plates. Your cost range: $6-$30.
– Scour Chicago for ‘recyclables’. Pre-owned tubs, sinks, hardware and doors are all fair game. Visit salvage yards for discarded items. Your cost savings: 25 percent or more. Visit craigslist.com or www.freecycle.com for bath items people are looking to give away.
– Replace hardware. Give so-so faucets the heave-ho. Brass (or less costly brass-plated) and distressed metals or shiny chrome are instant remedies. Watch store circulars for sales. It’s OK to vary the look from the sink to tub to shower. Your cost range: $20-$250.
– Frame the mirror. Transform a stark mirror with a border of stained or painted wood. Your cost range: $10-$20.
– Buy in volume. If you’re buying all your bath remodeling items at one location, ask for a discount. Donna and Henry Nowak of Schaumburg vouch for the tactic. A store “gave us a little discount because we bought all our tile there,” says Donna. Test your negotiation skills too. Ask when items will next go on sale or be blunt by asking: “Is this your lowest possible price?”
– Brandish ad circulars as you shop. Stores may be hungry for your business and be willing to deal to match or beat competitor prices. Your cost savings: 10 percent or more.
– Talk your way to cheaper flooring. Stores don’t want to hang on to returned, discontinued or out-of-style merchandise. If you’re not finicky about color or material, inquire about carpet overages or surplus tiles. Your cost savings: 50 percent or more.
– Add a wallpaper border. Cheap, quick, easy, cool. Your cost range: $5-$10.
– Change lighting. How about a new ceiling fixture? Frosted domes with brass trim are nice. While you’re at it, change the mood with a dimmer switch. Your cost range: $25-$75.
– Go industrial. Now here’s a sturdy towel bar, great for a loft space or urban look. Use thread-ended cast iron pipe to create a novel towel bar. Ask a plumbing supply store to cut and thread pipe to your dimensions. Your cost range: $10-$40.
– Be flexible. The Nowaks wanted a tan spa-type tub but a store had a discontinued version in white. “The guy in the bath department wanted to get rid of it and said `I’ll make you a deal’,” Donna says. She estimates they saved several hundred dollars. Be ready to take advantage of unexpected bargains even if items differ from your original plans. Your cost savings: 15 percent or more.
– Transform furniture into vanities. It is very chic to drop a sink into a reworked dresser or other piece of furniture. You may gain added storage too. Your cost range: $150-$750.
– Why buy when you can rent? Rent tools you’ll need once, such as tile cutters, power drills and table saws. Your cost savings: 40 percent or more.
– Boot up some design software. Hardware stores sell inexpensive CDs that can help you get a feel for how your bath can be designed. Your cost range: $5-$15.
– What about a wainscot? Simple wood trim, with paint above and wallpaper of boxcar siding below (or vice versa) is very elegant and easy to install. Your cost range: $35-$100.
– Shop the Web. Mark Clements surfed his way to big savings on faucets, a funky glass sink, towel rods and a toilet. “I saw the toilet in stores for $300 but found it online a lot cheaper,” says Clements. His savings: a cool $185. Clements dodged Chicago’s 8.75 percent sales tax on his Internet purchases. The toilet tax on the $300 throne would have amounted to $26.25.
– New cabinet doors. Quickly change the face of cabinets with new doors. Add new hinges, knobs and pulls too. Your cost range: $50-$100.
