10-15 years ago the wife and I got a quote from a company to remodel our master bath (still haven't done it yet). I don't recall the name of the company, but it was a place with a showroom somewhere in northern Calvert or southern P.G. After we left, the wife said "man your face went white as a sheet when that guy said $25,000"!
ISO Recommendations Master Bathroom Remodel
- Thread starter MR47930
- Start date
Clem72
Well-Known Member
I'm still on the first page, so this may have been answered. You can save a LOT if you do some of the easy stuff yourself. Pull the old vanity/mirror/trim boards. Do your own paint and trim afterwards. If you know a plumber you can save a bunch too, as for whatever reason every plumber I have seen subcontracted on a kitchen/bath remodel charges a damn mint. More even than the tile work (for a couple faucets and pulling/replacing the terlet.) Order a nice premade vanity (custom vanities with stonework are the most expensive part). If you have the vanity first, you can design around it and make everything look great. I have done a couple of master's for 6-8k that looked great keeping this in mind.
Last edited:
We were quoted ~$50K by SOMD kitchen/bath. I just laughed at the guy and said "thanks".
We didn't end up doing the reno (I started this thread 3 years ago). It took $20 to fix the leak we were having with some plumbers putty and a new drain. We had a kid shortly after I started this thread so its been pushed to the wayside. Wife now wants a new kitchen! I cant believe how much cabinets cost, its just a box that you put dishes in!
Clem72
Well-Known Member
Given you have the three year old I will assume time is a premium and you're planning to pay for someone to do the whole project.
That said, if you do want to DIY there is not really as much room to save money in the kitchen, unless you are flexible on style and willing to troll the box stores on closeout pre-made cabinets. Install yourself to save the most obviously, but it takes a bit more skill and a couple strong friends to get everything straight and level.
Not a lot of options for inexpensive but nice counter top unless you like the look of concrete. You can buy concrete melamine mold and stain kits fairly cheap that can make nice looking counters. Again, need to have time available and be somewhat handy.
.
UglyBear
Well-Known Member
In my old house, we replaced vanities with new $50 ones from HD or Lowe's -- installed them ourselves -- and nobody was the wiser.
Make it white, make it clean, make the lines straight and sharp -- and you will hear "Oooooh, this is spa-like bathroom!"
UglyBear
Well-Known Member
Serious question: what's wrong with the old one? Is anything broken to the point of not being functional, or is it just "want new" thing?
Cabinets, especially real wood ones, are easy to repaint and to change the handles -- and it completely transforms the feel of the kitchen for <$300.
The counter surface, if it's mechanically sound, can be re-surfaced. We hired an outfit from Bowie that epoxy-sprayed our old laminate counters with burn rings in them from previous owners. Just sand down whatever is sticking up, and these guys will make it look fantastic in 2 days. We had people say "wow, where did you get seamless Corian counters?"
That was maybe $1k.
Sneakers
Just sneakin' around....
I redid my kitchen a few years back. It all started with the want for a new fridge. New fridge didn't fit in the space the old one did, couldn't modify the space without it looking dumb. One thing led to another. Cabinets came out. 3 walls came down. Tore it down to the bare studs, new electrics, new plumbing, pocket door, new appliances, insulation, wallboard. Island went in. $30k worth of new cabinets. New floors. New wood ceiling...... I did everything myself with the exception of cabinet mounting and laying the floor. Can't even imagine what it would have cost me if I contracted everything out.
All because I wanted a new fridge....
Now it's the laundry room.... just spent $1k on flooring materials.
Our kitchen is just outdated, it’s definitely functional. Regular pine cabinets, but the counter tops are tile inlay. God awful. Wife watches to much hgtv!Serious question: what's wrong with the old one? Is anything broken to the point of not being functional, or is it just "want new" thing?
Cabinets, especially real wood ones, are easy to repaint and to change the handles -- and it completely transforms the feel of the kitchen for <$300.
The counter surface, if it's mechanically sound, can be re-surfaced. We hired an outfit from Bowie that epoxy-sprayed our old laminate counters with burn rings in them from previous owners. Just sand down whatever is sticking up, and these guys will make it look fantastic in 2 days. We had people say "wow, where did you get seamless Corian counters?"
UglyBear
Well-Known Member
Funny that you should say that, tile inlay is the “hottest new trend” right now.
A friend of mine just spent $30k redoing a kitchen, and as he himself admitted, it was outdated almost the moment they signed the contract. Now he just has to wait 20 years for it to come back into fashion
CRHS89
Well-Known Member
And there is the problem. I speak from experience. I was fine with my house until I started watching HGTV.
Sneakers
Just sneakin' around....
I actually do it the other way 'round. I get these fantastic ideas, THEN go watch tons of HGTV and YouTube vids to see how to do it.
HGTV and Pinterest are banned in our house.
Change for the sake of change is idiocy.
Anita and I do repairs and necessary replacements.
I've been in retail of one sort or another for over 50 years.
I have no idea why people shop.
CRHS89
Well-Known Member
I don't make the changes...I just want to.