I'm slowly remodeling my bathroom

[Jodi1980]

I have a shower/tub and sink top already to include all new fixtures. With my 2003 income tax refund, I'm going to have the shower replaced and a small window installed (there is no window right now). I also had someone take down the wallpaper months ago. I still need a new vanity bottom, mirror, lighting, flooring and wallpaper put up.

I would like to get ceramic tile for the floor but don't think I can afford it. What's a good second choice? Should I go with shower door or curtain? I have an outlet near the sink but will I ever need one somewhere else in the bathroom? I hate having the hairdryer and curling iron left on the sink and need suggestions what to do with them - I could ask my daughter to put them away after using them but that won't happen. Can the new wallpaper be put up without removing the toilet and vanity? I'm not going to have all the money to do it all at one time so I'm trying to figure out what needs to be done in what order. Thanks!

 

[clh2]

I had a bathroom remodeled in my first house. Since it sounds like you are going to be replacing the commode and the sink/vanity, I would wait with the wallpapering until the current fixtures are removed. It will be much easier to do.

IMHO, I would hold out on the flooring until you can afford ceramic. Are you doing the work yourself? or are you having someone else do it? Although I do not have ceramic in any of my bathrooms in this house, I wish I did. I just happen to prefer it. Many tile stores have "do-it yourself" classes on tile installation. I have personally not installed tile, but I do know many people who have. I understand once you have the basics from a class, and a tile saw rented, you can pretty much just go to town!

And since you asked, I absolutely prefer a shower door instead of a shower curtain. This, just like the ceramic tile, is my personal preference.

I don't think you would need an extra outlet in the bathroom, unless an extra outlet would make for an unrelated task (i.e. vacuuming the hallway) easier. The one thing I would do though is if you don't already have one is to install a bathroom fan. In our 3 bathrooms, only one has a fan. It would have been so inexpensive to have added them in the construction phase of our house, but the builders and the former homeowners did not.

 

[Jodi1980]

I would pay someone to do the work - I'm not good at it at all. We have a small ceiling fan in the bathroom - is that the type of fan you mean?

 

[huey duey & luey]

You may be able to get reasonable priced ceramic tile from home depot/ lowes. I know that I have seen open stock tile for .99 per sq ft. I would try there tile is so easy to care for in a bathroom

 

[ByTheSea]

It may not fit your decor - but when we re-did our bathroom, we went with Pergo for the floor. We finished it off with many (5 I think) coats of SPAR varnish - which is what is used to varnish boats. It makes for a very hard, resiliant and waterproof finish, and after a year or so it still looks brand new.


Our bathroom is pretty much all white fixtures and tiles, blue walls and accent tiles, with a maple floor. We love it.

 

[Jodi1980]

One of our local contractors is going to charge $40 per hour to install the window and shower/tub. Does that sound ok?

 

[sharbear]

Funny that you should post this, we are having our bathroom remodeled right now. My DH is having the job done T and M (time and materials). We are paying our contractor $30/hour. Depending on where you live, $40 is in the ballpark. We are putting up ceramic tile around the shower and on the floor. Tile can be really expensive but I found something pretty reasonable at Lowe's. It was a big decision, I really obsessed over the tile forever! I think that my contractor told me that a tile guy would cost $40/hour and that he would be able to lay the tile much faster than my contractor.

I am still debating on the shower door, only because the contractor wants to charge $350 to install it. If I can get my DH to do it, then we might. My DH can do it, he's very handy, unfortunately he is really busy right now. The shower door cost was going to be $600 (includes the door and installation). I was looking at way to reduce the cost of my bathroom and right now it's one place we could cut back on.