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Real homes: Two bathrooms transformed for just $3000 and $8000

By Guest Poster โ€ข Leave a Comment

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By Cherie Barber

A bathroom can be one of the most trade-intensive rooms in the house to renovate โ€“ and that traditionally means high labour costs. Expect your bathroom to be out of action for anywhere from one to three weeks, depending on the scale of the reno and any unforeseen problems that might arise.

A typical bathroom renovation can cost anywhere between $10,000 and $30,000 โ€“ unless, of course, you are smart with your shortcuts, in which case you can whittle your budget down to under $5000. And youโ€™ll be talking days, not weeks, of work. Here are the five essentials of a cosmetic bathroom refresh.

Retain and rework

The minute you start ripping things out in a bathroom youโ€™re asking for trouble. Thereโ€™s ancient plumbing, asbestos, old electricals and decrepit walls to possibly contend with, which is why the budget on a full bathroom reno can easily spiral out of control. So the trick for a cosmetic refresh is to look at working with what you have as much as possible and replacing the bare minimum.

Amazing paint

If the main problem is simply that the bathroom looks dated, you can achieve a lot simply with the right paints. Thereโ€™s specialty paints for vanity, tiles, sinks and baths. Together with painting the walls and ceilings in modern colours, a transformation can be pulled off for a few hundred dollars. And if youโ€™re handy and meticulous with your finishes, you can probably DIY the lot yourself. Thatโ€™s zero labour costs and no tradesmen traipsing through your property.

Replace the minimum

The next cheapest approach is to swap out a few key items. Bulky, old-style toilets take up a lot of unnecessary space, donโ€™t have the water-efficiency of new ones and are just plain ugly. You can buy a smart new one that conceals all the inner workings for under $500. New vanities and baths are often on special, especially old stock and internet bargains, and as long as you work with your existing plumbing, wonโ€™t cost the earth to replace. Just be sure you use a licensed plumber for the install.

Glass distinction

Shower curtains are a thing of the past, not least because they are mould traps and have no place in a streamlined, modern bathroom. You can pick up fabulous looking frameless glass shower screens for under $500 online, so thatโ€™s a no-brainer.

Tile action

Thereโ€™s no doubt that tiles can be one of the biggest wow factors in a bathroom, especially now the trend is moving away from clinical all-white bathrooms. Shop around for run-out stock, where they may have limited tiles left of popular lines, and you can pick up fantastic-looking tiles for under $20/sq m. The main cost will be labour: waterproofing and tiling. However, in a small bathroom, the dramatic impact versus financial outlay can be well worth the investment, especially given how much value a contemporary bathroom can add.

At the end of the day, youโ€™re looking for a finished product that looks spectacularly neat, clinically clean, thoroughly modern, but for a price that belies the before and after transformation.

Here are two bathroom projects Iโ€™ve recently completed that show just what can be achieved on a modest budget.

BATHROOM 1

BEFORE
AFTER

What we did:

  • Modernise the bathroom joinery by adding trim to the doors, new hardware and laminate paint.
  • Install laminate benchtop and dual vanity.
  • Install new feature lights to the vanity area.
  • Waterproof and retile the bathroom floor and walls.
  • Install freestanding bath, open shower and new toilet.
  • Install new bathroom fixtures and fittings.

Total cost: approx. $8000

BATHROOM 2

BEFORE
AFTER

What we did:

  • Replace old shower screen with clear glass
  • Install new removable timber floor
  • Install new mirrored wall hung cabinets.
  • Paint tiles, walls and ceiling
  • Install new bathroom vanity.

Total cost: $2250ย 

–Cherie Barber is the director ofย Renovating for Profit, a company that teaches everyday people how to buy and renovate properties for a profit.ย 

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May 9, 2017

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I don't regret the extra expense of my bathroom li I don't regret the extra expense of my bathroom lighting for a minute.

Although at the time I may have been a bit "HOW MUCH?" ๐Ÿ˜‚

Thrilled to have our bathroom shared in an article about lighting on @bhgaus where I talk about 2 things we chose in particular.

Firstly the LED light in the bath niche which is the PERFECT relaxing bathing light (and you know I have one every single night!).

Second, (swipe) a sensor light under the vanity which makes it easy for the kids and visitors who aren't familiar with the light switches, to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night with ease! 

Do you have either of these things in your bathroom or would you consider them?

Read the full Better Homes & Gardens article via link in bio now. 

Pix by @jacqui_turk

#bathroomlighting #bathroomlights #timbervanity #bathniche #bathroomniche #smartbathroom #bathroomlights #bathroomlight #bathlover #bathlove #interiorsaddictbathroomreno2 #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #interiorsaddictfamilyhomereno #jenbishop #heartyourhome #realhomes #brassshower #brasstrim
Brothers Jack and Mark Fearon, of Australian desig Brothers Jack and Mark Fearon, of Australian design and fabrication company, @__fearon__ first started their business in 2019 as a creative outlet and antidote to their more commercial work.

Their pathway to design was somewhat unusual. Jack, a plumber by trade and Mark, a boilermaker, worked as industrial fabricators making large-scale water trucks.

Jack says heโ€™s conscious of making pieces that are sculptural, but also very usable. โ€œWe donโ€™t think our pieces are there just to look good,โ€ Jack says. โ€œWe love seeing our pieces in peopleโ€™s homes and in galleries, restaurants and hotels, with things all over them. Theyโ€™re for real life.โ€

FEARONโ€™s handmade pieces are aluminium and designed for longevity. Jack says the material choice means pieces are lightweight, easy to sculpt and entirely recyclable.

Read more on the blog now, via link in bio.

#aluminiumfurniture #australianfurniture #australianfurnituredesign #australianfurnituredesigners #sculpturalfurniture #furnitureasart #modernheirloom #modernheirlooms #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #fearon #aluminiumart #funfurniture #careerchange
Known for his stylish bar and shop fitouts, @jform Known for his stylish bar and shop fitouts, @jform__ this year turned his hand to an apartment reno and created something really special!

Come and tour this beautiful one bed warehouse conversion in Sydney's Surry Hills on the blog today via link in bio.

Currently for sale though @bresicwhitney

#apartmentinterior #apartmentlove #apartmenttour #mezzaninefloor #mezzaninebedroom #warehouseconversion #factoryconversion #surryhillslife #surryhillssydney #surryhillslocal #shopfitout #barfitout #shopfitters #jform #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #jenbishop #coolapartment #funkyinteriors #customjoinery
When her styling business took a hit, @vaultinteri When her styling business took a hit, @vaultinteriors decided to reduce her outgoings by moving to a tiny house. And we're not sure we've ever seen a more stylish one!

Although the move to a container home was motivated by financial pressures, Justine Wilson is loving her new simpler way of life.

Read her refreshingly honest, positive interview on the blog now, via link in bio.

It'll make you want to downsize too!

#tinyhomes #tinyhouse #tinyhome #tinyhouses #tinyliving #livingbiginatinyhouse #tinyhousemovement #tinyhouseonwheels #tinyhouseliving #tinyhousenation #tinyhouseattractive #tinyhomedesign #containerhouse #containerhome #containerhomes #containerhouses #containerhomedesigns #interiorstylist #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #heartyourhome #jenbishop #smallspaceliving #smallspacedesign #downsizeliving #downsize #downsizingandminimizing #escapetothecountry #hawkesburyriver #hawkesburyriverlife
Appliance colour trends: They've certainly change Appliance colour trends:

They've certainly changed over the years. Remember when ALL fridges were white?! I remember the original BROWN wall oven in our 60s kitchen here pre-reno! I think the dishwasher was brown and beige (and it tripped the electrics every time we used it!) ๐Ÿ˜œ

What do you think of this new dark stainless steel option (pictured) from Westinghouse as seen in @dnaofdesign_'s latest reno? Yay or nay? 

What colour do you like your appliances?

See the rest of this home and kitchen and laundry design tips from the ex Blockheads on the blog now via link in bio.

#kitchenappliances #walloven #wallovens #combioven #combioven #microwaves #builtinappliances #builtinoven #builtinovens #homeappliance #westinghouse #kitchentrends #ovens #laundryappliances #darkstainlesssteel #stainlesssteelappliances
SALE ALERT! Listen up Sydneysiders, one of my fav SALE ALERT!

Listen up Sydneysiders, one of my favourite home stores @shack.furniture.homewares are having their annual warehouse sale this week, from Thursday until Saturday.

HUGE savings on furniture, homewares and decor with 30 to 80% off. Wowsers!

I'm a big fan of SHACK and can never leave one of their stores without a few styling goodies for my place! It's just too tempting!

While you're at the sale, mention Interiors Addict for an extra 10% off!

Unit 16a, 1801 Botany Rd, Banksmeadow NSW 2019

Thursday 1st to Saturday 3rd June 2023, 9am to 4pm. Not online.

#sydneyshopping #sydneysale #sydneysales #sydneyfurniture #shackfurniture #shackfurniturehomewares #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome #comeshoppingwithme
A door to door continuous curved stone ledge in th A door to door continuous curved stone ledge in this bathroom is one of the cleverest designs we've seen in a while!

This mega ledge, made of Corian, even incorporates a sink, seamlessly.

Combined with venetian plaster on the walls, it's no wonder this Illawarra bathroom by @birdblackdesign feels like a day spa!

Come check it out via link bio.

Lead designer Stuart Gibson says: "One smooth curve, right around the room, from either side of the door opening. As it moves around, it creates a ledge for the bath: for bath oils, lotions, a book and a champagne glass. The ledge continues around and becomes the vanity, widening out to create a custom seamless basin."

#bathroomhappiness #bathroomdetails #bathroomshelves #bathroomshelf #venetianplastering #coriandesign #coriansolidsurface #spalikebathroom #spabathroom #sustainablebathroom
Catch the season finale of @sellinghousesaus last Catch the season finale of @sellinghousesaus last night?

We have all the before and afters for you on the blog now, via link in bio (and swipe for a taster).

#sellinghouses #sellinghousesaustralia #foxtel #lifestylechannel #beforeandafterkitchen #beforeandafterlivingroom #beforeandafterrenovation #realitytv #housetours #interiorsaddict #theinteriorsaddict #jenbishop #heartyourhome
๐Ÿ˜ Not sure what's better: the custom mirror abo ๐Ÿ˜ Not sure what's better: the custom mirror above the fireplace in this Art Deco one-bedder or the wallpaper in the kitchen (swipe)?!

It's been a while since we featured an apartment makeover on IA. Would you like to see more apartment interiors? Head to the blog now to see more of this one. Via link in bio.

#artdecoapartment #artdecointerior
#artdecomirror #artdecofireplace #artdecomelbourne #artdecofurniture #artdecobuilding #artdecointeriors #apartmentrenovation #apartmentinterior #smallspaceliving #melbourneapartments #melbourneairbnb #kitchenwallpaper #wallpaperaustralia
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