Bathroom remodeling ? a checklist of 84 costs to consider ? Retro ...

Bathrooms are the smallest rooms in the house, but they pack a lot of utility into every square inch, so they can be complicated ? and expensive to remodel. I thought it would be fun haha to compile a list of every piece of a bathroom remodel that you need to plan, budget and spend. I am going to take a first run at the list based on my experience with several bathroom renovations ? but welcome your additions, as I may not have been hit with every possible expense. Here goes:

Permits and testing

• Building permit
• Electrical permit
• Plumbing permit
• Lead testing, as required
• Asbestos testing, as required

Demolition

• Contractor bags
• Dumpster, if required
• Disposal fees

Abatement

• Surcharges for lead abatement, if required
• Asbestos abatement, if required

Unexpected expenses

• Wood rot
• Mold
• Old plumbing
• Bad wiring
• Bug infestations (we just found a nest of carpenter ants while the walls were open on my office renovation ? $350 exterminator, cha ching)
• Anything that?s not to code that you weren?t anticipating.

Framing and prep

• Wood for framing
• Insulation
• Vapor barriers
• Energy efficiency sealants
• Window(s), if required
• Door, if required
• Drywall
• Greenboard/concreteboard for under tile

Plumbing work

• I always use professionals who give me a bid, who bring the stuff, and give me a bill when it?s all done. Their costs usually include cost of permit and inspections. If you move your plumbing, costs are higher than if you keep your plumbing where it is.

Electrical work

• I always use professionals who give me a bid, who bring the stuff, and give me a bill when it?s all done. Their costs usually include cost of permit and inspections. If you move your plumbing, costs are higher than if you keep your plumbing where it is.?Actual electric thingies to consider include:
• Lighting around sink
• Lighting center of ceiling
• Lighting above tub/shower
• Exhaust fan (In a tiny bathroom I like combo lighting/exhaust fan above tub/shower).
• Timer for exhaust fan on its own switch.
• Electrical outlets and switches.

Bathroom fixtures (finally, we get to the fun stuff)

• Sink
• Sink legs or vanity and vanity top
• Different hardware for vanity, if required
• Repaint vanity, if required
• Faucet and associated parts
• Toilet
• Toilet innards
• Toilet seat
• Tub or shower pan
• Tub/shower faucet set
• Towel bar ?in tub/shower, if required
• Shower curtain rod, or shower door
• I always like to add a diverter to a handheld shower head
• Handheld shower head
• Towel bar for bath towels
• Towel bar, ring or hook for wash towels
• Towel bar or hook inside tub/shower for washcloth
• Robe hook for back of bathroom door and maybe also by tub/shower
• Soap dish in tub/shower
• Toilet paper holder
• Medicine cabinet

Tile and finishing

• Floor tile or other flooring material
• Grout for floor tile, or adhesive for a resilient floor.
• Wall tile
• Grout for wall tile
• Shower pan tile (if less slippery surface is desired)
• Grout for shower pan tile
• Mortar to apply tile
• Sealer for floor tile. Some ambition people also seal their wall tile
• Liner strip, if desired
• Bullnose in same or contrasting color
• Tile-in soap dish and/or toothbrush holder for above sink, if required
• Different floor tile for shower pan, if required
• Recessed shelving forms, such as Tile Redi (there are other brands, too) and any unique tile pieces required to edge them
• Marble threshold for shower pan, if required
• Marble or other type threshold for bathroom door, as required
• Wood trim for windows and doors
• Wood trim for floor if wall is not going to be tiled
• Primer for drywall
• Primer for wood trim (if trim is to be painted)
• Conditioner, stain, finish for wood trim (if trim is to be stained)
• New cover for heat and air conditioning vent?

Decor

• Paint for walls and trim
• Wallpaper
• Wall size, if wallpaper is used
• Window treatments
• Shower curtain or doors
• Shower curtain rings
• Coordinating towels and rugs
• Soap dish for vanity
• Shelving and artwork for walls, as required
• Wastebasket
• Plunger ? After all this time, money and grief, you?ll want a clean start.

Hey, if thi$ checkli$t doe$n?t make you want to Love the Bathroom You?re In, I don?t know what will.

Want to noodle bathrooms more? Check out my three videos about my blue bathroom renovation:

What potential or for-sure expenses did I miss, dear readers?

Or, what bathroom remodeling expenses caught you by surprise? Do you have a nightmare that you need to process and forewarn? How about ideas that saved you lots of money? Bathrooms as Money Pits: That?s today?s topic.

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