Budget Bath

Formerly cash flush homeowners who as recently as last year tended to talk money after waxing poetic about hardwood floors and marble walls now are starting their remodeling conversations with a precise end cost in mind. And that’s OK, according to designers, contractors and remodel industry representatives. Actually, many prefer to start with a clear budget in any economy.

So go ahead and say it, says Julie Cavanaugh, owner of Design 101 (http://www.design-101.com). The Saratoga based designer says more and more of her clients are forthright about their budget these days. Homeowners who once gave a range now are setting a specific goal for remodeling costs. It may come as a surprise to some, but having that information as a starting point actually makes it easier to plan a remodel.

“It’s almost a better situation,” Cavanaugh says. “When you embark on a project you have visions of grandeur. It’s really a process and it’s really a lot of work getting from ‘A’ to ‘B.’” With a set allowance, the remodel team can get to work refining the grand vision into a workable room that fits financial as well as lifestyle needs. The good news is that having a budget need not necessarily mean settling for less. The building and remodeling boom in recent years has resulted in an explosion in available products at just about every price point. While the hand scraped walnut floors or marble slab tub surround may be financially out of reach, it’s a good bet there is something similar that fits the bill—literally.

Keep It Simple

Here’s some more good news—a bed and bath remodel often is less expensive than a kitchen remodel as long as exterior walls remain intact. Although it’s likely to be the last room invited to the remodeling party, it’s also can be the simplest and least expensive, says Kimberlee Fleury, who owns of Fleury’s Floor Covering in Concord (http://www.fleurysfloorcovering.com) with husband Al. She suggests focusing on the surfaces in the bed and bath to get the most design for your dimes—floors and walls offer the biggest decorating bang for the buck.

Simple doesn’t mean, however, that you must live with a master suite that isn’t working. Reconfiguring interior walls can fit into the budget, says Michelle Mor of Pleasant Hill-based Sunshine Construction Inc. (http://www.sunshine-construction-inc.com). Keeping close to the original footprint reduces cost, but moving an interior wall or two might make a major difference in convenience without breaking the budget. 

A successful project relies more on how you spend than how much you spend. For example, Mor and contractor husband Mosche always replace fixtures and check plumbing and electrical wiring in a master bath remodel. Gussying up the walls is fine, but it’s equally important to bring the underlying factors up to code. Issues like water damage need to be dealt with also. 

Start by repairing and reworking the bones of the room, then add color and excitement, Mor advises. The result will be a remodel that looks great and holds up over time.  

Making Trades

Once the groundwork is laid, it’s time to start comparing and contrasting with the wish list. Be prepared to prioritize and make some concessions. A splurge-versus-save approach helps. Spending a larger portion of the budget on stone for the vanity may mean giving up a travertine floor.

“The only thing that stands between you and granite (countertops) is money,” Mor says. Granite and natural stone, with a sprinkling of glass, are still popular splurge items. 

“The people who want it, want it. That’s where folks are spending money,” says Joe Sidhu of Granite Wholesale USA (http://www.granitewholesaleusa.com). Customers at his Fremont slab business are even lining shower walls in granite. It’s a good place to invest the budget, he argues. With work from a good fabricator, “it will last forever.”

If tile is more your style, go big, says Russ Reed. The Dublin manager for Western Tile Design Center (http://www.westerntiledesign.com) says replacing the smaller squares popular a decade ago with a larger version immediately updates a bath. “That’s a simple fix,” he says.

Expect Excellent Service

Master bathrooms tend to represent fewer square feet; so stock tiles might offer some savings. Reed says Western Tile has hundreds of stock tile lots that can be had for a deal. Give them a square footage and a general idea of color and they will offer options at a good price. Sales staff also will help with design and accents. Reed suggests making full use of the staff at remodeling retail businesses. Especially in today’s competitive market, demand stellar service and budget friendly tips from your sources.

“We don’t mind a bit,” he says. He points to popular glass as an example. The tiles come in a six-foot square sheet. Western Tile sales representatives can keep the look but stretch the budget by cutting the sheet into smaller accents for use throughout a bathroom.

Gladys Santos-Cavener would like to remind homeowners to show just corralling the clutter in a master bedroom can spruce up the space. The owner of Mimi Home Solutions (http://www.mimiblindsandshutters.com) suggests making the most of closets, pot shelves and even bathroom spaces to increase storage. “When you get clutter off the floor it automatically creates more space,” she says.

Whether it’s as simple as better storage or as complex as a full-blown reconfiguration, the master suite is often the last room considered on a homeowner’s remodeling wish list. It is, however, a perfect candidate for 

a budget conscious remake. The payoff is a space re-created just for you.

“It’s your place of refuge,” says Fleury. 

For more great ideas on beds and baths visit http://www.todayshomebayarea.com.