Don’t Replace, Refinish!

Now that the excitement of the holiday season and the new year is beginning to wane, it’s prime time for cabin fever to beginning setting in. What better way to stave off cabin fever than to plan your next bathroom remodeling project?

The bitter and harsh cold of winter is the perfect time to really hunker down and begin brainstorming your spring or summer bathroom remodeling project. There are two important to factors to consider when doing so: time and money. Simply put, the longer or more labor intensive a project is, the more it will cost.

However, things aren’t always so simple. When planning a bathroom remodeling project, always expect the unexpected, such as unforeseen costs. While your first inclination may be to swap out your existing bathtub with a new, replacing a bathtub can transform a simple, affordable bathroom remodeling project into a long and expensive project.

While the average cost of a non-whirlpool bathroom is between $200-$300, this price does not include the labor involved with tub installation, not to mention the disposal and land fees that must be paid. There are several issues that may arise during bathtub replacement, especially in older homes whose plumbing may be outdated. However, tub refinishing, also referred to as tub resurfacing, is an easy, simply, and affordable way to achieve the look of a brand new bath tub without all the labor and expense.

The cost of tub refinishing including labor is about the same as buying a standard new bathtub. This equates to substantial savings.

Tub refinishing involves applying a coat to the surface of tub in order to restore it to a like-new appearance. This includes filling in dents, nicks, or scrapes, which often serve as breeding grounds for bacteria and dirt.

The top coat can be made to match the existing color of the tub, or an entirely new color can be applied. This makes creating a a cohesive, designer-inspired look easy to accomplish. In addition, the average time to complete tub refinishing is far less than total tub replacement, typically only requiring 24 to 48 hours for the topcoat to cure.

When planning any remodeling project, it’s important to consider ways in which costs can be reduced. Not only will this save you money, you’ll still be able to achieve the same, if not better, results. Read more.