Master Bath On A Budget

This couple accomplished a lot on a conservative budget.

Master Bath on a Budget: Key Updates:

Project Summary:

This couple wanted to update their master bath on a budget. During the initial consult process I was worried that they were budgeting too conservatively and would wind up regretting that in design. They really wanted us to do the project and said they’d be OK if the budget increased but wanted to try their best to stick to it. To my surprise they did!

The made some design compromises… sticking with a curbed shower instead of barrier free and forgoing any open shelving or storage tower at the vanity. They also made very careful material selections, we searched hard for the best value fixtures and materials. And they saved some money my deciding to paint the bathroom themselves. 

They also took great care of our team and had snacks and drinks laid out for us every day of the project!

This lower cost RTA vanity from JSI helped keep the budget in line with their needs. 

Challenges and Solutions

This project did not have any surprises. We actually finished a week earlier than expected. 

Master Bath on a Budget: Our Favorite Things

Every project has a few things that really make it stand our or were special to the homeowner. Here are our favorites.

2 Sink Vanity and Quartz Counter

Teak shower bench

Project Story: Start To Finish

Estimate, Design and Planning

During the estimate process we actually though maybe we were not the right fit for this client. They were very focused on keeping the budget low and while we are accomodating the level of service we provide usually means we are not a good choice for budget projects.

However they assured us that they loved our approach and wanted us to do the project. They wanted the level of quality and service we provided and were planning to save money by be careful with their material selections.

I was worried their budget was too tight and they would be frustrated with the lack of material options in design. But to their credit they stuck to their budget and were able to create a beautiful bath at the budget they planned.

Main Issues With Current Space

The bathroom was outdated and had large spa tub they never used. The shower was never build properly so they had some issues with water leaking out of the shower.

• Outdated look
• Small shower that leaked.

What We Did

We removed the corner tub and installed a large, walk in shower. Often when we do this we make the shower barrier free, also known as ‘curbless’. In this case they optioed for a curbed shower to keep the budget down.

We were also able to install a larger vanity and we updated the lighting and venitallation.

Timeline

We started this project in early December which meant the proejct would span the Christmas holiday. We close down from Christmas to New Years to give staff time off with their families.

The client was aware of this and wanted to start the proecet in December so they could be done sooner. We started December 5th and finished a week early on February 2nd.

• Proposed project start date: December 5th, 2023

•  Actual Project Start Date: December 5th, 2023

• Proposed Completion Date: February 9th, 2024

• Actual Completion Date: February 2nd, 2024

Comparing a Similar Project

Most project of this size would cost quite a bit more, this couple did a great job of sticking to their plan and keeping the project costs low.

They had to sacrifice a few design elements… they went with a curbed shower instead of barrier free and the opted not to add extra storage at the vanity. They also reused thier exsiting mirors and vanity lights. And they painted the bathroom themselves.

The top picture is a similar project that cost a little over $81,000. It does have a few extra features and some high end fixtures but it still shows what is possible if you stick to your budget plan. 

Master Bath on a Budget:

Materials and Fixtures Used in This Project

• Other Fixtures and Accessories
  • Kohler Venza Faucets
  • Delta Trinsic Shower system
  • We re-used their existing toilet
  • Broan Flex 110 CFM Fan/light over shower and Broan 80 CFM in toilet room
  • Reused existing vanity lights

Before Photos

Final Project Photos