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wagnerpe

several question about mostly diy 'spruce up' of full bath (long)

wagnerpe
11 years ago

I have a full bath that was the only "un-updated" room in the house we bought in 2005. Granted, now most of the updates are 10 years old, but they still look current.

We may move in a few years and while we bought the house with the bath looking as it does, I think it would help if we spruced it up a bit. I'd prefer to do it now where we can get a few years enjoyment out of it and to spread out the costs of "getting the house ready to for sale" expenses that I know will come up later. I have no desire to change any plumbing.

Things I know I will change:

The countertop and sink.

The sink faucet

The tub surround - change to tile

The fixtures in the tub/shower combo.

Things I may or may not change

The floor

the lighting

the vanity cabinet

the tub

If you got through all that, here are my questions:

1. I don't care which kind of faucet/handles the sink or the tub has and since we will be replacing the counter and sink we have all types available to us, so for resale purposes, are three piece spread faucets, centerset 4 in. faucets or one piece faucets most popular these days? Also, in the tub, should I go with one piece for the on/off and setting hot/cold or two?

2. I'm leaning toward either engineered quartz or Corian for the counter top. Is this a bad idea since it's about the same cost for granite? I am an infinitely practical person and I like the maintenance level of Corian and the antimicrobial properties of quartz. Our kitchen is Corian - chosen for us by previous owners - and we've been happy.

3. Simple undermount vs drop in sink. Which are more popular? Again, I don't have a preference. It's a pretty basic bathroom - not too traditional, not too modern.

4. Tub surround - this we will hire out. The tub/shower combo currently has an acrylic tub surround. I have no idea what is underneath, but I'd like to change it to white tile. Subway, maybe? What is a ballpark cost for the labor on something like this in a major metropolitan area (Chicago)?

5. the tub. The tub is a cast iron tub. It's not shiny new, but it's clean. Will a new tile surround make the tub look crummy? Should I just replace it?

6. The vanity. The vanity appears to be a custom built in. It's outdated and has 3/4 inch face fronts and semi overlay cabinets. The doors are hanging slightly crooked these days. It's currently painted white. I'd like to keep it white and was thinking of just ordering new wood doors to update it rather than try to build/find a 66.5" vanity. I know the doors will likely cost more than a new 60" vanity, but I like the wall to wall look of the built in. Is this like putting lipstick on a pig since the vanity itself is probably from the 50's? Particularly because I will have to use overlay hinges on the doors - none of the European ones will work with the large face frames.

7. Lighting. I have no idea why, but this bathroom has can lights in a bump out above the vanity. I've never seen this before or since. They are fine for lighting purposes, but strange. Should I have the cans pulled out and more "bathroom-y" fixtures put in. This seems like it will cost a lot of money and might be wasteful, but it's such a bizzare look, I wonder I should just make it more normal looking.

If you got through all of this - thanks! If you can help in any way, I look forward to your response!

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