Reader Bathroom: $20,000 for a Pair of Renovations in Michigan
A retired couple update 2 bathrooms in their new lake house — one as a DIY job, the second with the help of pros
This series profiles bathroom remodels shared by homeowners on Houzz.
Bathroom renovations are a popular remodeling project, with the price tags covering a huge range. Today, as part of our Reader Bathroom series, we visit a retired couple who renovated two bathrooms in their Michigan home. In the main guest bathroom, the homeowners did nearly all of the work themselves. For the other bathroom, they hired professionals. Total cost for the two renovations: $20,000. Read on for the details.
Bathroom renovations are a popular remodeling project, with the price tags covering a huge range. Today, as part of our Reader Bathroom series, we visit a retired couple who renovated two bathrooms in their Michigan home. In the main guest bathroom, the homeowners did nearly all of the work themselves. For the other bathroom, they hired professionals. Total cost for the two renovations: $20,000. Read on for the details.
BEFORE: The Wagners wanted to update their main guest bathroom and bring it into the current decade, but they didn’t want to spend a lot of money. So Brad, a retired shop teacher and part-time contractor, set out to do all the work himself. The couple strategically refreshed significant pieces — the bathtub and the vanity cabinet, specifically — allowing them to stick to a $5,000 budget for this renovation.
BEFORE: The old tile was 4 by 4 inches in pink with blue and purple stripes — not Joy’s idea of a good look. In addition, the fixtures, which had what she described as “crystal ball” handles, looked dated to her eye.
AFTER: Brad pulled out the old floor and took the area above the tub down to the studs, while Joy removed the wallpaper — a lengthy job as the paper would come off only in small pieces. The couple left the existing tub and vanity in place. Then Brad put up new cement board, installed new tile and created the niche in the shower. New chrome shower fixtures, new towel bars and new baseboards and crown molding gave the room a higher-end look. They hired someone to refinish the tub.
Lessons learned: “Use oil-based paint and primer when painting a stained cabinet,” Joy says. “If you do a shower cubby, buy the form from a tile store … much easier!”
“Uh-oh” moment: “Always measure the toilet rough-in before you order the toilet — don’t assume it’s standard!” Joy says. The rough-in for this toilet turned out to be just 10 inches rather than the standard 12-inch size.
Style muse: The Wagners wanted a color scheme that they could accessorize differently over time. Four words that describe their style inspiration: calm, spa, clean lines.
Toilet: Drake, Toto; faucets and towel bars: Dryden collection, Delta
Lessons learned: “Use oil-based paint and primer when painting a stained cabinet,” Joy says. “If you do a shower cubby, buy the form from a tile store … much easier!”
“Uh-oh” moment: “Always measure the toilet rough-in before you order the toilet — don’t assume it’s standard!” Joy says. The rough-in for this toilet turned out to be just 10 inches rather than the standard 12-inch size.
Style muse: The Wagners wanted a color scheme that they could accessorize differently over time. Four words that describe their style inspiration: calm, spa, clean lines.
Toilet: Drake, Toto; faucets and towel bars: Dryden collection, Delta
Walls moved: No
Plumbing moved: No
Plumbing replaced: Toilet, all faucets and fixtures
Professionals hired: None – DIY
Special features: New light switches with integrated night light and USB port for device charging, cubby/shelves in the shower, undermount sink
Splurges: Toto toilet, Cambria quartz countertop
Savings: Bought tile, faucets and fixtures on sale, DIY
Cost breakdown
Tub: $400 for refinishing existing jetted tub
Shower: $300 for new fixtures
Cabinetry: $100 for paint for existing cabinets and new Hickory hardware
Countertop: $1,500 for undermount sink
Tile: $1,000 for floor tile and shower walls, including mosaic and cubby
Lighting: Just new bulbs
Accessories and decor: $500 for new towels, shower curtain, towel bars, electrical outlets and switches
Plumbing: $1,100 for toilet and faucets
Windows and doors: $100 for new door hardware
Total: $5,000
Countertop: Kingston, Quarry collection, Cambria
Plumbing moved: No
Plumbing replaced: Toilet, all faucets and fixtures
Professionals hired: None – DIY
Special features: New light switches with integrated night light and USB port for device charging, cubby/shelves in the shower, undermount sink
Splurges: Toto toilet, Cambria quartz countertop
Savings: Bought tile, faucets and fixtures on sale, DIY
Cost breakdown
Tub: $400 for refinishing existing jetted tub
Shower: $300 for new fixtures
Cabinetry: $100 for paint for existing cabinets and new Hickory hardware
Countertop: $1,500 for undermount sink
Tile: $1,000 for floor tile and shower walls, including mosaic and cubby
Lighting: Just new bulbs
Accessories and decor: $500 for new towels, shower curtain, towel bars, electrical outlets and switches
Plumbing: $1,100 for toilet and faucets
Windows and doors: $100 for new door hardware
Total: $5,000
Countertop: Kingston, Quarry collection, Cambria
Bathroom at a Glance
Location: Holland, Michigan
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Total cost: $15,000
Construction time: Six weeks
Location: Holland, Michigan
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Total cost: $15,000
Construction time: Six weeks
BEFORE: The Wagners also had a half bath, with a pedestal sink and toilet, just off the entryway to their home. They wanted to add a walk-in shower for elderly relatives to use when they came to visit.
AFTER: For this project, the Wagners hired professional kitchen and bath remodelers. The contractor took the bathroom down to the studs and cut through the floor to add the plumbing and drainage needed for a shower. The bath originally ran adjacent to a small hallway, which the couple had closed off to make room for the new shower.
Lighting fixture: Suspension collection in brushed nickel, Kichler; towel bars, toilet paper holder and sink faucet: Dryden collection, Delta; vanity: 36-inch model in ivory, JSI; countertop: Oakmoor, Oceanic collection, Cambria
Lighting fixture: Suspension collection in brushed nickel, Kichler; towel bars, toilet paper holder and sink faucet: Dryden collection, Delta; vanity: 36-inch model in ivory, JSI; countertop: Oakmoor, Oceanic collection, Cambria
Lessons learned: Joy says that if they had realized their shower tile selection came in a matte finish, they might have used that to reduce water spots.
“Uh-oh” moment: The toilet for this bathroom arrived broken; it took about a week to replace.
Style muse: “We live on a lake, so we wanted ‘wave and bubble’ tile in the shower to bring in the ‘water’ theme,” Joy says. They also wanted the bathroom to feel neutral as well as modern.
Shower head and faucet: Dryden collection, Delta
“Uh-oh” moment: The toilet for this bathroom arrived broken; it took about a week to replace.
Style muse: “We live on a lake, so we wanted ‘wave and bubble’ tile in the shower to bring in the ‘water’ theme,” Joy says. They also wanted the bathroom to feel neutral as well as modern.
Shower head and faucet: Dryden collection, Delta
Walls moved: Yes, to add a walk-in shower
Plumbing moved: Yes, for the toilet and shower
Plumbing replaced: Yes, for the toilet and sink
Professionals hired: Contractor Jon Faris of Paradigm Renovation, architect AeH Design, kitchen and bath studio Straightline Design
Special features: New walk-in shower with really cool tile
Splurges: Toto toilet, quartz countertop, shower tile
Savings: Bought fixtures on sale
Cost breakdown
Design fees: $200 for tile elevation drawings
Shower: $1,850, including $1,600 for Euro door, $250 for shower head and faucet
Cabinetry: $700 for vanity and mirror
Countertop: $1,000 for countertop, including undermount sink
Tile: $600 for large wave-lake shower tiles, shower mosaic tile and cubby
Lighting: $300 for fixture above vanity
Accessories and decor: $100 for Delta Dryden towel bars, toilet paper holder
Flooring: $600 for floor and shower floor tile
Plumbing: $800 for toilet and sink faucet
Windows and doors: $100 for new hardware
Labor: $8,750
Total: $15,000
Toilet: Drake, Toto
Up next: From ‘Blah’ to ‘Ahh’ in a $27,000 Florida Makeover
More Reader Bathrooms: $25,000 to Redo Master and Guest Baths | $850 Gaudí-Inspired Makeover | $3,000 DIY Transformation | $22,000 Remodel for Aging in Place
Plumbing moved: Yes, for the toilet and shower
Plumbing replaced: Yes, for the toilet and sink
Professionals hired: Contractor Jon Faris of Paradigm Renovation, architect AeH Design, kitchen and bath studio Straightline Design
Special features: New walk-in shower with really cool tile
Splurges: Toto toilet, quartz countertop, shower tile
Savings: Bought fixtures on sale
Cost breakdown
Design fees: $200 for tile elevation drawings
Shower: $1,850, including $1,600 for Euro door, $250 for shower head and faucet
Cabinetry: $700 for vanity and mirror
Countertop: $1,000 for countertop, including undermount sink
Tile: $600 for large wave-lake shower tiles, shower mosaic tile and cubby
Lighting: $300 for fixture above vanity
Accessories and decor: $100 for Delta Dryden towel bars, toilet paper holder
Flooring: $600 for floor and shower floor tile
Plumbing: $800 for toilet and sink faucet
Windows and doors: $100 for new hardware
Labor: $8,750
Total: $15,000
Toilet: Drake, Toto
Up next: From ‘Blah’ to ‘Ahh’ in a $27,000 Florida Makeover
More Reader Bathrooms: $25,000 to Redo Master and Guest Baths | $850 Gaudí-Inspired Makeover | $3,000 DIY Transformation | $22,000 Remodel for Aging in Place
Who lives here: Brad and Joy Wagner
Location: Holland, Michigan
Size: 60 square feet (5.6 square meters)
Total cost: $5,000
Construction time: Three weeks
Brad and Joy Wagner purchased a retirement house on a lake about a year ago and have been renovating the various rooms of the home since then.