Reader Bathroom: Serenity for $23,000 in Maryland
This homeowner’s faucets were leaking, and she just couldn’t stand using the bathroom anymore. So she hit refresh
This series profiles bathroom remodels shared by homeowners on Houzz.
Bathrooms are one of the most popular spaces to renovate, but the price tags for these projects can vary widely. As part of our reader bathroom series, we visit a Maryland homeowner who renovated her bathroom for about $23,000.
Bathrooms are one of the most popular spaces to renovate, but the price tags for these projects can vary widely. As part of our reader bathroom series, we visit a Maryland homeowner who renovated her bathroom for about $23,000.
BEFORE: When homeowner Marita Lynott first got estimates for her bathroom remodel, she was surprised at the quotes. “I was expecting a bathroom remodel to cost a lot less,” she says. So she waited. “I put off the remodel until I could save more money to go through with it and plan out what I really wanted my bathroom to look like.”
In the interim, Lynott drew up a layout of her existing bathroom and collected inspirational images and questions to ask a contractor and designer. These helped her to better communicate her ideas, as well as get more accurate quotes.
BEFORE: Lynott’s original bathroom was 5 feet by 8 feet, and by the time she renovated, she couldn’t stand using the old space any longer. There were functional problems, with water leaking underneath the sink faucet handles, and a towel rack fell off the wall.
For the new bathroom, she knew she wanted the look of Carrara marble for the floor, but in a tile that took less maintenance. She wanted a recessed medicine cabinet that would hold bathroom necessities and a hidden electrical outlet for her electric toothbrush. Another of Lynott’s goals was to retain counter space around the sink, so pedestal sinks were out.
For the new bathroom, she knew she wanted the look of Carrara marble for the floor, but in a tile that took less maintenance. She wanted a recessed medicine cabinet that would hold bathroom necessities and a hidden electrical outlet for her electric toothbrush. Another of Lynott’s goals was to retain counter space around the sink, so pedestal sinks were out.
AFTER: Lynott had her contractor pull out everything, from the vanity to the tub and from tile floors to the drywall. She also had the plumbing for the shower and sink replaced.
For the color palette, Lynott chose a mellow blue and white that felt serene and elegant, and that complemented the vanity and tile she selected.
Wall paint color: Woodlawn Blue HC-147, Benjamin Moore; vanity: Brook Haven, Presidio Raised, Wood-Mode; knobs: Atlas
For the color palette, Lynott chose a mellow blue and white that felt serene and elegant, and that complemented the vanity and tile she selected.
Wall paint color: Woodlawn Blue HC-147, Benjamin Moore; vanity: Brook Haven, Presidio Raised, Wood-Mode; knobs: Atlas
The vanity has a pullout shelf behind one of the cabinet doors; Lynott stores her cosmetics on the top shelf and loves the fact that she doesn’t need to clutter up her vanity countertop with beauty products.
The medicine cabinet hides an outlet for charging her electric toothbrush.
AFTER: Once the vanity was installed, Lynott realized she didn’t like the style of the toe kick, so she had the contractor change it. That small tweak added about three weeks to her project timeline, pushing it out to a total of eight weeks. Fortunately, Lynott was able to use her bathroom during the wait.
Toilet: Kohler; medicine cabinet: Robern; faucet: Devonshire widespread bathroom sink faucet, Kohler; sink: Devonshire undermount sink, Kohler
Toilet: Kohler; medicine cabinet: Robern; faucet: Devonshire widespread bathroom sink faucet, Kohler; sink: Devonshire undermount sink, Kohler
The new floor tiles imitate the look of marble but are easier to clean.
BEFORE: They also look a lot better than the original ones, in Lynott’s estimation.
At the end of the shower, Lynott had a niche installed to hold her shower toiletries.
Shower detail tile: Versailles, Glazzio
Shower detail tile: Versailles, Glazzio
Walls moved: No
Plumbing moved: No
Plumbing replaced: Yes
Professionals hired: Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles, for both the design work and managing the project
Special features: Pullout shelf behind one of the vanity doors, outlets inside medicine cabinet
Splurges: Custom vanity with drawer pullouts and soft-close doors, mirrored medicine cabinet with electrical outlets to hide electric toothbrushes, sconces and glass tile design feature in shower
Cost breakdown
Design fees and materials*: $13,141
Decor: $323 for artwork
Labor: $9,600
Total: $23,064
*Lynott’s designer worked on a fee structure that included materials (as well as a markup on them, as is common in the industry). The homeowner does not have individual price breakdowns for each product.
Artwork: Joss & Main; sconce: Chic Sophisticate crystal torch wall sconce, Shades of Light
More Reader Bathrooms: $20,000 for a Pair of Renovations | From ‘Blah’ to ‘Aah’ in a $27,000 Makeover | A Splash of Nautical Style for $330 | Flamingos Make Way for a $23,000 Spa Look | A Soothing Spa for $20,000 in Virginia | Romantic and Classic for $9,000 in Minnesota
Plumbing moved: No
Plumbing replaced: Yes
Professionals hired: Davida’s Kitchen & Tiles, for both the design work and managing the project
Special features: Pullout shelf behind one of the vanity doors, outlets inside medicine cabinet
Splurges: Custom vanity with drawer pullouts and soft-close doors, mirrored medicine cabinet with electrical outlets to hide electric toothbrushes, sconces and glass tile design feature in shower
Cost breakdown
Design fees and materials*: $13,141
Decor: $323 for artwork
Labor: $9,600
Total: $23,064
*Lynott’s designer worked on a fee structure that included materials (as well as a markup on them, as is common in the industry). The homeowner does not have individual price breakdowns for each product.
Artwork: Joss & Main; sconce: Chic Sophisticate crystal torch wall sconce, Shades of Light
More Reader Bathrooms: $20,000 for a Pair of Renovations | From ‘Blah’ to ‘Aah’ in a $27,000 Makeover | A Splash of Nautical Style for $330 | Flamingos Make Way for a $23,000 Spa Look | A Soothing Spa for $20,000 in Virginia | Romantic and Classic for $9,000 in Minnesota
Who lives here: Marita Lynott
Location: Rockville, Maryland
Size: 40 square feet (3.7 square meters)
Total cost: $23,064
Construction time: Eight weeks