Bathroom rehab- What would you do?

Question

Hello BP, I'm in the process of rehabbing my first property and wanted to get advice on how to tackle the bathrooms. Keep or replace the vanities? keep or remove small window in the first picure? Retile shower or re glaze?

Note: I plan to live in this property and turn it into a rental in the future.

Mackenzie Grate · Answer

If you are going to live there and then turn it into a rental, I wouldn't invest too much cash, but I would do a refresh. Even renters like good design. I'd leave the window (more light is always better), paint the bottom of the vanity a pop of color, swap out the mirror and pulls to something more updated and I would reglaze the tub and tiles. I'd do a fresh white to brighten it all up. Rentals in modern color schemes rent quicker. So I'd probably wait to do this until right before you are ready to leave and rent it out. That way it is fresh and updated for the first renter.Hope this helps! Good luck!

Malcomb Stapel · Answer

That really doesn't look bad at all from the pictures. I'd keep that all day long, just make sure your grout is sealed and the caulking is in good condition, and your not allowing water to escape from the shower and go somewhere you don't want it to. As for the window, it's not going to be an issue right there. The problem is when they put them over the tub. Also, if you decided to do section 8, they require a fan or a window.

Jen Narragon · Answer

I would scrap it all. I'd choose inexpensive upgrades such as white subway tile and white penny tile, grab a vanity that's more modern and clean off craigslist or from home depot. Keep the window because it looks fine. I'd paint everything white or cream. It's a small space so keeping it light will make it feel more open and much more clean.

Jerome Morelos · Answer

I think contact vinyl paper inside the cabinets would be a great idea. I’ll look into that. Thanks guys!

Cody Hunter · Answer

@Jerome Morelos You have received some good advice on this rehab. The bathrooms are in good shape, but need minor enhancements and cleaning to achieve great shape. Flooring would be a nice improvement, reglaze, fresh paint, clean and put that towel rack back up. Good luck

Malcomb Stapel · Answer

Those drawers will clean up just fine and you can either leave them as is or paint them. For under the sink, if its not too soft you can contact paper over it, or lay in a piece of 1/4 ply or luan and paint it. Vanities can get expensive real quick, so it's an easy place to save a couple of hundred dollars if your willing to put in some sweat equity.

JD Martin · Answer

The shower isn't bad. Depends on your taste and how much money you want to spend. And the market you plan on renting to in the future. If it was me, on bathroom 1 I would get rid of the small window between tub & vanity; change the vanity top to something more coordinated with the tub tile; install a mirror that's the width/almost the width of the vanity; change the flooring to something that coordinates better. Coordinate the light fixture and shower bar, either make those nickel/chrome (easiest) or change the shower head and handle and sink faucet to bronze (more expensive but coordinates better with tile).Bathroom 2 I would probably redo. The tile job hanging outside the tub looks amateurish, the three handle faucet looks outdated, the floor color is wrong and the tile accent is ugly. Leave the window, it is placed in a good spot at least from the pictures.

Jason Weatherly · Answer

@Jerome Morelos clean, paint walls and cabinet, rip out the floor if uneven and put in LVT.

Will Barnard · Answer

Certainly keep the windows! For the rest, not enough info to answer. If this is a flip, then we need to know the area details, existing value, proposed value after repairs, market conditions, and details of the rest of the home.Generally speaking, based on the photos, the second bathroom with the greyish flooring seems to clash with the wall tiles but all in all, the bathrooms look like they are in decent shape and certainly more updated than most homes I will buy and tear out all.

Jacob Wietholder · Answer

@Jerome Morelos replace the vanity, keep the window, redo the floor. If you have the time, redo the tile yourself to save a significant amount of money. I'm currently in the middle of remodeling my primary residence master bathroom from a complete demo to finishing it how we want it. You can learn everything you need to know from YouTube videos. My total renovation will cost me about $4000 in materials, but that will likely be different in your location.