Bathroom Remodelling: When to DIY and When to Hire a Professional

Bathroom remodels, and renovations have one of the highest returns on investment among all home projects. Think about it, when shopping for homes, buyers look for how many bedrooms and baths a home has, not kitchens or laundry rooms. Browsing through Pinterest, where you’ve come across some beautiful bathroom remodels that look easier enough to tackle yourself. But even for the craftiest of DIY-ers, some bathroom remodel tasks are best left to the professionals to handle. Whether you’re planning to install some new fixtures yourself or hire a contractor to replace your floor tiles, NAK Cabinetry is here to help you determine when to DIY and when to hire a pro!

Remodel Vs. Renovations

Before deciding whether to tackle your bathroom’s changes on your own or not, it’s important to discern the difference between and bathroom remodel and a bathroom renovation, as they’re defined quite differently and require different courses of action.

A remodel affects your entire bathroom and often includes all-new fixtures and appliances. A renovation touches on specific parts that are easy to change, like paint or a new floor. Remodels are typically more expensive and require more expertise than a simple renovation. Bathroom remodels costs can add up quickly once you consider the cost of new plumbing, a new bathtub, a new toilet, new flooring, new paint, a new sink and sink basin, and more. Even though you know you’ll make all this money back in the long run, it’s easy to see why many people would want to do this work themselves. The thing is, even if you save money initially by going the DIY route, the investment of a full remodel might not be wise if the space ends up looking unprofessional.

Bathroom Renovations to DIY

If you are not doing a total remodel, or even if you are, there are still a few places where you can save a little money on your project by doing things yourself:

Painting Your Bathroom

You can save hundreds of dollars by taking this part of the project on yourself. If you are not a good painter, though, there will be a lot of cleanup, but you can get there. Make sure you talk to your contractor if you have one about the best time to paint in the overall project timeline.

Install Your Own Mirror

Save on the cost of installing a mirror by hanging up the fixture yourself. You will need hardware, which is typically below $50. Look for a professional only if the mirror is too heavy or too large to take on yourself.

Remove the Tiles

If you are replacing the floor, ask your contractor if you can save some money by tearing out the floor yourself. Pros are happy to comply because it saves them time and allows them to do more jobs. Keep in mind that the pro you hire might want assurances to make sure you will do a good and thorough job as part of their project.

Refinish Your Bathtub

A kit to refinish your tub costs about $60 to $100. Compare that to the price of professional bathtub refinishing, which ranges between $330 and $600. It’s a relatively simple process with the right kit, but be sure to wear the right safety equipment and protect the surfaces in the room.

Install a New Toilet

In most cases, you’ll only need minimal experience to install a new toilet. However, you will want to look for expert help if you plan to install the fixture in a spot that requires new plumbing. 

Bathroom Remodels to Leave for the Pros

Here are some bathroom remodel tasks that, while not impossible to DIY, require a little more expertise than a few YouTube videos might offer.

Rearranging Layout

Moving around fixtures such as a toilet, sink or bathtub requires expensive re-routing of water supply and waste lines, electrical outlets, and even structural components. There may also be liabilities involved if you’re not certified to do this sort of thing. 

Laying Bathroom Tiling

Tiling can drive you crazy. Not to mention, you’ll need to take into consideration the cost of buying or renting a tile saw and the tools needed to mix and apply mastic, thin-set mortar and grout. 

Install a New Tub

This is a complex process and requires expertise in both plumbing and contracting to fit the tub in the space. Only take it on yourself if you feel comfortable with this type of work.

Install a Shower

While a bit expensive to outsource, the complexity of this project means you need plumbing, contracting, and potential tiling experience to achieve the savings you’ll get from doing it yourself.

Install Your Own Faucet or Sink

Most many pros build this task into the project and will charge much less or nothing at all during a full bathroom remodel. As long as you know how to connect the pipes and how your sink will fit into the vanity, this could be a project you can take on yourself. But again, plumbing here could get a little tricky. 

At NAK Cabinetry & Tile, we don’t just supply the entire Orangeville area with top-of-the-line bathroom building materials - we also match our clients with experienced bathroom contractors for the bathroom remodelling project you’ve always dreamed of. Whether you plan to take on the task yourself or hire a pro, NAK Cabinetry can get you started! Contact us today, and our team will reach out with a free labour estimate for your bathroom remodelling project or help you find quality bathroom materials you’ll love!