Successfully Planning Your Bathroom Budget

If you are aiming for a successful renovation instead of a stressful one, succeeding at budgeting is one of the most vital milestones in your bathroom journey. 

Here are four easy tips to making sure your budget—and project—are a success.

#1: Get comprehensive quotes

Above all else, an itemised quote will tell you exactly where your tradespeople plan on spending your budget, so our golden rule is to always ask for one.

Here are our top quote tips:

• Get a written quote—don’t rely on a verbal agreement.
• Make sure the quote contains everything you expect the trades to provide, like material and labour costs.
• Obtain multiple quotes to give you a valuable point of comparison.
• Look at the time frame and see if the trade has quoted a realistic amount of time for the job—if it seems low or high, there’s no harm in asking why.
• Request a breakdown of anything you don’t understand.

#2: Build in a buffer for extra costs

Factoring in a contingency budget can make the difference between being delighted with your space and being unable to finish the project. Around 10-20% of your total should be enough for most circumstances, so be sure to work it in from the beginning.

#3: Consult early

Keeping an open conversation going between you and your trades is important. Getting them involved early can avoid any potential issues and highlight any blind spots in your budget, allowing you to re-evaluate before the job has started.

#4: Enlist an extra pair of eyes

We always recommend getting a professional involved, and inspecting the structural state of your property is no different. Hire a building inspector to evaluate your property and check for any potential structural issues or problems with wiring or plumbing. This is a must if your home was built before 1980 as asbestos may be present. An inspection will flag any issues before any work begins, which means that you can deal with the problem properly and avoid unexpected budget surprises.