An ensuite was completely transformed with a new shower, new tiles and cupboards, and a new toilet.
The project
This was my first D.I.Y. project. The idea was to replace the old tiles and shower screen to have a feeling of cleanness.
While removing the tiles, I punched so many holes into the walls that I decided to remove them completely. This opened new possibilities such as adding a water pipe for a bidet, a recess in the shower and a recessed shaving cabinet.
Ultimately, I ended up redoing the entire bathroom which took me several months, but we ended up being quite happy with the result.
Tips
Here are some lessons learnt I'd like to share with people starting their first bathroom reno:
- Take down the entire walls and put in new ones rather than trying to carefully remove the old tiles while preserving the old walls.
- Take advantage of YouTube videos. You can really find every help you need. Find a channel that suits you and take your time to watch multiple videos.
- Don't buy a tile cutter if your tiles are not large. I bought one but ended up only using my Ozito grinder with a diamond blade.
- Buy a 360 degree vertical and horizontal laser level - it's a priceless tool for tiling the walls. I've got an Ozito which I found best value for money.
- Manage your expectations in regard to the duration of the reno! Based on videos, I thought it would be much simpler and faster than it turned out to be.
I think there were two areas where I spent most of my time:
- Selecting the tiles, the vanity, the toilet - basically everything, with no design experience and not being sure if everything would match together.
- Measurements. Given the small size of the ensuite, I spent a lot of time thinking or trying to see if there would be enough space for using the toilet comfortably, enough space to open the shower screen, and where exactly to put water outlets. I needed to be sure they were where they needed to be so that everything fitted in its place.
Budget
Our budget was $10,600. The cost breakdown was:
- Water - pipes and work of a plumber: $750 (Plumbing was the only paid work. Everything else was D.I.Y.)
- Walls and floor (excluding tiles): $700
- Tiles: $1,500
- Cabinet, toilet, shower screen, shower head: $5,800
- Tools: $1,700 (I had nothing when I started so needed to buy everything)
- Rubbish tip fees: $200.
Before and after
