Bathroom Renovation

$35k

I think you can do it for under $35,000 if you are using porcelain. I would think 25-30k.

I did exactly as you described about two years ago: Gutted a 5x7 bathroom, put in new tile floor, new subway tile (machine made; to ceiling in shower stall, 3 feet up on rest), new vanity, new sink with "banjo" granite, new medicine cabinet, new toilet, glass shower doors, nice fixtures (including 2 shower heads - better than kohler, but not ridiculous), two new light fixtures, paint.

Got 4 bids from recommended contractors - all were between $32K and $40K.

From my experience, you can definitely spend $40k on a bathroom, but with the right contractor and not super high fixtures or finishes, you can be in the $25k-30k range like Primer says. That been said, in terms of budgeting a project it is always good to plan for 20% more than expected, putting you back in the mid 30's.

Why use porcelain tiles? They cost way more than ceramic and I don't see any advantage. Can anyone clarify that to me please.

Bela,

They are not even close in quality. Porcelain tile has come a very long way. It is also much harder then ceramic tile.There are so many different selections to choose from as well.

Porcelain tiles are stronger and denser than ceramic, making them more resistant to cracking. Ceramic is fine for the walls, but always use porcelain on the floor.

interesting thank you. would you use marble tile on the floor vs porcelain tile?

I would not use marble on the floor as it is slippery and not as strong as porcelain. Porcelain is also very easy to maintain. Marble you need to seal it every year.

I would agree that polished marble is definitely slippery when wet and does need to be properly maintained. We do usually use porcelain but have also used marble on the floor, it depends a lot on what the owner is looking for.

I have porcelain on the master bathroom floor and carrera hexagon mosaic (large, polished) everywhere else. I haven't resealed it every year, and it seems fine. Will regrout it soon (coming up on 4 years) with a darker grey grout.

I would think that the smaller (1 - 11/4") hex carrera would be even less slippery. Plenty of images and reviews on the Internet. Looks beautiful and classic to me in a prewar setting.

I recently bought an apartment at below market value because it was...filthy! So I remodeled the entire place. I did almost the same for the bathroom as you explained,(my space is a bit bigger though) we even incorporated a few decorative glass tiles. I got a contractor to do it for under 25K...It was the best money I spent.
I think you should make use of the economic climate...most of these contractors have very little work, they are willing to soften their prices. I can link you with my contractor so he can give you an estimate if you are interested... :)

EMDEE- who did you use, if you don't mind me asking?

Emdee,

What kind of tiles did you use? What type of finishes? Do you have any pictures of the bathroom?