how much did your bathroom remodel run you (roughly)?

Water damage is sneaky... I always run the shower and check around the base for drips before calling any job finished.

That’s smart - wish I’d thought of that before my last reno. I tried to cut corners with cheaper fixtures and ended up replacing a leaky faucet within a year, so now I’m wondering if it’s actually cheaper to just spend a bit more upfront? Did you guys go with high-end stuff or more mid-range? Also, how did you decide where to splurge vs. save? I always get stuck on that.

I hear you - learned that lesson the hard way with a cheap toilet that started leaking after six months. In my last remodel, I went mid-range on most things but splurged on a good low-flow showerhead and dual-flush toilet. For me, anything that deals with water gets priority, since leaks can wreck everything... Curious if anyone’s found eco-friendly options that don’t break the bank?

Totally get where you’re coming from - cheap fixtures always come back to haunt you. I’ve had a “budget” faucet basically explode on me mid-flip. Not fun. I’m a big fan of the Niagara Stealth toilet - super water efficient and not crazy expensive, plus it hasn’t given me any grief yet. As for showerheads, I usually grab whatever WaterSense model’s on sale at the big box stores... half the time, they work just as well as the pricey ones. It’s wild how much a tiny leak can mess up an entire reno, though.

I hear you on the cheap fixtures - learned that lesson the hard way with a “discount” vanity that warped after a month. I’m with you on the Niagara Stealth, though. For showerheads, I’ve had better luck splurging just a bit... some of those bargain ones feel like getting misted by a sad plant. And yeah, one tiny leak can turn into a whole weekend lost under the sink.

some of those bargain ones feel like getting misted by a sad plant.

That line cracked me up - totally nailed it. Cheap showerheads are the worst, especially when you’re half-awake and just want a decent spray.

- I definitely hear you on the vanity, too. My first bathroom redo, I tried to save a few bucks on a “budget” cabinet. It looked fine for about three weeks... then started swelling up like it had caught a cold. Lesson learned: water + cheap MDF = regret.
- The Niagara Stealth’s been solid for me as well. No complaints there.
- You’re right about leaks - one little drip and suddenly I’m pulling out every cleaning product under the sink, muttering to myself.

Funny thing is, sometimes it feels like spending a little more up front saves both money and sanity in the long run. Still, I get tempted by deals. Hard to resist when you see something that looks nice but costs half as much... but yeah, it usually bites back.

Curious - did you end up replacing your vanity yet, or just live with the warping for a while?