But I’d argue that half the fun (and cost) is figuring out how to work with what’s there, not just demoing it all.
That hits home. Last place I flipped, I thought I was getting away with a “simple” cosmetic update—then I found three layers of tile under the linoleum, each with its own flavor of questionable adhesive. Ended up spending about $6k, but it would’ve been double if I hadn’t worked around what was salvageable. Sometimes you just gotta roll with the weirdness and make it work.
Sometimes you just gotta roll with the weirdness and make it work.
That’s the truth. My first bathroom reno, I thought I’d just swap out the vanity and slap on some paint. Next thing I know, I’m chiseling through what felt like an archeological dig of old flooring—each layer uglier than the last. Ended up keeping the tub because moving it would’ve meant redoing half the plumbing. Not perfect, but my wallet survived. Sometimes “good enough” is the real win.
Yeah, “good enough” is underrated, especially in old houses. I ran into something similar—thought I’d just update fixtures, but once I pulled up the vinyl, there was a patchwork of tile, plywood, and what I think was linoleum from the 60s. At some point, you just have to pick your battles. Keeping the tub was smart; moving plumbing in these old places can spiral fast. Sometimes, function over perfection is the only way to keep your sanity (and budget) intact.
Totally get that—old houses are like a box of surprises under every layer. I always tell myself, “Don’t touch the plumbing unless you have to.” Last time I tried to move a drain, it turned into a three-day saga and a lot of cursing. Sometimes, just slapping down new flooring over the patchwork is the sanest move. Function over flawless, every time.
I hear you on the plumbing—last time I tried to swap out an ancient toilet flange, I ended up with half the subfloor ripped out. My last bathroom redo ran me about $4k, mostly because I did all the demo and tiling myself. If I’d hired out the plumbing, it would’ve doubled, easy. Sometimes you just gotta live with a little “character” in these old places...
