Unless it’s a selling point for buyers, I don’t see the ROI. Most people don’t even notice.
That 15-20% buffer for “surprises” is spot on. Every time I skip it, the house finds a way to remind me who’s boss. Had a “quick” toilet swap turn into a weekend subfloor saga once… Still, $13k for a full gut sounds about right these days. Labor is brutal, but at least you know it’s done right.
That “surprise” buffer is a lifesaver, for real. I tried to cheap out once—figured I’d just swap the vanity and paint, but then found a slow leak behind the wall. Ended up redoing half the plumbing and patching drywall I hadn’t budgeted for. My last full bath reno was about $11k, but I did demo and painting myself. If you can swing some DIY, it helps, but yeah, labor costs are wild lately.
Yeah, that buffer saved me too. Thought I was just doing tile and a new toilet, but once I pulled up the old floor, turns out there was water damage under the subfloor. Had to replace more than planned—cost me around $9k, mostly because I tried to handle demo and tiling myself. Labor quotes were nuts. If you can do even a little yourself, it really adds up.
That’s pretty much how mine went—budgeted for about $7k, but hidden issues bumped it closer to $10k. Doing demo and drywall myself saved a chunk, but plumbing costs were just brutal. Surprises under the floor seem almost guaranteed...
Surprises under the floor seem almost guaranteed...
Totally get that—every time I’ve pulled up old tile, there’s always something lurking underneath. Doing your own demo and drywall is a huge win, though. Plumbing’s always the wild card, right? You did well keeping it under $10k.
