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

I hear you on the matte black. Looks great in photos, but in my 1920s place, I tried it once and regretted it—every little spot showed up.

“I started leaning toward brushed nickel or even chrome. Less maintenance, and they still look modern enough for most buyers or tenants.”

Totally get where you’re coming from—old houses are full of surprises. I had plaster walls too, and the “simple” job turned into a full-on puzzle. Love your point about brushed nickel; it’s such a forgiving finish and doesn’t fight with vintage details. Doing demo yourself is no joke either... those lath and plaster clouds are wild. Feels good to keep some character, though, right?

Doing demo yourself is no joke either... those lath and plaster clouds are wild.

You nailed it—demo in these old places is a workout. For cost, I usually tell folks to budget $15-25k for a full gut, but it really depends on surprises behind those walls. Keeping character can mean extra labor, but it’s worth it when you see the finished space. Brushed nickel’s a solid call—timeless and hides fingerprints better than chrome. If you’re doing some work yourself, you might shave off a few grand, but always leave room for the “uh-oh” fund.

Yeah, demo in these old houses is like a gym membership you didn’t sign up for. I thought I’d save money doing it myself, but those hidden pipes and mystery wires had other plans. Ended up around $18k, mostly because of “surprises.” Worth it, though.

That $18k sounds about right for an older place, especially once you start peeling back the layers. I always tell folks—budget for the “uh-oh” factor, because those surprises are almost guaranteed. Did you end up keeping any of the original features, or was it a full gut job? Sometimes I’ll try to salvage old tile or a funky light fixture just for character, but it’s not always possible.