- Yeah, classic tile is kind of the “little black dress” of bathrooms—never goes out of style, even if it’s not the most exciting.
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Same here. I tried patching some old plaster myself once and let’s just say, it’s still “rustic.”Sometimes DIY saves cash, but with waterproofing... I just didn’t trust myself.
- Ended up hiring pros for waterproofing and tile. Did demo and painting myself to save a bit, but honestly, with these old walls, you never really know what you’re getting into.
- Anyone else find weird stuff behind their walls? I found a 1940s newspaper and a petrified mouse... so, that was a fun surprise.
I hear you on the “rustic” DIY results. I tried to refinish an old vanity myself and, well, let’s just say it has “character” now. As for costs, our bathroom remodel last year ran about $9k, but we did a lot ourselves—demo, painting, even some of the trim work. Like you mentioned, I left the waterproofing and tile to the pros. That stuff’s just not worth messing up.
with these old walls, you never really know what you’re getting into.
Couldn’t agree more. We found a stash of ancient razor blades behind ours (apparently that was a thing?). Made me glad we budgeted extra for “surprises.” If you’re trying to keep costs down, I’d say do what you’re comfortable with and don’t skimp on anything that could cause water damage later. The upfront savings aren’t worth a mold problem down the line.
And yeah, demo always turns up something weird... in our case it was a mummified frog and a couple of marbles. Old houses are wild.
Those razor blade stashes are wild, right? I ran into the same thing—apparently medicine cabinets used to have a slot in the back for used blades, and they’d just pile up inside the wall. Made me rethink every time I’ve leaned on an old bathroom wall.
Our last bathroom redo was about $7k, but we definitely cut corners where we could (in a good way, not a “future lawsuit” way). Did all the demo and painting ourselves, but like you said, left waterproofing and tile to people who actually know what they’re doing. I tried tiling once in my first place and let’s just say... gravity won.
Funny you mention weird demo finds—my favorite was an old Monopoly piece wedged behind the baseboard. No idea how it got there. Old houses are basically time capsules with questionable insulation.
Totally agree about budgeting for surprises. If you think you’ll spend X, just assume it’ll be X plus at least 20%. And yeah, water issues aren’t worth gambling on. Mold is a nightmare to fix later.
Those old razor blade slots are wild—I've opened up a few walls and found literal piles of blades. Makes you wonder what else is hiding in there. I agree with your point about budgeting for surprises; I usually factor in at least 20% over the initial estimate, but sometimes even that feels optimistic.
Old houses are basically time capsules with questionable insulation.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve found everything from newspapers to ancient wiring stuffed in walls. Out of curiosity, did you end up upgrading any plumbing or electrical while you were in there? In my experience, those “while we’re at it” fixes can really add up, but skipping them can be risky long-term.
Those hidden razor blades are wild, right? I’ve pulled out old bottles and even a petrified mouse once—never know what you’ll find. When it comes to plumbing and electrical, I’m always torn. Sometimes I think, “If it ain’t broke…” but then the eco side of me worries about leaks or wasted energy down the line. Did you look into any water-saving fixtures or insulation upgrades while you had the walls open? Those can sometimes pay off faster than expected, though the upfront cost stings a bit.
