We’ve never taken on a renovation this big before so it was certainly a learning experience. It was done on a reasonable budget though, so it made the sweat equity worth it. We overhauled everything from the vanity to the toilet paper holder and for being first-timers we’re pretty pleased with the results of our modern bathroom remodel and the budget we kept. Let’s check out the details.
Our Condo Bathroom Before
I wish I had more ‘before’ pictures to show you but I feel like we purposely avoided aiming a camera at this space until we renovated. It just wasn’t great.
I mean, this cabinet isn’t even supposed to be a bathroom cabinet, we just needed something for storage in the meantime. You’ll actually see this same cabinet feature in my DIY bar cart post later.
Pretty bleak looking, right? We thought we really liked the espresso wood at first and were initially talking about going with an espresso finish for the remodel, but are so glad we did not. Our space just isn’t big enough for that dark color.
Modern Bathroom Remodel To Do List
It’s important to have every piece of the project prepared come demolition and install day. Here’s what we needed to do in advance of our installation.
Finding the Right Bathroom Vanity
This seemed like the hardest part of the journey, or at least the most time consuming. We only have one bathroom, so initially we wanted a two sink vanity, but only had 55″ to work with (most stock options are 48″ and one bowl or 60″ with two).
Deciding if Custom Built is Right for Us
Given our wish list, we thought custom-made was going to be our only option. We talked to someone at Home Depot about custom cabinetry, and to no real shock, the bill racked up fast. We nixed that and called a smaller cabinetry company but all-in the basic unit we wanted would still be over $3,000, just for the vanity. This was way over budget and got nixed, too.
The above events spanned over three months, giving us time to realize we didn’t actually need two sinks. More counter and storage space would actually be more beneficial to us. The week before Thanksgiving, we took an impromptu turn down the bathroom aisle on a trip to Home Depot and ended up finding our single sink white bathroom vanity. We purchased it that day and put it on will-call so we could grab it the following weekend!
Picking a Bathroom Vanity Countertop
The number one thing prospective bathroom remodelers need to know is that countertops are purchased 1″ longer than your vanity. That really through me at first. Until I looked at my existing vanity and realized it hangs over about 1/2″ on either end. My standard vanity is 48″ long and my standard countertop is 49″ long.
Additional Bathroom Storage Solutions
While we ended up with a sizable vanity, we have no linen closet. However, we had a large wall opposite of the door that was begging for purpose.
We found this white cabinet with a towel holder at Walmart for under $40 for extra toiletries and towels, it was perfect! Never underestimate the ability to turn a slab of wall into storage.
Bathroom Demo Day and New Vanity Install
When we went to pick up the unit with our crew (Kevin’s parents and brother) it turned out that Home Depot screwed up, and the bathroom vanity that we purchased wasn’t there. Very luckily (for Home Depot) they had this even nicer white bathroom vanity available that we ended up loving and took home for the same (lower) price.
What you Need for a Bathroom Makeover
Lots of man power, know how, and patience. We were prepared for the work knowing it’d turn out amazing and we’d save a few extra bucks to put back into our home elsewhere. As long as you understand what you’re getting into, it isn’t such a daunting project.
Bathroom Remodel Manpower Highlights
- Three men to carry the new vanity up three flights of stairs
- Two men to carry the old vanity down three flights of stairs and to the dumpsters
- Plumbing disconnected, sewer gas plugged with an old towel (important for safety, and it smells terrible)
- New vanity leveled and anchored to the wall with six screws
- New countertop to be installed with construction glue, ensuring it was as close to the wall as possible
- Plumbing re-installed, including a new faucet and drain
- Side and back of the countertop had to be caulked to the wall to avoid water damage or mold
Changing a Bathroom Light Fixture
Installing the new light fixture was a lot of work. Mostly because we had to move the new light about six inches up, and over from where the old one was hung. Installing a light over an existing base isn’t a big deal if you know how to wire it, moving where it will be is the real pain.
The oblong white/pink patch below (not the perfectly circular white paint circle from the old fixture) is my patch job over a complete absence of dry wall. I ended up adding smaller patches of the dry wall solution over time. After some dried I’d add a little more to ensure the integrity of the wall. Patching a hole this big all at once leaves the possibility of the patching material caving in. It’s essentially a large, gooey material with only itself to stand on (imagine trying to fill the hole with a slightly sturdier Gak material). Slow and steady here was key.
If you’ve never installed a light before don’t do it without the direct supervision of knowledgable friend or family member. Or, just have a professional do it. The electrical part of this job would probably be $50-$100 on the high-end and is very dangerous if you don’t know how to identify the wires. We’re fortunate that Kevin’s dad was an electrician which has given us the exposure and practice to do this part on our own (i.e. shutting off the power, having a cage lamp and extension cord so we can still work after dark, attaching wires, etc.).
Our Completed Modern Bathroom Remodel
We love how it came out after all of our hard work!
Functional Bathroom Pieces and Costs
These are the pieces we used and what their prices were at the time of the project (2016). If pieces have since gone out of stock I’ve done my best to plug a similar item in its place.
- Polished Edge Wall Mirror 30×36 inches, plus mirror mounting hardware – $32.86
- Brushed Nickel Faucet (similar) – $99.00
- Switch Plate Cover (similar) – $11.97
- Soap Dispenser – $14.99
- Toilet Paper Holder (similar) – $24.98
- Towel Holder (similar) – $23.98
- Wall Cabinet (similar) – $39.82
- LED Light Fixture – $129.00
- White Bathroom Vanity – $334.00
- White Cultured Marble Countertop – $159.00
Modern Bathroom Decor
- Plug in air freshener from Bath & Body Works plus refill – $18.99
- Anchor word frame, print was a gift, frame from Homegoods – $4.99
- Tissue cover from Homegoods – $5.99
- Tree from Homegoods – $14.99
- Cotton swab and cotton ball canisters – already owned
Random, but don’t underestimate the power of a pivot toilet paper holder. Toilet paper is so much easier to change when you don’t have to worry about holding that middle piece in place or worse, dropping it in the toilet!
Total Modern Bathroom Remodel Cost
Our remodel rang up at $914.56 pre-tax. We also bought a tube of construction glue, hand cleaner, some caulk, and a few other small items along the way for what I’d estimate would be a total of $40 or so, still under $1,000.
We’re incredibly happy with how relaxing and spa like the final product came out, and recommend this project to anyone willing to take on a good chunk of (rewarding) work. With some patience, this project is totally doable.
What’s the biggest project you’ve undertaken? Would you ever consider a relatively minor modern bathroom remodel like ours? It’s totally worth it, in my opinion. Let me know in the comments!
More Home Improvement and DIY
- Our Modern Farmhouse Kitchen Remodel
- Modern White Dresser Makeover
- Installing a DIY Backyard Fire Pit
- Hanging Farmhouse Shelves without Brackets
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