rebuild will require nearly as many aesthetic and functional decisions as
redoing the kitchen—not to mention a host of construction tradesman, from
electricians to plumbers to tile guys. Here are five affordable ways to get great
results.
How to keep your spending in check
Limit your bathroom reno budget to 5% of your house value for a powder
room or guest bath and 10% for your master bathroom, says Omaha, Neb.,
appraiser John Bredemeyer, a spokesman for the Appraisal Institute, a trade
association. And that’s only if the existing bathroom is severely out of date or
style. Redoing a “perfectly fine” bathroom (or any space) is never a
worthwhile investment. So, assuming the space is functionally or aesthetically
obsolete, check your municipal tax records—or an online appraisal site. If
your house is worth $300,000, let’s say, figure a max of $15,000 for a powder
room or guest bathroom and $30,000 for a master bathroom. And for a
$500,000 house, don’t go over $25,000 and $50,000 respectively.