A new bathroom doesn’t have to cost you a fortune, and knowing what to look out for means you can refurbish your bathroom even on a small budget. Here are our tips for giving your bathroom a new lease of life without breaking the bank.

1. Know What You’re Getting

The first thing to keep in mind when looking at bathroom suites is understanding what you are getting. For example, baths are usually sold separately, so if you are looking at a suite, make sure you know exactly what is included, as you may also need to buy taps separately for the basin.

2. Choose Your Bath or Shower

Baths come in all styles and prices, ranging anywhere between a very affordable to luxury at the top end. Cheaper baths are made from a thin acrylic and while they keep the water warm for longer, a steel bath tends to be more durable and therefore provide better value for money even if it costs a little more, also keep in mind you may need to buy the frame and panel separately.

In terms of showers, Electric showers and bath/shower mixers are the cheapest and they are also very economic to run, followed by manual shower mixers. Thermostatic mixers and power showers are more high end and this does not include the shower enclosure or shower trays which will could cost extra.

3. Choose A Sink

Ceramic pedestal sinks are a little cheaper than semi-pedestal or wall-hung sinks. If you’d like a sink that sits on top of a vanity unit to give you a little storage, this will cost a bit more as you’ll need to buy the unit as well. So this isn’t as cheap as buying a pedestal sink and then a cabinet to put on the wall, but it may save you some space depending on the layout of your bathroom.

Don’t forget about taps, which are often not included with the sink. There are a whole range of tap options to choose from, which are separate units for hot and cold, Mixer taps, one tap with two separate controls for hot and cold, mono bloc taps which control temperature and flow from one lever.

4. Add On Your Extras

If you can save a little money on your bathroom suite, you may want to treat yourself to some little extras, such as heated towel rails and lighting.

Bearing all this in mind, a budget bathroom could be achieved for the entire suite, depending on whether you want a bath, shower or both. But don’t forget to factor in labour costs for plumbing and tiling, too – and be sure not to cut any corners where the fitting of your bathroom is concerned. Even if you are handy at the smaller jobs, it’s a good idea to get professional help if you’re not quite so confident with undertaking larger projects such as a bathroom installation. It’s better to pay for a professional to do a great job done than to attempt it yourself, or to pay someone else who may not know what they are doing and be left with a mess and even more expense instead of the fresh new bathroom you’d been hoping for.