Savvy Couple Change Tired Bathroom Into Chic Space For £2k, Saving £2k On Labour
- Sharon Richards, 56, wanted to transform her tired bathroom into a cool vintage space
- Her builder husband did the labour, making a saving of £2k
- Sharon bought supplies from B&Q, Wickes and ebay
The most expensive part of redoing your home is paying for labour - which is why if you have a builder in the family, you can save thousands of pounds.
This savvy couple managed to redo their entire bathroom for £2,000 and save on labour costs of £2,000 by doing it all themselves.
Sharon Richards, 56, a mum of three and grandmother of four who works in retail, was keen to transform her tired-looking bathroom into a gorgeous modern space.
Sharon bought affordable materials from ebay, B&Q and Victorian Plumbing, and enlisted the help of her builder husband to save on the cost of labour.
Sharon, from Swansea, told money-saving community LatestDeals.co.uk: "We bought this little end of terrace house just over a year ago.
"I work in retail and my husband is a multi skilled builder - how lucky am I? He turns my ideas into reality!
"The bathroom was our last but one room to refurb. It was all done on a budget and was all bought online except for the small bits such as bath mats and plants.
“The bath, shower, toilet, radiator, sink, toilet enclosure and cabinet were all from Victorian Plumbing, the shower screen was Screwfix and the floor tiles that look like wood were from B&Q.
“The wall tiles were from Walls&Floor Online, the wallpaper and roller blind was from B&Q, the panelling on the walls is MDF from Wickes and the bathroom TV was from ebay.
“The total cost was under £2,000, with all labour done by my husband!
“Labour would have cost over £2,000 if a builder had done the work.
“The whole room had to be re-plumbed and the airing cupboard removed as it was a disabled shower room previously, plus the plastering, tiling and bathroom fit and decorating.
"My style is vintage with a touch of modern thrown in.
"It is a small bathroom that wasn’t big enough for a freestanding clawed foot bath.
"I found the bath that is fitted into a corner but still with the clawed feet, and that was my starting point of inspiration.
"The wallpaper was the next step and I picked out the pink which then had me looking for the right pink colour in a metro tile."
Sharon enjoyed the challenges of the project during lockdown, and says adding luxuries such as a bathroom TV can take your home renovation to the next level.
"This was definitely our lockdown project and we took a few risks ordering online without seeing products first, the tiles and bath especially.
"I always look for reviews online when looking to purchase products.
"Pinterest is fab for ideas and I take inspiration from high end hotels that my husband has been working on in the last few years.
"My top tips would be don’t be afraid to be different and look for bargains online.
"Look on Pinterest for ideas and colour schemes. And the best one is marry a builder!
"This is exactly how I imagined my dream bathroom would be. I am thrilled to bits with how it has turned out.
"Lots of people are amazed that we have a TV in there but it didn’t cost any more than a normal smart TV!
"Dream big - just because we live in a little end of terrace house doesn’t mean we can’t have five-star luxury.”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, says: “While it’s true that not all of us are married to a builder, there’s no doubt that enlisting the help of friends and family can save thousands and thousands on the cost of labour for your project.
“If you’re not a pro at DIY, watching YouTube tutorials and starting small with putting up shelves or upcycling furniture can build your confidence in your abilities.
“If you’re going to pay a builder to do your project, make sure you get quite a few quotes, and don’t be scared to shop around and negotiate when it comes to paying for both materials and labour!"
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