Our interactive package takes you on a room-by-room tour of new ideas at various cost levels.
Remodeling room by room
Bathroom
Project:
Bathroom remodel
Remodeling
a bathroom can actually add value to
your house, but only if you keep the
changes reasonable. A midlevel bathroom
remodel averages about $10,499, according
to Remodeling magazine's 2005 Cost
vs. Value report. But you'll recoup
102.2 percent of that when you sell,
the report says. An upscale renovation
will average $26,052, but you'll get
back 93.2 percent at resale time.
Separate
tub and shower units, featuring large
multihead showers, steam rooms, oversized
tubs, soaking tubs and jetted tubs,
preferably with a little soft lighting,
are among the favorite upgrades.
If you're
planning a bathroom remodel, think low
maintenance, high comfort and energy
efficiency: The color palette is neutral,
often soft white, with as much light
as possible, thanks to features such
as skylights, solar tubes, indirect
lighting and windows of etched glass
or glass brick.
"If
you've never done any do-it-yourself
projects, the bathroom is not the place
to start," says Lou Manfredini,
co-author of the "House Smarts"
book series. Instead, stick to small
items that make a big impact: adding
new vanity knobs or pulls, changing
the shower curtain or shower head, painting,
putting up wallpaper or adding accent
tile. If you have more ability, you
can consider replacing a faucet or toilet,
he says.
