Change in Your Pocket: Fixing Up Your Bathroom | Video

Joel Porter | 12/6/2012

A new bathroom may not be at the top of your holiday wish list. But after Christmas can be a great time to take on some home renovations.

"A lot of people, right after the holidays is when they really start thinking about freshening up a room, a small space," said Lisa Bohrer with Spaces Interior Design.

From January to March is typically when contractors have a wide-open calendar. But designers say you don`t need to spend a lot to transform your bathroom.

"Paint can go a long way. Removing outdated wallpaper," Bohrer said.

"Counter tops are not a very expensive item in the bathroom. Updating fauces, fixtures, doorknobs, stuff like that is very reasonable to do," said Cody Miller with Leingang Kitchen and Bath.

Bohrer says you can install your own tile if you pick out a style that`s easy to apply. If you really want to get your hands dirty, you can save money on both the demolition and the clean up.

"A lot of my customers will ask if they can do the demo work. Can I take off the old tile? Can I rip out the old drywall? All the stuff that they do is stuff I don`t have to pay an employee to go out and do," Miller said.

Miller says before you renovate your bathroom, don`t move the tub, sink or toilet unless you absolutely have to. The reason? The water pipes. Rerouting those can be a very expensive process.

"But there`s a lot of plumbing underneath the tub that people don`t think about. If the drain`s off half an inch, it might as well be off a foot."

Miller says rather than ripping out the tub, which can hurt your resale value, you can instead opt for an acrylic liner. They can be installed in about a day and a half and are typically less than two thousand dollars.

"Bathrooms can be quite inviting and also the money you put into a bathroom, you usually get out if you ever do sell your home," Bohrer said.

Finally, Miller says if a job looks too complex, it probably is. If you just need a few pointers, ask a contractor if you can hire him or her on a consultant basis. Just a few ways to keep your modest upgrade from turning into a full blown overhaul, and it`ll save you plenty of change in your pocket.

Bohrer says while searching online is a good place to find ideas, she recommends buying your fixtures, such as sinks or toilets locally, since experts will be able to tell you if they`ll fit in your home.

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