The bathroom is like a sanctuary where you relax and refresh yourself before and after coming off from work. It’s one of the busiest areas in the house that deserves your attention, otherwise, it will look dated and dingy. Also, bathroom remodeling is one of the most pursued home improvements done by homeowners to add value and function to their homes.

Are you thinking of remodeling showers on a budget? In that case, you’re in the right place as we’re going to talk about it here. We have compiled the best tips to share with you on how you can save on your shower remodeling plans. Get ready and learn more about it as you read through the article.

How much does the shower remodeling budget cost?

We always tell our clients to understand the cost of shower remodeling so that they can better plan on where they want to cut off costs. This makes it easier for you to do shower remodeling on a budget. So far, the average cost to renovate a shower is $15,000 to $30,000. But this can vary depending on the materials, labor fees, and square footage of your shower area.

Shower Remodeling Cost per Square Feet

If we check the cost of shower remodels per square foot, it will be around $70 to $250. If you have a 40 square feet shower, expect to spend around $2,800 to $10,000 for a budget shower remodel. Your cost will rise if you choose designer finishes for your fixtures and tiles.

Here are some estimates for your shower renovations:

  • 25 sq.ft.: $1,800 to $6,300
  • 50 sq.ft.: $3,500 to $12,500
  • 75 sq.ft.: $5,300 to $18,800
  • 100 sq.ft.: $7,000 $25,000

Tips Shower Remodel on a Budget 

We understand it’s not cheap to renovate your walk-in shower, so we’re offering some practical tips for you to save on your shower remodel.

Paint instead of Tiles

No doubt that tiling your shower will make it look more gorgeous, yet that will be an added cost to your shower remodel on a budget. The cost of retiling your bathroom is $12.50 per square foot. If you have a 40 square feet bathroom, expect to spend around $500 for installing new tiles. This will be both for materials and labor costs. The cost of the tiles alone will be $0.50 to $15 per square foot. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are the cheapest options if you want to save a few bucks for retiling.

But if you paint your shower or bathroom, it will only cost you $200 to $500 for both materials and labor. If you do DIY painting using latex paint, you will only spend around $100 to $200. If you hire a professional and use latex, it will cost around $300 to $500. That said, you’d be able to save half the total cost of retiling when you opt for repainting your shower and bath.

Go for Standard Shower Products

You have plenty of things to upgrade for your complete shower remodel. If you replace everything with new ones, that will be heavy on the budget. But if you want to upgrade all your shower amenities, better go for standard products so you can still save a few bucks for it. 

Generally, the cost of stock shower products is 20 to 50 percent cheaper than high-end counterparts. The cost of installing them will most likely be the same, so you can only save if you buy the standard ones. 

Here are some of the essential things you need to upgrade your shower:

  • Showerhead
  • Shower bench
  • Tub
  • Towel bar
  • Shower fixtures

Even if you go for cheaper items, never undermine the quality and function of these products. You still need to think long-term when it comes to remodeling your shower. It’s not that you renovate your shower every year, so it’s best to invest in durable shower products and fixtures.

We can help you find affordable shower fixtures and products, and install them in your shower remodel. Our project manager can work around your needs while staying within your shower remodel budget plans.

Refinish instead of buying new ones

Refinishing your shower and bath is king! If you can still use your tub and shower but it looks dated, then giving it a new coat will be alright. But you have to inspect if your tub or all dated items in your shower are still functional before deciding to keep them. Even if you can save from refinishing, if the overall function of your shower is bad, that would still not be convenient on your part.

Minor nicks and cracks can be easily remedied by putting in some filler that looks the same as the entire surface. After that, you can apply a second or third coat to give a uniform surface to your tub and shower fixtures. But again, you need to think through whether to keep your old stuff or replace them with a new one. Getting new durable tub or shower fixtures would be great if you want them to last for another decade or longer.

Consider buying granite or marble stone remnants

Buying a granite or marble slab is more expensive than purchasing a stone remnant. These are leftover stone pieces from a slab. This is cheaper yet it will be smaller in size, so you can only use them on small projects like backsplash, tub surround, and adding some accents to your wall-recessed storage.

You can also use this on your shower bench and other small surfaces inside your shower that need accentuating. There are many showers remodel ideas on a budget you can think of from these stone remnants. Our designer will help you decide on that while making your shower remodel gorgeous and modern.

Try not relocating your pipes

When it comes to a budget shower remodel ideas, we cannot emphasize more to keep your existing plumbing layout. The cost of hiring a professional plumber to change the pipes of your shower is around $45 to $200 per hour. In terms of material cost, that will be $0.50 to $8 per linear foot. The estimated cost of your rough-in bathroom plumbing works will be around $7,000 for a shower bath remodel.

That’s the main reason why we recommend you and other clients retain their current pipe layout. But if you’re willing to add or move your sink or tub, then we can work on that. 

Ready to plan for your shower remodel?

Shower remodeling is one of the most pursued home improvements since it adds value and function to home property. It’s great to have that luxurious walk-in shower and tub you see in five-star hotels to be in your home. We can help you plan and implement your small shower remodel on a budget.

To get started, book a free design consultation with us today!