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gingerclaire

Really want to replace dated bathroom suite - need advice!

13 years ago
When my parents moved into their house 14 years ago, one of the savings they made in the renovation was to keep the existing 'champagne'-coloured bath, basin and toilet.

My mother has now decided that the time has come to do the update she would have liked to have done in the first place. The things she doesn't like:

The carpet: she would rather have tiles, but the floor is quite flexible and to stabilise it would require raising the height above the floor height of the rest of the ground floor. We are thinking a quality wood-effect vinyl might work as an alternative without raising the floor height. Any ideas of other alternatives would be welcomed.

The suite: She would like to replace the dated coloured suite with a cleaner-looking white one. The problem is that she also really likes the tiles she originally chose, and would like to avoid re-tiling if possible. Do people know how we could do this?

Any other advice on layout and design would also be welcomed. We are on a tight budget, so no expensive options please!

Thanks.

Comments (9)

  • PRO
    13 years ago
    Hi Claire , a wallet friendly advice is leave the suite as it is; changing Suite will disturb the tiling around and in that case retiling will be required .
  • 13 years ago
    gingerclaire, tiles can be sprayed with a recoating product in any color your Mom wants, she doesn't need to retile. I'm not sure where your Mom lives, but in the U.S. we have companies that specialize in this, one is called Miracle Method http://www.miraclemethod.com/ and I see they have Canadian locations, too, if that's where you are. They also do bathtubs. If she goes this route, the toilet and pedestal sink are fairly inexpensive to replace, she could probably do it for $300 U.S.

    I would question why the floor is flexible? Has the sub-floor been damaged by water? If that's the case I strongly suggest she start there and leave the cosmetics for last.
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    But if she fundamentally doesn't like the suite, is there no way to avoid replacing the tiles?
  • 13 years ago
    I think the color is soothing. Paint is an inexpensive option. Try a soft shade of white that picks up done if the coral of the tiles. Move the curtain rod to the ceiling and put in a rod much wider that the window and drape with soft sheers crossing in the middle and held with tassels. Vinyl on the floors are not a good choice as water gets under it and lifts it off the floor. Price out frameless glass shower doors.
  • 13 years ago
    Do you mean put cement board over the tiles? She's looking for a smooth wall?
  • PRO
    13 years ago
    Thanks for the advice Bobbi P, but we don't want to recoat or cover the tiles - they're the bit of the bathroom my mother likes and wants to keep! We want to replace the nasty coloured suite without damaging the tiles. Thanks for the advice about resurfacing the bath, that might be the answer that solves the problem.

    The floor is a bit flexible because it's quite an old house, and we would need to put some board down to strengthen the floor if it was going to be tiled. I am certain there isn't any water damage.
  • 13 years ago
    I live in an old house and the wood sub floor (not on a slab) is just flexible enough that ceramic tile would require raising and mortaring the subfloor - so get what you mean. I am, right now, considering armstrong wood look sheet vinyl for my bathroom floor. It is high end, good for 20 years, and would match the real wood floor in the rest of my house. If I were your mother, i would get the wood look vinyl floor, paint the walls, replace the window curtain with something like shutters or blinds, a new mirror. A print shower curtain for the tub area to bring together the tile color, champagne suite color, and wall color, some pretty towels - a whole new look for a little investment and no remodeling mess and agravation.
  • 11 years ago
    I second emily65. I would do either a vinyl plant or sheet floor or a bamboo click floor. I would leave alone the toilet and bathtub, and instead replace the sink and the clutter-y looking cart with a vanity with storage options. I would paint the walls in a strong color. a nice warm caramel or a metally looking grey. change the light fixture. all done and looking great