What are you working with, and what does "low cost" mean to you? How handy are you/your friends and family? Do you want to work on more than one bathroom at once, or will it make more sense to turn one of them into a space you love and do the others as budget allows?

I peeked at your bathroom ideabook. Is there any possibility of turning what you already have into what you want? Pictures of your rooms would be helpful!

Often all it takes is new high quality countertops to turn a builder grade bath into something special. Also look at nice lighting around the lav. Not sure what you mean by "builder grade tub", unless you mean a fairly cheap porcelain on steel or acrylic tub? You can replace these, while only affecting the bottom few rows of wall tile around the tub/shower. But make sure it's on a truly waterproof substate before you go finishing the job; if it was an economy project, they may have skimped there too.

Lindsey's comment about tackling one at a time rather than all at once is a good one. Bathrooms are small, so if you're just doing cosmetics, you can't get in too much trouble cost wise! Good luck

Thanks for the feedback guys! I updated my post with more info on the project.

The tile is only part of the tub expense - you have to have something to stick it too - sometimes the builders will install an insert (like you have) over drywall - sometimes right over studs. Then there's waterproofing, adhesive, grout....not all too expensive but you can burn up your budget right there before looking at anything else. If you do go that direction, you can purchase a stamped steel tub from most builders supply plumbing stores for under $140, so compare that to a recycled one that may look worn....Grass hardware makes a soft close damper that you should be able to find for under $5 a door. And make sure to use sandpaper when repainting the woodwork - not a chemical de-glosser! Best of luck.

Great feedback! Thanks!

Insufficient budget for anything but towels and paint. Save it and do it right.

Thanks for the input Sophie. We've got a can-do spirit though! You'd be surprised when you shop for recycled materials how much you can stretch your budget. I think you also need to be smart about the impact of the design features you choose (big part of why I am asking for advice too. You never know what cool things people have done in their homes before!). Also, DIY often equals a headache or two but man can you transform a space!

Is there an exhaust fan? If it doesn't have a light, replace it with one that does.

Try Gel Gloss to polish the existing bathtub surround and the existing countertop. Put your money into new lighting, paint, new bathtub anti-slip mat, and a new machine-washable shower curtain.

https://www.amazon.com/Original-Gel-Gloss-Kitchen-Polish-Protector/dp/B000LNQ83O

If I were in your shoes with your budget I would do the following:

Change the shower curtain and add fluffy towels

Change the light fixture to something that doesn't scream 'builder grade special'

Paint the walls

Add nice fabric shade to window to warm up that area

Frame mirror

This would probably eat up your budget. Do you have enough storage?

Dentia already put down what I was thinking - but I will add grout paint - lighten the grout to a light gray.

I would not mess with the shower if it is working and waterproof. You might replace it with something prettier but not waterproof. Tile and grout even on cement board is not waterproof. The work involved in waterproofing a shower is a waste of time if you are remodeling in a few years. Just keep it really clean. I'll take simple and clean over fancy and grungy any day.

Actually I think I'll leave that link. Hopefully it makes a difference in someone's life at some point now or in the future.

I think the cement on the vanity top is a great idea. I would also add molding to the vanity and then paint it to spruce it up a bit. You could also build a bathtub skirt sort of thing to spruce up the tub. Google and you will find very easy plans to follow or give you ideas for the skirt. Consider some sort of peel and stick for the tile or just paint it. Those will give you a whole new look and keep you within your budget. I had a similar problem with my bathroom this time last year. I spent about $400, mainly on paint supplies and moulding. It is now, by far, the coolest space in my house. If you are willing to put in a little elbow grease and a lot of creativity I have no doubt you can completely transform your space and stay within your budget.

We had an equally tight master in our old house and the walls were too shallow for a medicine cabinet, so my husband made a small built in shelf frames with regular trim and we did floating shelves above the toilet. Added some space for storage, looked expensive, and was pretty cheap. A nice medicine cabinet above the sink also limits the need for lots of counter space if your wall will accommodate it.

Another thought is getting an old cabinet, refinishing it, and cutting a whole for a vessel sink. You have less counter space, but more storage underneath and you can customize it pretty cheaply if you are going to DIY.

I would leave the tub - there’s no way to do it without fully replacing it plus all the other costs associated with it. I don’t know if it would work, but you might look into peel and stick vinyl tile as an alternative. It won’t last but you are planning on doing more later anyway.

I get that you are intrepid DIYers, however, one thing to consider - if you are really planning to remodel in as little a two years, be careful that you don't make this room just nice enough so that you never do the full reno you want to do. I have no idea what colours you have going on elsewhere, but rather than replace grout as someone suggested, I'd paint the walls a a mid-tone gray to match the gout, paint the vanity (perhaps charcoal so your vanity top looks fresher by comparison), get a new shower curtain that you'll be happy to keep closed and pick up the colour accents in the shower curtain in some new towels as has been suggested.

And I'll add my voice to the LEAVE THE TUB ALONE group. You could bite off some serious scope creep there if you touch the surround.

Two years goes by in a heartbeat.

If you are planning to remodel in a few years, you might want to go ahead and replace the toilet with a new low water use, comfort height toilet. Toilets are easy to replace so you can use it now and just reuse it when you do a full remodel. Keep your eyes open for a good deal on a light fixture and you might be able to find one for $15 - $20.
If you have a local ReStore, visit often as the stock is continually changing and the best deals get sold quickly. You might find it easier and just as cheap to replace your vanity top as the concrete overlay. You might even find a recycled or even new vanity for a bargain. I just bought a new one with laminate doors for $39 and tops are often available. My hallway bath sink was purchased for $20 and included a current model Kohler faucet that sells for $200 on
line.
I have to agree that the only update on the tub shower within your budget is a fun new shower curtain

Thank you to everyone! Your kind expert opinions have me completely rethinking messing with the shower. A good cleaning and a newer (cheap) shower head will definitely hold us over until the complete reno. I think we're going to go with a sort of bold design so that will really transform the space. I've added a mood board and would love kind feedback on that too!

Moving into an older house that nearly triples your square footage makes for some tight budgets! Your thoughtful ideas are greatly appreciated!

Also look for bargains on Craig's List. I've seen all the items you mention there, and very inexpensive.

Agree with most advice you've gotten.

Short cuts in a shower or tub surround only lead to much larger and more expensive problems down the road. Leave the tub and shower surround alone, wait until you can budget proper substrates and waterproofing materials. New shower head? Go for it. Don't even think about changing the shower valve. Save that for the surround retrofit.

New paint. Trim and walls.

New soft stuff; towels, throw rugs, shower curtain.

Vanity? Keep it, but paint it. Add new pulls, and if you can fabricate a new vanity top, fabricate away. New faucet. You could change the vanity, but consider the footprint of the new vanity versus the old. Your house is old enough where the entire floor should be tiled, meaning there should be floor tile under the existing vanity. However, if there has been a remodel? There may be no tile under the vanity.

If you're handy, you can even overlay a face frame on the existing vanity to give it a new look, new door & drawer fronts, etc. That'll hold you over for a few years.

New lighting above the mirror.

I'd advice keeping the mirror, but add a frame. Pull that mirror, you may have wall repairs to make.

Every item demo'd means a possible labor and budget rabbit hole, you never know the repercussions of a demo. So on a low budget, keep things as cosmetic as possible.