You've heard of a bathroom remodel, but what about a bathtub remodel? Replacing a bathtub can easily cost three to five thousand dollars if you have a contractor do it. If you purchase the tub and do it yourself, you can save a lot of money. But sometimes, especially in older homes, the logistics of removing the old tub and getting the new one in are prohibitive. Some homes even require that a bathtub be cut in two before it can be removed. If you want a new bathtub, but don't want to go through the hassle or expense of replacement, consider a bathtub remodel.

You have two options in a bathtub remodel. You can have the bathtub reglazed or you can opt for a bathtub liner. Reglazing involves the use of equipment and chemicals to smooth down the surface of the tub before it's reglazed. This eliminates the long amount of time it can take to have a bathtub replaced, so it's convenient. The average cost is around $500 to $600, so it's far less expensive than a bathtub replacement.

While some people do attempt to resurface their bathtubs, it's difficult to get a professional, long-lasting result, so an expert is really necessary if you don't want to have problems with the surface down the road. The chemical smell can last a little while, so that's also something to consider.

The other option in your bathtub remodel is a bathtub liner. This is a custom-made acrylic or PVC liner that goes over the bathtub. This, like reglazing, is convenient because you don't have to turn off the water to remove the bathtub. Your water can stay on as only the knobs need to be removed while the liner's being installed. Also like reglazing, this can be easily done in a single day.

A custom-made bathtub liner will cost more than reglazing, usually anywhere from about $700 to $1000. It can be twice that if you have a bathtub surround custom made and installed at the same time. Your bathtub will be measured and two or three weeks later they'll return to install the liner.

You could opt to save money and install a liner on your own. Standard bathtub liners are available at most DIY and home centers. A custom made liner will fit your bathtub perfectly, where a standard liner can't possibly fit exactly. This can lead to creaking and popping noises when you use the bathtub and other annoyances. A custom fit liner, however, will come with a guarantee from the professionals.

Since the liner used in a bathtub remodel is PVC or acrylic, it can stand up to a great deal of use and resist scratching and other problems. And the liners are available in a multitude of colors. You can make your entire bathroom look different just by choosing a new color for your bathtub. With a bathtub remodel and a few other small touches, you can make it look like your entire bathroom has been remodeled, but without the heavy price tag.

Photo Credits: Miss Shari

Related Posts

• Green Home Improvement Tips The green home improvement movement is very strong these days.  It seems that no matter which direction you look, you’ll find some new article being written about it.  Some of the articles are written by people that are very gung-ho about ecologically friendly home improvement.  There is nothing wrong with......
• Upgrade to a Spa Bathtub A spa bathtub can add some value to your home as well as make bath time a luxurious retreat from the cares of the day. Spas use tubs with jets because the benefits of this type of treatment are well known. Just a hot bath can relax you and make......
• Caulking a Bathtub in 5 Easy Steps Water can penetrate into your bathroom walls, causing expensive damage unless you take precautions to keep your bathtub properly caulked at all times. Here are the steps involved in the process: 1 - Examine the entire joint between the wall and the bathtub. Mold, mildew, caulk and soap scum should......
• The Best Home Remodeling Investments If you're ready to renovate, why not incorporate some of the best home remodeling investments into your plan? You may already be planning them without realizing that they're improvements that won't just make your home a more beautiful and pleasant place to be, but will increase its market value. Some......
• Book Review: Insulate and Weatherize - Expert Advice from Start to Finish By Bruce Harley As energy costs continue to rise, many homeowners are starting to get serious about how much money they are wasting on home heating costs. In reality, if your home is poorly insulated, and you have not taken the steps to weatherize it properly, the fact is, your money is going......

Related Websites

• Save Time, Money and Space in Over 80 Ways If you're looking for handy gadgets, tools and various items that can save you time, money or space (or all three!) this list of more than 80 top products is just what you need. Everyone's got saving money on their minds these days. Some of us are always looking to......
• Money Saving Tips - A Review Of This Week's Ideas Thought I would highlight some money saving tips that I posted this first week of January 2007.  A new use for Christmas clearance - inexpensive Valentine's Day gifts.  Some thought provoking ideas for stretching your dollar.  Save time and money in the kitchen by organizing your pantry.  Start the year......
• 95+ Money Saving Tips - From the readers! Last week I invited readers and bloggers alike to share (or blog) your favorite money saving tips.  I also threw in the added bonus that the most creative idea would receive a $25 Amazon.com gift card.  37 of you chimed in and shared more than 60 tips!  I really enjoyed......
• Money saving tips - Share yours for a chance at $25 In April of last year, I invited readers to share their favorite money savings tips and in turn I received 41 money savings tips.  Almost one year later, I would like to do the same and see how many tips you can come up with this go around.  I love......
• 5 Of My Favorite Money Saving Sites I regularly scour the internet looking for more money saving ideas and have bookmarked a large number of money saving sites. I have a large list of favorites but here are 5 that I visit frequently: 1. The Dollar Stretcher - I receive their newsletter and find lots of great......

Online Stores

• Custom Womens Shoes

If you liked this article, vote for it on del.icio.us and stumbleupon.


Categories:

Bathroom, Bathtub, Handy Man, remodel

Tags:

amount of time, bathroom remodel, bathtub liner, bathtubs, chemicals, hassle, insta, knobs, logistics, money, pvc liner, reglazing, replacing a bathtub, single day, thousand dollars