Getting to the Bottom Line on Home Design

What will it cost? It’s the question every homeowner asks when planning to renovate a bathroom. That’s why Christine Jurs and the team at Advance Design Studio like to answer this question early on.

“Determining a reasonable budget for what you want is an important start to every good renovation project,” says Jurs.

First, consider the nature of the project. Is it a powder room, a secondary bathroom, or the master? Will plumbing be relocated? How do you use the room, and what features or materials are desired?

Any one of these factors will impact your bottom line. Master baths are the costliest bathrooms to renovate due to their size, with relocated plumbing fixtures adding significantly to the cost. Premium materials can add up, too.

Fully replacing a secondary bath typically averages between $15-30,000, Jurs estimates, referencing past projects and Remodeling Magazine’s annual “Cost vs. Value” report. A master bath, by comparison, could be twice as much depending on how many changes are made and what materials are chosen.

Renovating a midrange kitchen could cost between $27,000-$80,000 according to Remodeling Magazine.

“A bathroom renovation, on a square footage basis, is more costly than a kitchen because it involves a number of labor-intensive functions,” says Jurs, who owns Advance Design with husband Todd. “Plumbing work, hand tilework, heavy glass … and then there’s managing the timeline. It’s more challenging working in a bathroom because it’s a smaller room, typically upstairs, and you have to bring in each trade specialist one at a time.”

Advance Design maintains a full-service remodeling studio, with a complete team of designers, carpenters, and project managers in-house. The firm’s Gilberts showroom is complete with materials and staged rooms, and the firm maintains what Jurs calls “Common Sense Remodeling,” a complete renovation process that guides homeowners from start to finish.

“In order to get the best value for your investment, spending a little time with a qualified design and build firm is worthwhile,” says Jurs. ❚

Advance Design Studio is located at 30 Railroad St., Gilberts, (847) 836-2600, AdvanceDesignStudio.com.