Thinking about a bathroom makeover? The cost of a bathroom redo can get out of hand easily and that is why you need a plan. We planned the renovation of our lower level bath carefully and have stayed within budget.

Since I have a degree in art, I am acting as the designer. I am also acting as the contractor and this will save us 15% or more on makeover costs. You do not need a degree in art to design your bathroom makeover. All you need is patience and these steps will help you sort wants from needs.

Your first step is to peruse bathroom design. I started a makeover file. When I saw a photo I liked, I cut it out and filed it. These photos helped me to refine the design. The Internet has thousands of photos and looking at some of them is worth your time. You don't have to replace everything to update your bath. According to the "Basics of Bath Design," an article on the bathroom Remodeling Website, "Giving your bathroom a new look is a simple as upgrading your tub." Our lower level bath has a shower only, so we didn't have to deal with the tub issue.

Pricing is the next step you need to take. Start a list of products and manufacturers. For example, you may like Moen faucet. Put the list in a file or notebook. "One way to begin is to start keeping a notebook for when a design idea for your bathroom comes to you," advises the Dream Log Home Website. "You'll soon define the room that will be the best for you." Keep this list for several months and, as it grows, do some comparison shopping. Cross off products, put a star by the possibilities, and narrow your choices.

Financial planning is your last step. Of course, you could make a budget first. But the problem is, you don't know what you want, or how much you can spend, until you see what is available. We comparison shopped, decided how much we could spend, and made our budget. According to an article, "Does Your Bathroom Need a New Look?", on the Bathroom Central Website, you don't want to get half-way through the job and discover you're out of money. Include the cost of "contractors, electricians, and plumbers if you're not a do-it-yourselfer." Even if you're handy you may wish to hire professionals.

My husband and I are both do-it-yourselfers and, though we've painted more walls than we care to count, we hired a professional painter. We also hired a plumber and a carpenter. These charges are included in our budget. The lower level bath is still a mess, but we are rounding the third base of our bathroom makeover, and headed for home plate. Our lower level bathroom is going to be striking.

If you peruse, price and plan, your bathroom makeover can come in on budget and be just what you imagined. Enjoy it!

Copyright 2009 by Harriet Hodgson