Inexpensive bathroom upgrade ideas

Name your most important areas of the home. Off the top of your head is probably the kitchen, dining room, family and bathroom, but not necessarily in that order.

For some, the bathroom is actually the most important room of the house. And if it is, not skipping out on remodels will leave unfavorable impressions when you have guests over.

Anyone who visits will take note if your bathroom is an uncomfortable sight, and you should too. But as with a lot of projects, bathroom remodels can be quite expensive, depending on the scope of your plans.

The costs to replace sinks, bathtubs or showers can run in the thousands of dollars, potentially more if you're knocking down walls.

Luckily, you don't need to dip into your emergency savings account to be able to afford bathroom makeovers. In fact, you won't even need $200 for the following ideas because each one is, at most, $100.

Temporary tile

A great aspect about temporary tile is exactly as its name implies - it's not permanent. If you choose one design and want to switch things up six months later, you have the freedom to do so.

Another added benefit is the price. You can expect to spend anywhere from $20 to $100, and maybe a bit more, depending on the size of your bathroom.

There are two types of temporary tile that you can use: peel-and-stick vinyl and contact paper. The latter is cheaper and easier to swap out, but keep in mind that you'll want to give the bathroom a good cleaning before doing so. Otherwise the tile may start to peel, according to Trulia.

Floors matter

Not many individuals enjoy stepping out of the shower and onto a cold floor. Alleviate this slight annoyance by putting a rug on the floor, or if you already have one, consider getting a new rug to act as an upgrade.

But because it will see a ton of usage, you'll want to wash the rug at least once every month, and consider swapping it out after about a year. When searching for the perfect bathroom rug, avoid those made from wool and polypropylene.

In addition, take the size of the bathroom into consideration. Do not put down a rug that is larger than the space you have to work with, while you don't want to get too small of a rug that it looks out of place.

Examine the bathroom's dimensions and go from there. For instance, if the room is relatively narrow, then get a rug that is longer in length.

Quick but effective fixes

For quick and efficient upgrades, head to the nearest home maintenance store and pick up a new faucet, spray paint and light bulbs.

Upgrading the faucet are easy to accomplish and will immediately provide some much needed freshness to the bathroom. Make sure the new one matches with other areas of the bathroom, and finally, take the time to watch an online tutorial before installation, so as to avoid any potential mistakes.

Even if you do not want to pick up a new faucet or lighting fixture, a can of spray paint can do the trick and make everything match. You might have just moved into a new home and questioned the previous owners' design choices. For a temporary fix, spray paint the existing faucet and towel holder.

And then there's the lighting. You can upgrade this area by matching the base of fixtures to match the faucet and others. Accessories that complement each other will provide a new element to any bathroom, and those that don't will stick out, and not in a good way.

For the light bulbs, stick to LED. Not only are they relatively inexpensive at this point, but they are energy efficient. In the long run, your wallet will thank you.

Benefits of cheap upgrades

When it comes to inexpensive upgrades, you benefit in many ways. First, you will save a lot of money. This can allow you to set aside more for the eventual big bathroom renovation when professionals will have to come out.

Second, you don't have to worry about a home inspection service coming out. Because these inexpensive upgrades are mostly cosmetic, you won't have to worry about potentially messing up the pipes or water system.