Why You Probably Shouldn’t Renovate Your Own Bath

An old, dirty, scratched and/or discolored bathtub is an eyesore and not the most pleasant place to put a naked body. But replacing a bathtub isn’t just a destructive process, it’s also damn expensive – the average cost is almost $6,000 , and can be much higher. The next best solution is to refinish the bathtub, which involves removing defects, thoroughly cleaning the surface, and then recoating the bathtub with a durable coating. However, a professional bathtub refinish can cost up to $1,000 , which is still a lot of money. And then you notice that you can buy a DIY bathtub repair kit for as little as $30, or more expensive kits that cost somewhere in the $150 to $200 range, and DIY starts to look like a relative bargain.

Which could be true if the sets worked. But in most cases, the sets don’t work. That’s why this is one project that might not be worth doing alone.

Finishing the bath – a difficult do-it-yourself job

The first thing to understand about DIY bathroom remodeling is that it is a lot more work than you might think. Those hundreds of dollars you save are just turning into equity. You will need to think about proper ventilation because working with the materials involved in a small room (perhaps one small window) is a great way to kill yourself, which also means you will need to invest in some safety gear, including a respirator. and goggles. You will need to repair scratches and other damage, tape the tub piping, clean the tub very thoroughly, and then rinse and dry it just as thoroughly. You will have to etch and sand the existing finish, apply a primer, perhaps mix in epoxy, and then paint the tub.

The work can be completed in one day, although it may take one to three days for the new glaze to fully cure. It may not sound so bad, but it’s easy to do something wrong and not even know about it until a few days. If your cleaning is not thorough enough, your new finish will fail. If you don’t etch the surface well enough, your new finish will fail. If you mix the epoxy incorrectly (although not all kits require mixing), your finish will fail. The worst part is that even if you get it right with the DIY kit, your trim will (eventually) fail.

DIY bathroom renovation results may not be what you expect.

The most successful do-it-yourself bathroom renovation projects last about two years , while professional renovations take 10-15 years. Your own efforts may take much longer or fail much faster. Even if it looks pretty good when you’re done, normal use will likely lead to chipping and flaking soon after. People have reported that suction cup mats placed on the bottom of DIY refurbished tubs pull the finish off, and even minor mistakes in applying the new glaze can cause water to seep underneath, leading to blistering and peeling.

Aesthetic results are another consideration. If you decide to use a brush and roller to apply the new coat (spray paint will give you the best results, but it’s expensive to buy or rent, and it takes a lot more prep work to protect other surfaces in your bathroom) there’s a very good chance you’ll see visible brush marks or uneven coverage in the finish. If you’re not extremely careful, your bathtub will look like someone painted it, which is probably not the result you’re after.

The last factor is deferred expenses. Even if your renovation project goes smoothly and you get a decent look and acceptable long lasting results, if you decide to professionally renovate your bathtub later, the contractor may charge you extra to remove your DIY work first.