So you have a limited budget and you need both a new kitchen and bathroom. Every real estate agent and expert will tell you that kitchens and bathroom renos add the most value to your home. Its true, but what to do? Go low budget and do both or spend the money and raise the bar with one awesome renovation. But which one to do? My approach is this, do the one that needs it more. Or do the bathroom. :)
Bathrooms are capsulated spaces. You can do a bathroom renovation without effecting the look, style or finishes of the rest of your home or condo. Plus you can experiment a little with a bold design. The reno itself can actually be more difficult than renovating a kitchen. Bathrooms need plumbing, exhaust fans, fancy tiles, expensive fixtures, cabinets, countertops and don't forget the lighting and those often left to the last minute washroom accessories. A bathroom renovation can easily require 10+ material choices, there are layout considerations and of course the overall style and design is critical. Then theres the feasibility of moving pipes and walls. All of this can be overwhelming, challenging and obstacles ridden that makes a bathroom reno project, frankly, quite disheartening. It is because of these challenges that you must do it and you must do it right and over the top. The results will speak for themselves. You're efforts will be appreciated and if done right, you will not have what I call a "sunk cost". The investment will be there for you to enjoy and recoup in value down the road.
Doing it right means doing the research, having a plan and bringing on the right design and construction team. There are too many critical details for a quality bathroom renovation to be left to amateurs. As the client, you have the responsibility to enable a successful project. That means giving your team the budget, time and space to do a great job. Remember, a good pro wants to do a good job more than you want him to do a good job. There is a pride of workmanship there which you will benefit greatly from if the conditions are set right from the start.
So when you're faced with the big conundrum - Kitchen or Bathroom, its Bathroom all the way.
Let me know your thoughts or questions.
Sincerely,
Alex