The bathroom is a highly important room of the house, from a visual perspective as well as a functional one. If your bathroom needs updating, here are some quick home improvement projects that can save you from the cost of a full scale remodeling.

The bathtub often becomes a source of frustration, particularly if the tub is old and has rusty water spots, grouting issues and plain old ugly tile. Our great solution is bathtub refinishing. We’ve tried this with a few tubs with great success.

Bathtub Refinishing
However–a word of caution–this is a job for a contractor who specializes in bathtub refinishing. There are plenty of great DIY remodeling projects, but this one requires lots of smelly chemicals and knowledge of ventilation. Besides, for about $350, the contractor will come in and spray the tub with a fresh coat of paint—well, it looks like paint, anyway. Like new in about five hours.

Next comes the tile, another source of frustration if it’s not to your tastes. If you’re having the tub refinished, ask the contractor about spraying the tile as well. You’ll come away with a fresh clean look that will last for years. Or, try painting the tile.

If your cabinetry also needs work, try applying a new stain to it. You’ll need to sand the wood and then apply a stain and varnish on top. See this thread for more details. This is a time consuming home improvement project, but a relatively inexpensive one. Once you’re finished, add some new cabinet hardware and you’re done.

Other ideas include: adding a curtain rod and draping fabric over it. Just sew the ends and twist it a few times. And, try a new shower curtain, bath mat, and accessories.

There are lots of ways to update a bathroom with spending a lot of money. You may have to put in some sweat equity or find a contractor who likes quick projects, but the end result will be well worth it.