Jess Flaherty had every intention of ripping out her tired, old bathroom but when she couldn’t afford it, she had to get a little more inventive
When I first laid eyes on my tiny house, I was smitten – except for the bathroom, which I loathed with a vengeance.
My initial plan upon receiving the keys was to gut the entire bathroom and replace it with a fresh, new one complete with classic flooring and stylish tiles. Sadly, as I’m not rich or blessed with a Sugar Daddy’s generosity, I had to put my bathroom renovation dreams on hold.
I focused my efforts on transforming the rest of my house into a cosy home, but the state of the bathroom continued to drive me mad. The tiles were large, poorly fitted white squares, and the grout had been haphazardly coloured in with a grey grout pen in an attempt to make them appear less dreary and worn out.
Instead of a proper shower rail, there was a plastic curtain pole stuck up in its place – *shudders*. The floor was covered in vinyl black tiles that didn’t quite reach the skirting boards, giving the whole room a neglected and uncared-for appearance. I was certain that replacing the old, misaligned tiles with beautiful new ones would drastically improve the room’s aesthetics – and my feelings towards it.
I reached out to my reliable handyman for a quote to replace the existing tiles with some new ones I’d spotted at B&Q. He suggested it would be more worthwhile to purchase an entirely new bathroom suite if I was considering going through the hassle of re-tiling.
I explained that my budget didn’t stretch to a full renovation, but I had set aside some funds for new tiles. He didn’t seem overly enthusiastic or enthralled by my plan.
It seemed as though he wasn’t interested in the job unless it involved a complete overhaul. Eventually, he quoted me £650. “To take the tiles off and re-tile them?” I asked. He shook his head. “No,” he said. “That’s just to tile. You’ll have to remove the old tiles yourself and I’ll need you to buy the grout, too.”
This was not the price – or the amount of work – I had anticipated. I decided to ask my friends if they knew any tilers who could do the job for me.
I received the contact details of a local tiler who provided a quote of £280. This included removing the old tiles, installing the new ones, and supplying all necessary materials. Obviously, I booked him immediately.
I purchased seven boxes of Johnson Tiles Veneto Green Gloss Ceramic Indoor Wall tiles from B&Q. Priced at £14 per box of 50, the total came to £98.
As soon as the tiler began his work, I was confident we’d made the right decision. The bathroom now boasts floor-to-ceiling tiles on two walls, creating a light, fresh, and stylish look that has completely transformed the space.
To enhance the revamped aesthetic, I swapped out the unsightly curtain pole for a vintage-style round rail from Argos, a steal at just £15. Given our low bathroom ceiling, finding a suitable rail was challenging, so this find was particularly satisfying.
While the rail is decent, it needed additional support, so I ordered an cheap silver curtain pole holder that could be screwed into the ceiling. I also replaced our shower head with a Victorian-style one, costing £17.
The total expenditure for materials and labour was around £410, and the result is a bathroom that looks new!
Achieving such a transformation for less than £500 is a feat I’m incredibly proud of. My tiler, Ged, has been so impressive that I’ve shared his contact details with several friends and even strangers who expressed interest after seeing the transformation on TikTok – all of whom have booked him for their own projects.
