First, decide what you want to improve. It's easy to say, "Everything!" but if you're on a limited budget, you may want to narrow it down a little. If you're going to remodel in stages, you'll need to decide what it is that bothers you most about the way your bathroom looks or functions--and the answer may surprise you.



Make a list of the things you want to upgrade, in no particular order, and why they bother you. Then, when you've completed your list, assign a number from one to ten to each item, with ten bothering you the most, nine the second most, and so on. Only one number can be assigned to any given complaint.

Now you have quantified what bothers you most, and can concentrate on that one item. Once you've done that, start shopping for a new version of whatever that item may be. If it's a new sink, for example, visit your local home improvement store and start familiarizing yourself with what's available as a replacement. You'll want to get a feel for your tastes, and how those tastes will ultimately fit into your budget. That can be especially important when it comes to fixtures that you want to match, such as toilet, tub, and sink, for instance. If you want everything to be the same style, you'll need to price everything, to see if the entire package is within your means.

If you conclude that everything in the bathroom is a ten and you can't decide which item to replace first, think about redoing the floor first. Just changing the look of the floor can make a huge difference in the way the entire bathroom looks. It's entirely possible that once the new floor has been installed, you may decide that everything else wasn't really so bad, after all. It's also a relatively easy do-it-yourself project, so you'll be able to gain confidence in your ability in the process.

Remodeling a bathroom is high on many homeowners' lists, but the amount of money it can cost can be daunting. However, if you plan carefully, shop hard, and work in stages, a bathroom upgrade won't break your budget.

Copyright ? 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher