Leigh Price Shares His Top Bathroom Tips For Your Next Renovation

By: Real Stone and Tile | Posted: January 16, 2024 in Blog

As one of the most frequently used spaces in the home, our bathrooms are an essential space for our daily routines from start to finish.

From the rushed showering schedule before the school run to the hours of steamy soaking in our bubble-filled tubs, the bathroom endures its fair share of wear and tear.

With that being said, when it's time to update our space it is imperative to equip the bathroom with items that will stand the test of time. Contrary to popular belief, this doesn't always involve raiding your piggy bank, with minor adjustments often making a dramatic impact.

We spoke to Leigh Price, Co-Director of Real Stone, Tile and Bathroom, who revealed his tips on how to breathe life back into your bathroom, avoid common design mistakes, and get the most out of your furnishings!

How do I make my bathroom look more expensive?

Refreshing grout

Many of us are quick to cut back on quality when deciding on the finer details of a renovation project, but it is important to choose every aspect of your bathroom design carefully. For example, low-quality grout in particular, is prone to cracking and eroding and can start to look grubby over time. The good news is, if you have the time to dedicate to it, regrouting is fairly low cost and can give your bathroom the look of an expensive makeover.

Before taking on your regrouting project, you ought to be aware that while it is something you can do yourself at home, it is a time consuming job which must be done carefully. Opt for a decent quality powdered grout and mix with water as per the instructions on the bag, and once you have gouged the existing grout out, smooth the new grout into the joints ensuring there are no air bubbles and the grout joints are full. Bear in mind also that if you get any excess grout on your tiles, better quality grout will be easier to get off the tiles - so don't skimp on your grout choice, and definitely stay away from ready mixed grout which tends to be poorer quality.

Adding a sink splashback

Some customers come to us wanting to re-tile their sink splashback to give their bathroom a more expensive look; if you have a bathroom that is already tiled and starting to look scruffy it could be argued that this is a good way to give your bathroom a new lease of life. However, many of our customers are unaware that in order to do this, all the existing tiles would need to be removed, as well as taking the sink off the wall, so it can end up being quite a big job.

If you have a painted wall behind your sink and you want to add a sink splashback as it's beginning to look tired and water-marked, this is a slightly easier job, however you may still have to take the sink off the wall to do it.

How do I get the most out of my radiator when it's time to replace it?

My top tip when choosing your radiator to ensure maximum efficiency would be to opt for a painted finish rather than classic chrome, as dark colours such as black and grey offer a higher heat output, with black radiators offering the most effective heat transmission.

In fact, coloured radiators can prove so effective that in some cases, you can even size down and still achieve the same results that you would with a larger chrome radiator.

I would also suggest fitting your radiator with a thermostatic valve, as this way you can manually control your radiator's heat output and therefore save on bills. This way your boiler will be doing less work.

How can I cut costs when renovating without it being noticeable?

If you are looking to reduce costs when it comes to the bathroom, I advise enquiring whether your stockist has any end-of-batch stock available. For example, if a particular collection has been discontinued and they are looking to get rid of the remaining stock - especially with new seasons coming in and new ranges being introduced - you could be lucky enough to pay half price, so there is potential for big savings.

Contrary to what you may think, remaining stock can often be enough to tile a whole kitchen. However, if there are only small quantities left, you can consider tiling your splashback (which usually only requires around 3-4m of tiles) with end-of-batch stock.

I also recommend considering ex-display bathroom taps, as ex-display items can often be sold for as little as half price!

For more information on planning your bathroom renovation, and to explore a full range of products, head to our showroom located on the Stanley Green Estate in Cheadle, or call 0161 485 1373

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LEIGH PRICE SHARES HIS TOP BATHROOM TIPS FOR YOUR NEXT RENOVATION