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Toilet renovation

If you want to remodel a house but have limited time, start with the smallest room! A toilet renovation can be carried out relatively quickly and in many cases you can do this project yourself. There are, however, a number of practical matters to keep in mind. We explain the possibilities, the method and the costs for toilet renovation on this page. Did you know that afbakbak.nl also rents out containers with a smaller size, including a delivery and collection service? Check the website for more information.

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Toilet renovation

Did you know that toilet is a word and not an abbreviation? Although it stands for the English term 'water closet' in full, it is only used in the abbreviated form in the Dutch language. The word wc therefore has no capital letters or periods between the letters. And is it actually 'nicer' to use the word toilet? According to the standard rules toilet and toilet are the same, they just have different origins. One word is therefore no more 'decent' than the other word, although this will be thought differently in certain circles. As far as we're concerned, you can also speak of a 'porcelain throne' if you want to! It certainly doesn't matter for the renovation of a toilet!

Renovated toilet

Where do you start with toilet renovation? At least not with a hammer and chisel, the first work is just thinking. Map out the options and make choices. You'll be renewing the toilet for quite a few years, so make choices you won't regret later. For example, you can choose a dark color tile to discover afterwards that the space appears very small and cramped. Or you place the lighting in a place that is not practical. These are the main topics to consider when renovating a toilet:

  • Choose a hanging or a standing toilet.
  • Determine whether a sink should be placed in the room.
  • How do the pipes run and what is possible?
  • Determine which type of tiling suits you best.
  • Choose lighting that is bright enough, not dazzling and preferably diffused.
  • Is an extraction system required? For example, with an indoor toilet without a window.
  • Also think about the color of the door, the frames and the design of the door fittings.

If you have a very striking design in mind for the toilet renovation, for example a jungle motif with plants and a toilet bowl that resembles a tree trunk, think about whether you will still like this after a few years. In any case, choose materials that are easy to clean. You can of course always hang decorative elements or attach them in a non-permanent way. Renovating a toilet will not be the project in the house that you have to put all your creativity into.

Toilet renovation costs

A toilet renovation is not only interesting to tackle because of the short time to realize this project, in general toilet renovation costs are quite low. You can tear down and rebuild a complete toilet between 1000 and 2000 euros. When it comes to calculating in square meters then it is a different story because then the costs for renovation of a toilet are quite high. This is largely due to the wall covering. You will be covering part or all of the wall surface with tiles. This is a time consuming job and tiles are considerably more expensive than painting a wall. If you want to save costs when renovating a toilet, you can install the tiles up to a height of 1.50 metres. But if it falls within your budget, you can safely go all the way to the ceiling. In that case, variation in tiles is recommended because otherwise it will become quite claustrophobic.

Why is there so much difference in the costs of renovating a toilet? In the first place, the price will be much lower if you do the work yourself, because most costs are included in the hourly rate of the contractor. In addition, there are the material costs. Beautiful tiles and high-quality sanitary ware mean that the costs for renovation of a toilet rise quickly. As is always the case with DIY jobs, you have to divide the costs over several years. Investing in quality now always pays for itself. What costs should you consider? Here are some guidelines for each item:

  • Demolish: Demolishing an old toilet costs between 250 and 500 euros. Removing tiles on the floor and walls is quite a time-consuming job. The toilet bowl and possibly the sink must also be removed. Pipes must be properly terminated, this also applies to the electricity at the lighting, of course. Do you have a lot of demolition waste? At wastebak.nl you can see exactly which type of container you need to dispose of this waste.
  • Pipes: We are only talking about the pipes that are present in the room, so not about the sewage system as a whole. The costs for this part are not that bad, count between 70 and 120 euros for the installation of trenches and the water pipe, including connecting the drain to the sewer.
  • renovation: It will not surprise you that the main costs for renovating a toilet are made here. We have now finished demolishing and are now really starting to build. The walls and ceiling must be levelled, wall and floor tiles must be placed and sealant work is carried out.
  • Small materials: He who does not honor the small, does not ward off the great. Do not forget to count the small interventions that the contractor has to carry out in the costs for a toilet renovation. In addition to mounting the toilet bowl, these also include mounting a new toilet roll holder, installing a sink with a tap and also removing the old toilet bowl if you cannot do this yourself.
Multiple urinal next to each other

How can you reduce the costs of renovating a toilet? Here are some options for:

  • Do as much yourself as possible. If you are willing to spend your free hours in the house and are a bit handy, you can save a lot of money on working hours. But keep in mind that the sewerage or electrics require expertise.
  • Buy cheaper parts. There are actually no bad materials and products, but there are better quality with a longer lifespan. If you spend a little more now than you can save on repair and wear, this is a trade-off that you have to make.
  • Have the toilet renovated. Perhaps those tiles can last for a few more years. If you always tackle a piece, you will save in the short term, but the total costs will be higher.

With the last option, the tiling will not be removed, but kit work will be carried out again and other work will be performed. What is still good remains unchanged. You can use tiling, a toilet bowl or a sink for a very long time, if you are not bored with this space, you can certainly save money. However, if you are going to carry out a major renovation project, you can immediately include the smallest room in the whole.

When selecting tiles, quality will not be the first thing you pay attention to. In principle, any decent tile for sanitary ware will suffice. Once the tiles are on the wall, nothing will happen to them. It is therefore mainly a matter of personal preferences and budget. The cost of renovating a toilet can double by choosing a different type of tile. Not only because it concerns tiles from another manufacturer, but also the supplier plays a role in this. If you would like to build an attractive designer toilet, a tile specialist can offer a solution. They can think along with you about the style, appearance and motif. Think of tiles that are applied in a special pattern. If you choose multiple types of tiles and have them installed by a contractor, make sure it is clear what the intention is. A complex layout or tiles with a continuous motif must be accurately applied. The installation can be considerably more expensive on the total costs of renovation of the toilet if you have special wishes with regard to the design.

Toilet renovation including installation

Even a complete toilet renovation does not have to cost more than roughly 1000 euros. This is mainly due to the fact that the average toilet is only 2 m2 in size. Then 500 euros per square meter is still a considerable amount. If the space is larger, the total costs increase, while the price per meter decreases. In addition to the renovation of a toilet, consider also planning other maintenance work, such as installing a new bathroom or taking care of the kitchen. If you move into a new home, ask yourself whether you want to tackle these spaces before furnishing. Working in an empty house is much more practical.

Cleaned toilet

Can you save on the costs of renovating a toilet by demolishing the old toilet yourself? Yes, that is possible but you have to take into account a few things. In the first place, how you remove old tiling can affect the installation of new tiles. If you are going to cut and break yourself, installing new wall coverings can involve a lot more work. You also have to take into account pipes and electricity. Is it necessary to replace sewage pipes? Are the electrical lines in order? Discuss these matters in advance with the contractor and prepare the space well. If you think you can save costs when renovating a toilet, only to end up with high renovation costs, you will lose time and money.

What you don't see after the renovation of a toilet is just as important as what you can see. After disposing of old materials with a container, check the condition of the water supply, sewage system and electrical wiring. Is everything in order and do connections need to be moved? If the washbasin has always been in the way, you can now choose a different position for it. Has a lamp ever been mounted in a strange place? Now is the time to correct this. That is why a systematic approach with a chronological order is important. Even in a small space such as a toilet, it is important to make a list of points for attention. Especially in a room with sanitary facilities and tiling, you can't afford to make mistakes or overlook things.

How much does a toilet renovation cost?

The average costs for a toilet renovation are between 1000 and 2000 euros. If you opt for custom work, special tiles or luxury brand products, the costs can be higher. If you do everything yourself or calculate the amount as part of a larger project, you can sometimes carry out a renovation with 500 euros in direct costs.

How much does it cost to renovate a toilet?

The costs for renovating a toilet can be broken down into material costs, labor hours, consumables and related expenses. Consider, for example, renting a container to dispose of rubble. You can save money if you combine work.

Maurice Hagen - Afzetbak.nl

Maurice Hagen

Artikel is geschreven door Maurice Hagen. Eigenaar van Afzetbak.nl en Rolcontainerservice.nl, met 22 jaar werkervaring in de recycling/milieusector.