When the time comes to remodel a bathroom, most of us are inexperienced novices. We might look at samples, read remodeling blogs and mags, and talk to some storeowners and contractors, hoping everything will come out all right in the end. For us ingénues, the idea of a "bathroom in a box" — where nearly everything is taken care of, from fixture choices to installation — seems appealing.
John Crowley (former Director of the Innovative Construction Technology program at MIT) and Bill Hunscher founded Bath Simple to demystify the remodeling process for homeowners. They break each bathroom renovation into five steps:
- Research fixtures, fittings, and finishes on their site.
- Schedule an in-home consultation to finalize product choices and measurements.
- Order your materials, which ship to you in a big box.
- Recycle your old bathroom by shipping it back in the box.
- Install the new bathroom using one of their certified experts or your own contractor.
I gave the site a test run, plugging in average stats for a full modern bath — with vanity, shower/tub, toilet, flooring, tile, and fixtures — and came out with a materials cost of about $8,000 (not including taxes, shipping, or installation). Prices could be more for a bigger bath with higher-end fixtures and less for a smaller bath furnished with budget items. To get a better sense of final costs and what you'll have to budget for your contractor/installer, see their list of what's included and what's not.
Bath Simple operates out of Berkeley, California, and they work with a network of design consultants and installers across the country. They offer free in-home consultations and can ship sample boxes on request.
Any first-hand experiences with Bath Simple? Add them in the comments.
(Re-edited from a post originally published 2.22.2011 - JEL)
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Comments (10)
Love this idea! Off to check these guys out!
8K, really?
hahaha. i thought it was a doll-housed sized (but to scale) kit to try different layouts & such, not a life-sized remodel in the works!
I'm calling them tomorrow!
OK, bear in mind that installation will probably at least double the cost unless you DIY. Which still eaves out taxes and shipping...
This might be ok if their options suit you, but if you are picky (and poor) like me, you might as well make choices locally and save some cash. (Not to mention shipping across the country would be way too expensive.)
Hi Sherry, I'm happy to clarify on the cost & quality of Bath Simple (I do work for them after all).
We understand the issue of trust, and this is why we've created a transparent program that is highly customizable... even for the "picky & poor." We don't limit your choices, and we won't leave you penniless, either.
Our designer network is highly skilled and will talk with you about all your product selections, as well as talk with your contractor (or a Bath Simple Certified contractor) about best practices for installing our products. This helps to control costs on the installation side. Through much research with various contractors, we've estimated the installation costs to be approximately 1.7x, depending on the size of bathroom and location.
We are also extremely price competitive in that we enjoy favorable pricing from our suppliers and pass along these savings to our customers. Yes, everyone says that... we really do that. Our packages show up 100% complete, saving huge amounts of time, money and hassle of driving around trying to find all the parts that are missing or weren't included in the package - we've thought all this stuff through.
A project we just shipped out to Boston, MA last week (2 full baths), cost around 5-10% of product/material. More specific to taxes, if your state doesn't require sales tax to be paid on mail orders, your freight cost is offset by your savings in sales tax.
I hope his helps clarify. If you have any questions about our program, do give us a call. (800) 699-2618
This is really neat!
simpleR -- thanks for answering questions here. I'm very impressed with your site, but had a question. Can you buy less than a "complete" bath? I like the look of your vanities and fixtures, but I don't really need a new tub and toilet. I didn't see a way to limit the options to less than the complete package. Is it possible?
@SillyKelster - Thanks! We're working to make it even neat-er with some website design releases in the next month. Register to stay tuned: http://www.bathsimple.com/customer/account/login/
@MJVD - The short answer is, Yes, it is possible to buy less than a complete bath. The long answer is, because we sell product packages and systems, we do limit the amount of piece-wise ordering you can do. For example, if you're interested in our vanities & fixtures, we would sell you the vanity packages tat include vanity, top, sink, faucet, mirror, lighting/medicine cabinet. The best way to sort out your specific needs is to give us a call and we'll find out what you want, where you're at in the process, and we'll take it from there. (800) 699-2618 is the best way to connect with one of our local designers.
Thanks for the response! That's perfect -- that's exactly the type of "piece buying" I would want. I'll definitely keep you guys in mind when I'm ready to move forward.