Fast Fixes: Small, Landlord Friendly Upgrades For the Bathroom

updated Sep 6, 2019

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(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

When we moved into our apartment, the bathroom was the first thing I wanted to upgrade. In an attempt to satisfy the urge to remodel the entire room, I decided to start with several low cost, low time investment upgrades.

Towel Rack
The towel rack didn’t hold enough towels, and it was just low enough that the towels dangled around the top of the only logical location for the bathroom garbage can. Yuck. Our investment in a new towel rack will stay in the house when we move, but it is worth it. This one, from Ikea, cost $20. It took under two hours to remove the old rack, patch the holes, paint the wall to match, and install the new rack. In order to make this project landlord friendly, I made sure to patch the old holes well and use toggle bolts with wing anchors to install the new rack. That insures that it won’t tear off the wall and leave a gigantic, landlord unfriendly hole in the plaster.

Shower Head
Shower heads can be relatively inexpensive and are easy to remove when you move. There are a variety of options that range from low flow to rain forest. All you’ll need to install it is an inch or two of Teflon tape and a wrench. Wrap the tape once clockwise around the threads of the pipe and screw the new shower head in place. You could complete this upgrade for under $20 and a ten minute time investment.

Faucet
Faucets can get expensive quickly, but the right faucet can nudge your rental bathroom towards the spa end of the continuum. You’ll need Teflon tape and a wrench. It is a good idea to clear out everything from under the sink and put a shallow bucket under the pipes in case you get a leak. This upgrade is most renter friendly if the pipes that connect to your current faucet are in good shape. If they look rusty, or like they will be difficult to disconnect, this easy upgrade could turn into a plumbing nightmare. If the pipes are in good condition, upgrading the faucet could cost between $50 and $400 and take less than two hours to complete.

What landlord friendly fixes have you made in the bathroom?

MORE RENTER-FRIENDLY BATHROOM FIXES:
• Renovation for Renters: 10 Ideas for the Bathroom

(Image: Laurie McGinley)

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