Adding a tub to a tiny bathroom

Sometimes, home projects escalate quickly.

That’s exactly what happened recently in one of our rental properties. We started with a bathroom that needed a little help.

A past owner had made some questionable renovation decisions and we had been band-aiding them for the past five years. We knew we wanted to make some bathroom changes to make it function better for renters and prevent us from having to constantly make repairs. So, we had been saving from rent payments to make it happen.

When the last renter moved out, we set out to make some small changes on the bathroom. The bathroom had a TINY shower in the space with a linen closet. You’re going to have to trust me, because Ryan started ripping stuff out before I thought to take a photo. You can see the shower floor in the photo below.

This post includes affiliate links, meaning, if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). Read more about our policies here.

Unfortunately, it got worse before it got better. There were even more questionable repair decisions that we expected. The fact that we didn’t have a catastrophe sooner is a small miracle.

Small blessings.

Ryan ended up having to gut the space completely and even rebuild after some truly terrifying renovation mistakes. He basically built the space back from the ground up, including new subfloors. We also had to redo all the plumbing running to both units, which was unexpected but totally necessary.

This is an in-process photo.

We had limited options in this bathroom – because the space is so narrow. It wouldn’t fit a standard tub, although I believed a tub would be the best option for a rental property. We often rent to families with kids, and having a tub would definitely be an improvement.

So, he had to fix all the shoddy repairs and plumbing, and then we basically had three options:

• Put it back together the same way it was – with a tiny shower and a linen cabinet in the same place.
• Install a larger shower, which would definitely be an improvement in function.
• Install a tub that actually fits the space.

You already know what we went with if you read the title of the post. A tub.

This 46.5 inch tub – specifically. Finding a tub that fits in a 50 inch wide space is tough. Finding a tub that fits in a 50 inch wide space for less than a million dollars is nearly impossible.

But a deep dive into Google helped. And this cute little tub was a winner. It’s petite, but it does it’s job.

As you can see, Ryan had to rebuild the wall to frame out the tub – including a small recessed wall to ensure sure we aren’t blocking the window. The purple drywall resists moisture, mold and mildew, so it’s a good choice for a bathroom.

Next – he primed everything and added new lighting. I believe bathrooms should be as bright as an airplane hangar, but that’s just me.

And then he painted. (Yes. I literally did nothing on this project besides choose and order things online.)

And finally, he added a shower surround and caulked. And then all the little details that take longer than you expect – trimwork, fixtures, flooring, toilet, vanity ….. etc.

We’ll just fast forward. 
It looks like a new bathroom, because it is. Shockingly, we were able to keep the toilet after an extensive cleaning. But that’s pretty much it.

I love this bathroom because it’s totally budget-friendly. But it is also clean, low maintenance, and looks nice. The perfect trifecta for a long-term rental in our area.

The vanity was a steal of a deal – a special buy at Home Depot. It came with the vanity top and the mirror for less than $250. It looks much more expensive than it was and fits the 24 inch spot perfectly.

It’s too bad it’s not available anymore – but watch the Special Buy section at Home Depot for awesome deals like this. (Both of our vanities at our house were Special Buys, too.)

The flooring is sheet vinyl. I love sheet vinyl because it’s inexpensive, easy to install, and super simple to keep clean.

We always use the same wall color in all our rentals. It’s a really nice neutral and shows well in all the rooms.

Sources: Small tub | Sheet vinyl (mountain oak) | Paint: Behr Washed Khaki

 

The bathroom improvements took some time between the holidays and full-time jobs, and family and life. Ryan also installed all new windows in the unit, changed out the kitchen flooring and did a deep, deep clean.

That’s the good news. We are showing the apartment right now in hopes to find a great tenant.

The bad news is that the upstairs tenant also moved out unexpectedly while he was working on all this. (Womp womp.)

So now he’s gearing up to do it all again. He’s planning to complete the exact remodel on the upstairs bathroom and replace all the windows there. Plus he’ll work on some outside projects that need to be completed as the weather improves.

Frankly, the past year has been rough when it comes to the rental properties. (Pretty much in line with our post: The good, the bad and the ugly of owning rental properties.)

Having rental properties sitting empty isn’t ideal. Because we still have lots of expenses on these properties – mortgage, insurance, taxes, heat and electricity, trash and water, etc.

It’s anxiety-inducing. But we are seeing light at the end of the tunnel. And our hope is that if we make these type of improvements, we will also attract the right kind of tenant and have better experiences in the future.

It’s always a learning experience for us. One bathroom at a time.