The Hidden Savings of Refinishing Instead of Replacing Your Bathtub

Thinking of replacing your bathtub already after using it year after year? If that’s the thought that’s running inside your mind, perhaps you should consider refinishing your bathtub instead, assuming your bathtub’s structural integrity is still solid. That’s because refinishing a tub might offer better benefits for you instead of replacing it right away which we’ll cover in this article – the hidden savings that refinishing can offer instead of replacements.

Bathtub Refinishing: An Overview

Before we head over to the main topic that we’ll discuss, let’s understand first what’s bathtub refinishing. Tub refinishing or in other terms, tub reglazing is a process of restoring a tub’s surface to enhance or elevate its appearance, aesthetics-wise and improve its durability, hence prolonging the lifespan is a well-kept but already used bathtub.

The usual materials that the new coating uses ranges from acrylic, fiberglass or even porcelain; giving way to a better and restored look for your bathtub. The process of refinishing doesn’t usually last long as it can take from a few hours to a day or two, depending on the amount of work needed to be applied on the bathtub.

The Hidden Savings

Now that you’re acquainted with what is bathtub refinishing, let’s head over to the main topic – exploring the hidden savings that bathtub refinishing can provide to you, over replacing the tub. Knowing the hidden savings and perks that it can offer can give you an idea how refinishing can help you save more money in the long run. But also give you the resolve on maintaining and caring for your bathtub better so that you won’t have to resort to bathtub replacements.

1. Direct Savings

First, let’s address the surface level savings that bathtub refinishing can provide to you. Compared to replacing a tub which could range from $2000 or more, depending on the bathtub model – refinishing or reglazing will cost only hundreds of dollars or at its most expensive, a thousand which is a fraction of the cost compared to replacement.

2. Avoiding Disposal and Demolition Fees

Another perk that refinishing offers to you is that you avoid the disposal and demolition fees. These are fees that you hand out to laborers that involve removing the old bathtub and disposing it – thus requiring you to shoulder both labor and landfill fees.

On a side note, since refinishing means you’re not disposing of your bathtub – you’re also doing the environment a favor aside from saving money; thus preventing the issues related to an aged tub and associated construction debris from ending up in a public landfill, adding more waste.

3. Additional Plumbing Expenses

By keeping your tub well-maintained and reglazed to prolong its operational lifespan, you also prevent shouldering extra plumbing expenses. That means, you won’t have to call in a plumber to change or modify existing plumbing which tends to be required when installing a brand new bathtub.

4. Old Fixtures are Preserved

Many of the older bathtubs, especially those that are well-cared for, that they survived for many years are made out of hardware or materials that are very difficult to replicate in this day and age – for example, tubs that are made out of cast iron. 

Through refinishing, you don’t only save money, you also preserve something that’s vintage and uniquely charming. You also get to update what’s vintage and add a more modern touch to give you a bathtub that makes past hardware meets present-day aesthetics.

5. Less Expensive and Less Disruptive

Let’s be honest, refinishing isn’t just expensive but is also less disruptive compared to that of replacing a bathtub. Aside from the direct costs, you also avoid the extra labor fees from installation, removal of the tub and other miscellaneous fees.

But also, refinishing doesn’t take too long until your bathtub is ready for use averaging around less than several hours to a day or two, depending on the amount of refinishing work. In contrast, replacing your tub might involve some demolishing of parts of the bathroom just to remove or extract the old bathtub, and installing the new one might take weeks or months.

Comparisons between DIY and Professional Refinishing

Now that we’ve discussed the hidden savings that you can gain from bathtub refinishing. Let’s compare the two possible paths you can take for refinishing the tub. You can either do it yourself or call upon a professional. 

1. Do-it-Yourself Refinishing

The first path we’ll cover is do-it-yourself refinishing which will help you save more money as the only expenses you’ll incur are the materials needed such as the refinishing kit and other necessary tools required to finish the job. This would average around $50 to $200, depending on the items that you don’t have.

While this approach of refinishing offers a huge budgetary advantage. It does have a few caveats.

• First off, you need to know what you are doing. You need to meticulously follow the instructions labeled on the materials that you’ll use for refinishing the tub.
• Two, DIY refinishing takes more time than hiring a professional.
• Third, you will need to prepare the bathtub surface for refinishing such as de-caulking and removing the old coating according to instructions.
• Lastly, make sure the bathroom is well ventilated and you must have sufficient respiratory protection as you’re working with chemicals that have strong fumes.

2. Calling a Professional

The standard approach in refinishing your bathroom’s tub is to call the help of tub refinishing experts and this would usually cost you a few hundred dollars up to a thousand which depends on the amount of work needed. While it does cost more than DIY refinishing, it does however provide a more stable long-term effect as experts know the ins and outs of tub refinishing, assuring the prolonging of your bathtub’s lifespan. 

In turn, that initial splurging for refinishing your tub returns through a longer-lasting tub that can be used for another decade or so, assuming it is well cared for.

The Bottomline?

Bathtub refinishing offers a lot of advantages for the home owner compared to replacing your tub, especially if looking at the long-term effects. Aside from prolonging your bathtub’s lifespan, a good refinish ensures that you’re saving lots of money and avoiding the extra expenses that you might incur if you’d replace your tub instead.