Is It Worth It to Refinish Your Tub?

This is a question I get asked pretty often. My answer is that, while it does depend on your unique situation, usually there is a big benefit to refinishing a tub versus replacing it. Let’s walk through the advantages and you can decide for yourself if this is the right choice for you.

1. Light On the Budget

Probably the top reason homeowners choose to reglaze their tub, rather than replace it with a brand new one, is the cost savings. Depending on the market you live in, bathtub restoration usually only costs $200-$500. While you can purchase a tub for about that price as well, your total investment is much, much higher due to needing to pay for delivery and hiring a contractor to remove the old tub and install the new one.

1. Faster Turnaround Time

It’s no fun having your bathroom out of commission for days or weeks at a time during remodeling. This is inevitable with bathtub replacement. However, as someone who does https://bathtubrefinishingbostonmass.com">tub refinishing in Boston personally, I can tell you that this service only results in a loss of your bath for about 1-2 days, including drying and setting time. That’s not very long to wait to get your bathroom back compared to full construction.

1. No Messy Demolition

A typical new tub installation is a multi-step job that involves ripping out the old tub, resealing the space properly to avoid mold and leaks, measuring and ordering the correct size new soaker and then installing the new unit in. It’s a messy, multi-day process that isn’t usually much fun for property owners because they have to deal with debris tracking all over the house as well as not having a bathroom to use for days or even weeks, depending on how smooth the project goes.

1. Long Lasting

The beauty of bathtub resurfacing is that, when done properly and professionally, it will typically last 10-20 years with average use. That means, for only a $200-$500, you can have a newer looking bathtub for at least a decade without the high cost of replacement.

1. Easy Update

Of all the cosmetic changes you can make in your house, bathtub reglazing is definitely one of the easiest. You simply hire a company to come in for less than a day and, voila!, you have a new-looking tub ready to use in about 2 days (with drying time).

Not only that, but bathtub refinishing includes the option to change the entire color of your tub! If you have a pink, blue, green or ivory tub right now and would much rather reglaze it in a bright white color, you can. Changing the color of your bathroom fixtures has an amazing effect on the look of your room and can modernize it in an instant.

It really doesn’t get much effortless than that for homeowners.

Overall, with cost savings, hassle reductions and quickness of getting your bath back, it really is worth it for most homeowners to refinish their existing bath. Whether you just need to repair it for your own enjoyment or if you want your tub to look nice before listing your house for sale, this is a really economical way to go about reaching your goal.

When Is Bathtub Refinishing Not the Best Choice?

Even I can admit when it’s time to replace your bathtub. Here are a few tips on when it might be best to simply replace the entire soaking unit, rather than trying to restore it:

• If your tub has a major crack or dent that is too big to fill, it might be time for a new tub.

• If the style of your bathtub is so old that it’s dating the bathroom far more than other parts of the home, you may need to consider replacement. Reglazing will not change the style of the tub, it will only correct surface imperfections.

• If you want to convert the tub to a shower-only unit, then removing the tub is the answer. Bathtub refinishing is not the same as shower conversion.

• If your home inspector has spotted leaks, mold or other issues around the tub that could be hazardous for occupants, it might be necessary to pull the tub out completely. In this case, there isn’t much a tub restoration service can do for you.

• If you’re trying to remodel the bathroom into a high end room and your existing bathtub is pretty standard, then it’s probably best to invest in a new luxury bathtub.

I own a local bathtub refinishing company in Boston. We reglaze tubs, tile, showers, sinks and countertops throughout Eastern Massachusetts.