Q: You’re putting time and energy into this “temporary” job for your bathroom (not to mention some money), so why not just go ahead and do the full gut job? I know you guys watch money really well, but isn’t this not the most cost-effective in the long-run? 🙂 – Karen
A: Great question. We get asked this a lot, and it’s something we’ve learned a lot about over the years living in older homes. The short answer: a modest, thoughtful Phase 1 update can be worth the investment. It lets you live more comfortably now, learn what you truly want, and avoid costly mistakes when you finally do the full renovation.
When we first moved into our first house, we were tempted to freeze rooms until we had the budget for a complete overhaul. Instead, we started doing small, inexpensive projects to make spaces livable and more pleasant while we saved. Those small fixes—paint, a new mirror, swapping a light fixture, or pulling up gross carpeting—gave us immediate satisfaction and often taught us valuable lessons that informed later, larger renovations.
For example, in that first kitchen we lived with for over a year before gutting it. During that time we realized that closing a particular doorway would create a lot more counter space. If we had rushed into a full renovation from day one, we likely would have built new cabinets and counters but kept the same cramped layout. Because we phased our updates, we discovered layout improvements before investing heavily.
Early on we did a Phase 1 refresh: painted the cabinets and installed peel-and-stick floor tiles, updates that cost only a couple hundred dollars and a weekend or two of work. That modest investment made the kitchen feel cleaner and more like us—perfect for hosting gatherings—while we continued saving. When we eventually did the full renovation, we were much clearer about what the space needed and ended up with a much more functional result.
The same approach helped our bathroom projects. In one house the bathroom had carpet and damaged tile. We removed the carpet, re-caulked, added paint, swapped lighting and art, and used that livable interim period to refine our plans. By the time we were ready to do a full gut job, we had a detailed plan and a far better idea of what to spend on. Because we’d taken our time to think things through, the full renovation felt intentional rather than rushed.
When we finally tackled the full bathroom remodel, we rebuilt from the studs—new walls, new trim, marble tile floor, tiled tub/shower, custom vanity and updated fixtures—without the stress of making hurried decisions. The months we spent living with interim updates had paid off. Planning carefully allowed us to keep costs down and focus our budget on finishes we truly loved.
Phase 1 can also reveal that a full gut job isn’t always necessary. For example, a $51 mini makeover in our guest bath—fresh paint, a window treatment, art, and removing an awkward mirror—made a huge difference. What looked like a space that needed demolition turned out to be perfectly usable with a few inexpensive tweaks. That saved us money and gave us confidence that we were making the right choices.
Other rooms benefited from slightly bigger but still affordable updates: framing out a mirror, adding a built-in shelf, or swapping a faucet. These changes gave us a refreshed look for a fraction of the price of a full renovation. If a Phase 1 refresh solves the issue, you’re done and you’ve saved money. If it doesn’t, the interim period buys you time to plan Phase 2 carefully and identify what truly needs a bigger intervention—layout changes, structural fixes, or replacing damaged tile—so you don’t spend big dollars on the wrong things.
We’ve been using this step-by-step approach for over seven years now, and it suits our desire to stay in a house long-term while improving it thoughtfully. We don’t want to rush into decisions we’ll regret, but we also don’t want to live surrounded by things that make us groan. So we prioritize the spaces that bother us most, do affordable Phase 1 updates to make life better now, and save for the larger renovations that will deliver long-term value and enjoyment.
Experimenting in the actual space—rather than theorizing or copying a picture—helps you figure out what really works. You might try a bold color and hate it, or discover a surprising combination you love. Those experiments guide later choices and can prevent costly changes during a full gut job.
So if you’re weighing a Phase 1 refresh against an immediate full renovation, consider what you can reasonably fix now to improve daily life and what you should save and plan for. The phased approach often reduces stress, saves money overall, and leads to better, more deliberate final results.
How do you handle it? Do you freeze a room until you have the budget, or do you tackle small updates as you go? We’d love to hear what approaches have worked for you.
