In continuation of yesterday’s discussion on replacing floor tiles in a bathroom, let’s estimate how much it will cost.

For a modest bathroom of size 6 ft * 7 ft, here’s the estimate for replacing tiles:

Labor charges for removing the existing tiles: Rs.15 per sq.ft (Hometown cost)

Renting a machine for tile tile removal: Rs. 500. If you are hiring a individual contractor, then he may charge you for renting the machine needed to remove the tiles.

Tile cost : Roughly around Rs. 1000 - 3600 for 3 boxes of 1*1 feet tiles. The starting price of a good tile is Rs. 22-23 per piece or sq.ft. while the average price of a good anti-skid tile is Rs. 42. 1 sq. ft tiles are available from Rs.22 to Rs. 80. The price goes up for a large tile from Rs.80 to Rs.150. Brands include Kajaria, Bell, Somany, and Nitco to name a few.

Labor cost for installing the tiles: Rs. 40 per sq.ft. The minimum area for laying should be Rs.150 sq.ft for HomeTown.

Time to complete the work : 3-4 days.

Total cost: Under Rs.10,000.

If you’d like to replace the commode as well along with the tiles, then a white CERA one costs around Rs. 6500. For colored ones, the cost increases like Rs.7000 for a cream one. Parryware is at least 10% more expensive than a CERA one.

Q: Can u suggest best ( and least expensive! ) options to do bathroom flooring? In our modest 2BHK home, we can not do many changes, but want better flooring, which is easier to clean, skid-proof and with minimum joints ( i don’t know term ).

This post is in response to Preeti’s question.

Preeti’s situation mirrors most of our issues with bathrooms. Most of our problems with keeping bathrooms clean wouldn’t occur if they were dry all the time. Let’s go back to the basics of bathroom design now. For a bathroom to remain free of moisture, there should be well demarcated areas for the vanity, wash basin, bath area and the commode. If it is a free flowing surface with no segregation and proper sloping for water to flow, then there are little chances for a clean and low-maintenance bathroom.

I’ve often observed that bathroom renovation happens much earlier in most apartments than the remaining parts of the house.

1. Non-porous/Low water absorption : Most Indian bathrooms are wet unlike those in the West. So it’s important to choose tiles that are non-porous in nature with a very low water absorption capacity. The longer the water stays on the tile surface, higher is the tendency for dirt to get absorbed. Since it’s not always possible to immediately wipe clean the moisture, check the water absorption by weight ratio before buying a tile. The recommended number is less than 3%. Most brands publish this as part of the product’s technical specifications.

2. Size:The standard size for floor tiles a few years earlier was 300 mm * 300mm (roughly 1 *1 sq.foot). Which meant more grout area, or the joint between tiles. The gaps between ceramic tiles filled with white cement is what gets dirty the most because of discoloration from dirt. Frequent cleaning with Harpic or a scouring agent like soda/vinegar paste will ensure it remains spotless. But that’s hard work and you don’t want to be holed up in the bathroom all day on a Saturday , right? Notice the number of joints in the picture below? Such bathrooms look great in pictures, but are hard to maintain.

The market is inundated with a wide range of choices of 600 mm *600 mm (roughly 2*2 sq. ft) floor tiles. If you are planning for a bathroom renovation, then I suggest you take a look at this. Nitco, Kajaria, Somany and most leading brands have sizes closer to this dimension. This would mean less grouting area.

Unless you opt for a floor tile with a design or pattern on it, the size of the tile is not dependent on the size of the bathroom. Large tiles with a contrasting design look out of place in a very small bathroom.

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Who likes stepping into a dingy, stinking bathroom every morning? The most private space in a home needs as much care as the rest of the house. I remember dreading to use the toilet as kid in my grandparents’ home because it was dark and infested with cockroaches. Thank God, the bathrooms of today have come a  long way  from those dungeons and serve as a relaxing corner than a mere functional space.

If there’s one grouse I have in my current apartment it is with the bathroom(s). The layout and tile color makes it hard to maintain. If you’ve already formed a gory image of my bathroom, then let me assure you they don’t stink We were young, short on time and design illiterate when we bought the apartment, that we currently live in, eight years ago.

Let’s just say, I have got wiser over the years and have better ideas now for a good layout. Maybe a remodel project is on the cards, who knows! If you are a new apartment buyer, here are a few ideas that will make your mornings bright and cheerful (oh! isn’t that where you step in first every morning?) .

How about some real indulgence!

1. Natural lighting: Let the sunlight flow in. Do you need to flip the light switch on before entering the bathroom during the day? It’s sad that the only opening in most apartment bathrooms is a 1*1 feet aperture for the exhaust fan, which limits the amount of light streaking in. One of the things I would love to have is a 2*3 ft skylight opening with a glass top above the sink fixture.

Isn't the skylight soothing?

Natural lighting in a small bathroom

2. Dry = clean: Dry bathrooms always require little maintenance. The more the water on the floor, the higher the tendency for the tiles to absorb dirt. So, how do you keep it moisture-free in an area that is meant to have water? Well, what I meant is limit the usage of water to the shower area. Wipe it clean or let it dry naturally after everyone has had a bath. It also helps in keeping fungus at bay during monsoons.

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I’m fond of bright, cheerful colors for the bathrooms. You know, like dashing green, flashy yellow, or perhaps bold red. The ones I have now are electric green in color, and I simply love them. Bright colors have a way of perking up my mood in the morning. But they are nothing out of the ordinary; they are the ones you see in every home décor  store. So, when I first spotted this metal bath accessories collection at Restoration Hardware, I wasn’t sure what was about it that appealed to me. Perhaps the shine, shape, simplicity or elegance?

Metal Bath Accessories

The two-tone collection is also not bad.

Two-tone collection

What colors and material (ceramic, metal) do you prefer for your bathroom accessories? Does it make a difference?

In other news, my Diwali cleaning is almost done. Organizing the kitchen cabinets is what is remaining which means 2 hours of work. I don’t follow the de-cluttering, painting, cleaning, and organizing routine every year which is usually the norm for Diwali in North India. But this year was different. The house badly needed it. So, I got the bathroom tiles cleaned and filled the gaps with white cement. The rest I managed myself - fans and furniture cleaning, the living room/bedroom tiles, washing the curtains/throws/cushions and bringing out the silken ones, polishing the silverware, giving away unwanted stuff, getting the shine back on mirrors and windows, washing all the doors ..oh the list was endless until a few days back.  I’m glad it’s all over.

Image Courtesy:

Metal