A full bathroom renovation costs £4,000–£15,000. Professional surface repair can achieve 80% of the visual impact for 5-10% of the cost. Here is how to prioritise the most impactful improvements.

The High-Impact Low-Cost Approach

Bath resurfacing — if your bath is yellowed, scratched or has multiple chips, full resurfacing for £250–£450 gives you a bath that looks brand new. The single most impactful bathroom improvement for the money.
Tile chip repair — chips in bathroom tiles are immediately noticeable and give an impression of neglect. Repairing chips across the bathroom for £200–£400 transforms the overall impression.
Mastic sealant replacement — black, mouldy mastic around the bath and shower is one of the most common causes of a bathroom looking tired. Fresh white mastic costs £75–£150 and makes a huge difference.
Shower tray repair — a chipped or stained shower tray can be repaired or resurfaced for £85–£300.

What Surface Repair Cannot Replace

Surface repair cannot address failing tiles, rising damp, outdated layout, insufficient storage or poor ventilation. For these issues, a more extensive renovation is required. But if your bathroom is structurally sound and just looks tired, surface repair delivers the best return on investment.

A Typical Budget Bathroom Refresh

Bath resurfacing: £300, Tile chip repairs: £300, New mastic: £100, Shower tray repair: £150. Total: £850. Result: a bathroom that looks as good as a £5,000 renovation.