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WARNING: do NOT paint your Bathtub!

By Regina P. Brown

Real Estate Broker/Owner with MBA Broker Consultants CalBRE Broker #00983670

February 02, 2009 11:57 AM

Yes, you heard that right. Do NOT try to paint your bathtub. I know you have a PINK tub from 1950 that is sure to incur buyer SHOCK. Sure, as a quick fix to sell your house, you may be tempted to pick up a do-it-yourself kit from Home Depot with "guaranteed" tub paint.

Unfortunately, it DOES peel off. And looks REALLY bad once it starts peeling.

Just take a look at this gold tub painted white! Now that the paint is peeling off, it makes the tub look dirty. It would have been better to replace the tub than to take this short-cut.

Don't do it! Just give your local contractor a call and he'll be happy to remove the old tub and replace it with a 2-piece or 3-piece fiberglass tub. And when you get that offer in -- you'll be happy you did!

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Regina P. Brown
Broker, Realtor®, e-Pro
Author of eBook "Stop Foreclosure Fast: Solutions to Save your House"

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JL Boney, III

Coldwell Banker - Columbia, SC

Columbia, SC Real Estate

I had a friend paint their bath tub a few years ago, and it started peeling off about a week later. Looked horrible.

Feb 02, 2009 12:03 PM

TeamCHI - Complete Home Inspections, Inc.

Complete Home Inspections, Inc. - Brentwood, TN

Home Inspectons - Nashville, TN area - 615.661.029

Regina, I have seen painted bathtubs from time-to-time. Really looks cheap and tacky...

Your building consultant for life in Brentwood, TN ~ Michael

Feb 02, 2009 07:42 PM

Jon Wnoroski

America's 1st Choice RH Realty Co., Inc. - Green, OH

Summit County Realtor

Hi Regina - I just saw a piece on the news last evening where a person had a company come in and re-glaze the tub. It peeled as well and caused problems. The advice on the news was to use a company that has been in the business for at least five years. My thoughts were more in line with just having the tub replaced with a new one. That certainly seems to be the best solution. It may be a little more costly but it certainly would be a lot more attractive.

Feb 03, 2009 12:40 AM

Sharon Tara

Sharon Tara Transformations - Portsmouth, NH

Retired New Hampshire Home Stager

So many times taking the shortcut to save money will end up costing more money. Do it right the first time and that is where the savings comes in.

Feb 03, 2009 05:54 AM

Ken Montville

RE/MAX United Real Estate - College Park, MD

The MD Suburbs of DC

There are lots of places that will re-glaze the tub so that it looks like new. There is also a franchise outfit called Bathfitters that will put a either fiber glass or acylic (I can't remember which) over your existing tub and wall. It ain't cheap but it's beautiful and they have a gazillion year warranty.

Feb 03, 2009 07:21 AM

Regina P. Brown

MBA Broker Consultants - Carlsbad, CA

M.B.A., Broker, Instructor

Thanks for the tips, guys. I have gotten bids from a resurfacing company and it was more expensive than putting in a new tub!

Feb 03, 2009 11:58 AM

Anonymous

Michelle

We just got a bid ( washington state ) to get our tub reglazed... it is bone and we wanted white.. it was $700.. and only a 5 year warrenty... we are going to live with bone since the tub is just fine otherwise.

Feb 04, 2009 05:56 AM

Regina P. Brown

MBA Broker Consultants - Carlsbad, CA

M.B.A., Broker, Instructor

Michelle, somehow it the cost doesn't always justify the change, eh! Thanks for stopping by to comment.

Feb 05, 2009 06:56 AM

April Hayden-Munson

Brookfield, WI

Brookfield Wisconsin Real Estate

It was probably a good "thought" when they got started on that project. LOL.

Feb 05, 2009 08:26 AM

Kent Simpson

Realty One Group Mountain Desert - Tucson, AZ

Real Estate Is About People

"Hello, Mr. Plumber? My bathtub has a rash... oh, you've seen it before? It will be HOW much?"

Feb 05, 2009 12:12 PM

Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker

Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA

Put 40 years of experience to work for you

What about the companies that reglaze and guarantee their work? They reglaze refrigerators, too. I've seen the work performed on rehabbed clawfoots, and they never peel. It's a heat application, I believe. But anybody who grabs a paint brush and starts applying paint should be selling pencils out of a cup on the street corner.

Feb 05, 2009 12:33 PM

Regina P. Brown

MBA Broker Consultants - Carlsbad, CA

M.B.A., Broker, Instructor

April, yea, the best intentions....

Kent, that sounds familiar!

Elizabeth, that sounds like a good service. I have contacted them before the cost was prohibitive. I think they are used mostly for good quality tubs (not the cheapie type shown above). But if it was me, I would start from scratch with a new tub!

Feb 06, 2009 10:18 AM

Portsmouth NH Real Estate Agent - Rebecca Skane, Realtor®, e-PRO®

Keller Williams Coastal Realty - Portsmouth, NH

I was watching a funny show on house flipping the other day and an inexperienced young investor who ran out of money painted a basin copper and it was terrible. People at the open house laughed at him.

Feb 06, 2009 11:42 AM

Regina P. Brown

MBA Broker Consultants - Carlsbad, CA

M.B.A., Broker, Instructor

Rebecca, gotta love those inventive do-it-yourselfers... you can be sure that the buyers are mentally subtracting several thousand dollars from the price... to account for the tub they're going to have to put in later... and secretly wondering WHAT ELSE he cut corners on? What hidden cover-up lurks hidden that they will discover later?

Feb 06, 2009 12:12 PM

Janice Roosevelt

Keller Williams Brandywine Valley - West Chester, PA

OICP ABR, ePRO,Ecobroker

I once painted the outside of a bathub a Laura Ashley pink. Painted the claw feet gold and toenails red - when we got read to sell - it was a big hit!

Feb 06, 2009 11:07 PM

Regina P. Brown

MBA Broker Consultants - Carlsbad, CA

M.B.A., Broker, Instructor

Janice, that is cool! It's good you only painted the outside, not the inside!

Feb 07, 2009 03:12 AM

Tammy Lankford,

Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA

Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

Recently we had seller clients hire "rebath" professionals and it turned out beautiful. Guaranteed not to peel off too. I am not a fan of "do it yourself" but there are certainly alternatives.

Feb 07, 2009 05:37 AM

Sharon Harris

Keller Williams Keystone Realty - Hanover, PA

Realtor

I would agree whole heartily.. never paint the tub. Call Bath Fitters ....

Feb 09, 2009 05:44 AM

Regina P. Brown

MBA Broker Consultants - Carlsbad, CA

M.B.A., Broker, Instructor

Tammy, glad to hear of the success with your pros.

Sharon, never heard of Bath Fitters, are they nationwide? Maybe you can introduce them in a blog post.

Feb 09, 2009 06:15 AM

Troy Erickson AZ Realtor (602) 295-6807

HomeSmart - Chandler, AZ

Your Chandler, Ahwatukee, and East Valley Realtor

Regina, I wouldn't have ever even thought of painting the inside of a tub? Before I did anything, I would get several opinions and estimates, and make sure about the guarantee. I would also get testimonials from other people who have used the contractors before I would ever consider them. Nowadays, you can never be too sure what you will end up with unless you do your homework first.

Feb 16, 2009 05:53 AM