u/Live_Ad_9273

On a super tight home budget, due to HCOL area. Would love to hear WWYD in this outdated bathroom!

Would you rather 1) keep the original powder blue mid-century bathtub and cover the mismatched powder blue tile surround with white microcement

OR

2. get rid of the blue tub, replace with a used white tub found on Craigslist of the same size? Maybe keep blue tile or perhaps microcement over it?

Trust me when I say the blues are close, but horribly mismatched. It's making me bonkers. This has to be a DIY - here are a list of things I have considered but are too expensive:

1. new tile on surround (only). Labor and materials = $10k.
2. Swapping out the tub (no layout changes). Labor only = $2-4k.
3. Labor & materials to hire out the microcement installation on the tub surround (only, tub cannot be covered) = $3k.
4. Tub and surround were painted white when we bought the house. NOT doing that again.

[effacé]