We're in the midst of our master bath remodel now. It's amazing, looking back, how many of our wish list items have gone by the wayside due to cost. We've really had to keep our eyes on the main goals: a bigger shower and a longer tub.

The hardwired wall mounted electric towel warmer is gone because I realized there was no where to place it by the shower, only by the tub. Decided not to spend $450 on something I'd only use the 4-5 times a year I use the tub.

Having upper cabinetry surrounding the mirror (with sconces coming out of the mirror) died a hard death when I got the price. The soft close doors/drawers went the same route ($48 per x 10), so I chose to use the money elsewhere. Same goes for all the special cabinetry features I wanted -- a special insert just to hold my blow dryer out of the way, a built-in laundry basket, drawer inserts for make-up, etc. Too expensive in the end!

The brushed nickel fixtures bowed out in favor of chrome (30% less expensive).

The travertine is gone because, in my area, the hard mineral content in the water stains this porous stone with black streaks. Even sealing it properly and often doesn't work for long. I would be heartbroken for that to happen, so I found a porcelain stone with a travertine appearance.

The jury is still out on whether or not we can afford to install beveled edging around the plate glass mirrors. It's something we can do at any point, so we'll see what the final project cost totals first.

Having the adjoining closet decked out in a closet system is now on hold, since the $5k is beyond what we want to spend right now. There is a nice do-it-yourself option at Home Depot that might work if I can get hubs to commit to it being the handy-man for installation.

Our tile will be magnificent, though, including a lovely tile mural on one wall of the tub. The tile floor WILL be laid with very minimal grout, even if we have to pay the extra $$$ to have the floor leveling compound put down first. I hate grout, so this is non-negotiable for me.

The cabinetry is beautiful with a furniture base plus a cabinetry apron for the tub. I love the granite slabs I found in the "lowest cost" aisle that will be used for the counters and the tub surround.

I will be able to fully stretch out my legs in the new tub and the shower will be about 30% larger than the old space was. And, we'll have brand new carpet laid in the bedroom and (hopefully) new plantation shutters.

So....after all that, my message is to dream while compiling your wish list, but prioritize it so you keep a clear eye on your hard goals for the remodel.

I think a large walk-in double shower setup is a must have, even more important than a double sink vanity or separate tub and shower stall. During busy morning hours, it is very convenient to have the extra shower setup. It also comes in handy with the kids that are the age when they still need help bathing, but have sort of outgrown baths. Ours get used daily. We only have a 1200 sq ft house for a family of 5, so space is really tight. Even so, the 4'x8' shower in the master bath is a necessary luxury.

heated floor!

extra towel storage right by the shower has been great.

agree with jewel654, I regret the stone shower and will have it redone in porcelain tile. Having the stone polished and resealed gets very expensive. Very good stone guy said he would never put stone in his own shower, though he makes a good living polishing his customer's showers. This is in a hard-water area, if your area has soft water, it might be different.

Do some searches in the bathrooms forum. There are some extensive threads on "best bathroom decisions".

One thing I appreciate is a cabinet near the shower. If I reach for the shampoo and it's empty (cough cough DH), I can reach around the door for a fresh bottle. A cabinet by the commode for a fresh TP roll or necessities is also nice.

A cabinet with an outlet by the vanity for charging shavers and toothbrushes out of sight is great.