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There are several ways to save money on a bathroom remodel through proper planning and savvy design strategies. To reduce costs, consider the following:

• Purchase your own materials: Buy your own bathroom fixtures, hardware, and other materials to avoid contractor upcharges and delivery fees.

• Shop smart for big-ticket items: Save on pricey items like tiles and tubs by shopping sales and at discount stores.

• Avoid major layout changes: Keep plumbing in its current location. Opt to replace fixtures rather than moving them to avoid significant renovation work.

• Focus on high-impact, low-cost updates: Make affordable but impactful smaller changes, such as upgrading hardware, installing new lighting, and adding stylish but economical accessories.

• DIY where possible: Handle easier parts of the remodel yourself, like painting or installing light fixtures, to save on labor costs.

• Time your remodel strategically: Consider remodeling in the spring, which tends to be a lower-demand time of year and may result in lower costs.

You can pour bleach down the toilet as long as you dilute it since undiluted bleach can damage your toilet bowl. If you choose to use bleach to remove stains from your toilet, mix every cup of bleach with a gallon of water. You should also follow safety precautions when using bleach, like working in a well-ventilated area, wearing gloves, and never mixing it with any other cleaner. 

The Thanksgiving holiday period is one of the busiest times of the year for plumbers. Both Thanksgiving Day and the day after, often called Black Friday or "Brown Friday" by plumbing professionals, see a significant increase in service requests. This is because a house full of guests, large holiday meals, and unfamiliarity with the home's plumbing can lead to clogged drains, garbage disposal issues, and sewer line backups. Outside of the holidays, the busiest weekdays for plumbers are typically Monday and Tuesday, as many people discover plumbing problems over the weekend but wait to call for service. Despite the holiday, you can rest assured that many plumbers work on Thanksgiving and Black Friday to handle the surge in emergency calls.

Emergency plumbers charge a significantly higher rate than for standard service, typically 1.5 to 3 times the normal hourly cost. You can expect to pay between $100 and $500 per hour, with an average of around $200 per hour. In addition to the higher hourly rate, many plumbers charge a flat emergency service or trip fee, which can be between $150 and $300. The final cost depends on the timing of the call; prices are highest for major holidays, followed by weekends and after-hours service on weekdays. For a complex job on a major holiday, a master plumber's rate could reach as high as $600 per hour.