Posts Tagged ‘bathroom remodeling’

Choosing Your Bathroom Toilet

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

It is a known fact that we make many trips to the bathroom each day. Therefore, it is important to many people to have their bathrooms safe, comfortable and attractive; which plays into the reason behind many bathroom remodels each year.

When it comes to remodeling their bathrooms, many homeowners also consider replacing their toilet as part of the project. There are several factors to consider when shopping for a new toilet. The other remodeling that needs to be done in your bathroom is one of the factors when choosing your toilet. When remodeling your bathroom, be sure that you choose a toilet that will compliment the rest of the remodeled room’s decor. One of the ways to create an attractive bathroom is to have everything matching; from the tiles to the toilet and walls.

The majority of bathrooms in homes usually consist of a standard aka traditional style toilet that is usually white in color and comes in two pieces. Standard bathroom toilets are also the most affordable style of toilet and can be found in most home improvement stores. However, if you are in the market for something different for your bathroom, you may want to do a little more research. Some toilet choices include a one or two piece toilet, a standard or comfort height, a gravity, power/pressure flush or flush valve, a round front and an elongated bowl.

One piece toilets are more expensive than their two piece counterparts and has a lower profile of 22 to 27 inches in height.

Two piece toilets are more affordable and are 27 to 30 inches in height.

Comfort height toilets, aka ADA compliant toilets, provide for easier sitting because it is the same height as a standard chair. Even though the tank is the same height as a standard height toilet, the bowl of a comfort height toilet is 1 1/2 to 2 inches taller than the standard height toilet.

A gravity flush system is a system that uses nothing more than water weight to generate flushing pressure. It is not only simple and quiet, it also requires less maintenance than more complex flushing systems.

A power/pressure flush system is a system that uses a pressurized air tank. This tank aids in the toilet

Pros and Cons of Buying Bathroom Remodeling Supplies on the Web

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

Are you planning to remodel your bathroom? Trying to hunt down bargains both on and off-line? Like many homeowners looking for a good deal, you may be considering the purchase of your remodeling supplies on the Internet, but you’re wondering if that’s a good idea.

Keep reading to learn about both the benefits and the disadvantages of buying your bathroom remodeling supplies on the web.

Pro - Great Savings

Home renovators can typically save between 20-50% off the standard retail price when purchasing their products online. As a consumer, you’re not paying for retail overhead like building costs and store staff, meaning you save money. It also doesn’t hurt that by shopping from home rather than driving from one store to another, you saving on fuel costs.

Con - Hidden Shipping Costs

Hidden costs for online purchases, like shipping, can easily tip your budget overboard. Because building materials are often bulky and heavy, you can wind up paying a hefty premium to have online-purchased items shipped to your house.

One strategy is to look for products that can be picked up in-store or for online specials that include free shipping. Either way, you definitely need to calculate and factor in shipping and handling costs before determining your potential savings.

Pro - Easy Cost Comparison

Because all the price information is right in front of you, the Internet makes it simple to do a fast cost comparison between different products and suppliers. With just a few clicks of a mouse, you can find out who has the lowest price on Moen faucets or Ceralux sinks. This saves a lot of time over making phone calls to individual supply centers.

Con - Lack of Product Testability

When you’re browsing through a bricks-and-mortar retail store, you’re able to really examine a product. You can look at it, touch it and even shake it if you wish. Unfortunately, with online shopping you don’t get that tactile testability so the need to have some established knowledge of the product helps in decision making.

Pro - Online Consumer Reviews

Even though you may not get to test the product yourself, it’s often easy to find numerous product reviews written by consumers just like you.

By browsing through review sites or even doing a web search for your product name plus the word “review,” you’ll quickly find honest product summaries from people like you who buy and use the products. In these, they generally speak directly to quality, ease of installation and the manufacturer’s level of customer service.

Purchasing online may not be for everyone. Some of us like the ease and convenience of one-stop shopping from the comfort of our home office while others prefer to browse the store aisles, getting ideas and checking out products first-hand.

If you are going to attempt online shopping for bathroom remodeling supplies, always read product reviews, do a thorough price comparison and be aware of hidden costs like shipping and handling. These steps will help you to acquire the key information needed to determine what are truly the best deals for quality products.

Looking For Small Bathroom Renovation Ideas?

Wednesday, September 10th, 2008

Some homes built withing the last 20 years went on the market as having two bathrooms. In some of these homes the second “bathroom” was really no bigger than a hall closet and although convenient, homeowners are always looking for small bathroom renovation ideas. It’s no wonder since they can almost always be remodeled to give a few extra square feet. Although that may not sound like a lot at first, it can equal the addition of shelving or storage area or simply a bit more room to move around without banging your elbows on each wall.

One of the first places to look it the bathtub. For some reason, these late model homebuilders seemed to really like the idea of sticking a bathtub in these small bathrooms. If you can take out the tub and replace it with a shower stall you are likely to gain these few extra crucial feet we are looking for. This is just one small bathroom renovation idea that can make quite a big difference. If you have a full-size bathtub in another bathroom seriously consider this as your first change.

There are also small bathroom remodeling ideas that can make the room appear larger than it really is such as using light colors on the walls and on any window coverings. Additionally, if possible a shade or mini-blind that fits into the window instead of attaching to the outer trim of the window can make the room appear bigger. Vertical lines can also make the room appear larger while heavy horizontal lines can make it feel smaller.

Are there Extra Cabinets or Shelving?

Another common feature in houses built at this time are dividing walls. Whether the walls separate the toilet from the tub or the sink we are left scratching our heads as to why they were ever installed in the first place. These walls generally are not load-bearing and can be removed quite easily. If this truly is a small bathroom there is very little chance that there will be more than one person in here at a time so privacy should not be a concern. Again, expect to get just a few extra square footage but it really will change the whole feel of the room.

It may be necessary to trim some space from an adjacent room and expand the bathroom, and many small bathroom remodeling ideas include this prospect. A mere six to 12-inches of extra space along one wall can seem to add considerable space in a small bathroom. Failing that, do not use cabinets that attach to the wall, rather use the ones that are built into the wall. The floor space will not change, but there will not be any more of it taken up.

Take a walk through any of the large home builders stores. There are many new space saving ideas that you probably can’t come up with on your own. Many of these stores are large enough to have demo bathrooms set up for you to walk around in. Not only can you learn a lot about bathroom remodeling but I challenge you not to leave with something else that will make your house more of a home.

Tips For Bathroom Renovations You Should Know

Saturday, August 9th, 2008

When it comes to living rooms and kitchen, it is a lot easy to make up excuses when unexpected guests find them in a messy state. However, when the guests find the bathroom to be in a disorganized and dirty state, then it will only reflect something negative about you. Poor lighting, grimy and smelly bathroom is not only uncomfortable to be in, but a horrible sight.

You can have your bathroom cleaned everyday. However, this won

Your Steps to a Heavenly Bathroom

Thursday, August 7th, 2008

If you are considering changing the current look of your bathroom, one simple tip to be recommended is to simply check out other people

Dealing With Bathroom Remodeling Mistakes

Monday, July 28th, 2008

Are you looking forward to remodeling your bathroom? Bathroom remodeling is not only a lot of hard work, it is also a lot of fun. There are several advantages and disadvantages to bathroom remodeling. One of the disadvantage is the chance of something going wrong while you are doing your project; no matter how much experience you have in home improvement. Fortunately,there are ways to fix them so you can get back on track.

One of the most common problems in remodeling your bathroom, or any other home improvement project, is injury. Thousands of people injure themselves while remodeling their bathrooms each year. Even though the majority of these injuries are minor, there is a possibility of major injury as well if you are not careful. In the event of an injury, be sure you take care of it before proceeding with your project. If you need to seek medical assistance, please do so even when you want to stay to finish your bathroom. If left untreated, deep cuts will not only result in the loss of blood, they will also lead to infection. No bathroom project, no matter how wonderful the results will be, is worth getting ill over.

Remodeling mistakes are another common thing that can go wrong during your project. Not everyone has the experience of bathroom remodeling; even though many people do. Therefore, it is important that you learn a few things about your project before undertaking it. Remodeling classes and other resources are a good way to gain knowledge about your projects before you pick up your tools. Remember that mistakes are not the end of the world and they can happen even to the most experienced remodeler. Many of these mistakes include small amounts of paint spilled on the floor, using the wrong paint or even cutting a piece of bathroom tile too small. A lot of these mistakes are very easy to fix. Often, mistakes get blown out of proportion because some people do not sit back and think about their mistake and how they can correct it.If a mistake is made, be sure that you sit back and think about it so you can come of with ways in which to solve it.

After a mistake is made or after you recover from an injury, you can always return to your bathroom remodeling project. However, some remodelers might feel too overwhelmed once they start their projects. Some might not want to return to it after something goes wrong. Fortunately, if you find yourself in this situation, you can always seek professional assistance. Professional remodelers not only can remodel your bathroom from start to finish, they can also finish your project for you. If you find your bathroom remodeling too overwhelming, do not hesitate to call your local bathroom remodeling expert or contractor and they would be very happy to help you get it done.

Bathroom remodeling had it’s own sets of advantages and disadvantages. However, having a remodeled bathroom has it’s own rewards that make the projects worth it.

Signs You Should Remodel Your Bathroom

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

As a homeowner, you may want something a bit different, more exciting, or more attractive for your home. There are many homeownwers who are satisfied with their home, but there are also many who are not, and want more. If you are one of the latter, then it may be time for you to change things up a bit. The changes don’t have be expensive, you don’t have to buy a new home. Often, all that it takes is a simple remodeling project, such as renovating your bathroom.

When looking at a bathroom remodeling project, many homeowners will wonder if it is a good idea or not. To ensure that a bathroom remodeling project is indeed a good idea for your home, you should look at some of the signs that your bathroom needs to be remodeled. If any of these signs sound familiar to you, then renovating your bathroom could be a good idea to revitalize the bathroom, and your home.

The most important sign that you should remodel your bathroom is whether or not you are unhappy with it, and want a change. If you are unhappy with just the bathroom, or the appearance of the entire house, then a good bathroom renovation may be just the ticket. If you do decide to remodel or redecorate your bathroom, you have many options available to you. You can just repaint the walls, or maybe replace that old sink. Since the bathroom is typically the smallest room in the house, even a small change will have a big impact. Or you could go all out, and replace everything in the bathroom, and do a complete bathroom makeover.

Another factor to consider when you decide whether or not to remodel the bathroom, is the condition of the room, and safety. If you’ve noticed a problem in the bathroom with mold and mildew, or if the room is falling apart, you may not only want to remodel, you may need to remodel your bathroom. The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in your home. You, and everyone in your home probably uses it several times a day. Loose floor tiles and mold are unattractive, but can also be a hazard. If your bathroom is in poor condition, then you should definitely look into remodeling.

If you are looking to sell your home, you may want to consider remodeling your bathroom. A new bathroom can help to increase the value of your home, especially if the bathroom is in bad shape, poorly lit, or out of date. You are certainly not required to remodel the bathroom before you sell your house, but it is a good idea. Speak to your real estate agent about it. They can give you information on whether or not the bathroom remodeling project will increase the value of the home enough to make the project worth it. In some cases, remodeling the bathroom before selling your house is worth the time, expense, and effort. Other times it isn’t.

When it really comes down to it, the biggest sign that the bathroom needs to be remodeled, is simply that you want to remodel it. There are many benefits to remodeling the bathroom, and you can approach it from many different angles. Whether it is simply replacing a faucet or repainting, or completely remaking the entire bathroom, the changes will have a big impact, and make a huge improvement in your bathroom.

Getting Ready For Your Home Renovation

Friday, June 13th, 2008

A home renovation or remodel project may include the exterior of your house, one or more rooms and an addition or two. No matter what the scope, renovating your home is sure to be painful if you aren’t prepared.

Start by defining the scope of the remodel project. Decide what areas of your home that you would like to have renovated. Put together a wish list of what you want included in the project. What you can and cannot do will be, in part, decided by your finances.

Once you have defined the scope of the project the key issues you will want to consider are:

Local laws and permits

The need for neighbor approval.

Financing and budgeting.

Choosing an architect.

Choosing a contractor.

Selecting an interior designer.

Moving out during the construction process.

Packing and cleaning.

When undergoing a renovation project people most often start with an architect. While an architect is absolutely required for a renovation project, you may want to consider starting your due diligence with your interior designer. Chances are they can help you to fine tune how you will use your space, the intended look and feel and ultimately help to make your dream a reality.

More often than not, designers, architects and contractors work together on major renovation projects to ensure a cohesive approach to carrying out the client’s vision.

From a design perspective, since your designer will be the resident expert on the ultimate functionality of the space, having them involved early allows you to have more control over important things we take for granted such as placement of electrical outlets, task lighting and architectural detailing.

Once your renovation plan has been completed and approved by you, you can identify if you will need to purchase new furniture or accessories or re-purpose existing items that you have.

It is important to know that your budget and timeline of a major renovation project will change at least once if not more during construction. Experts recommend that you plan for the budget to increase by twenty-five percent and the time involved by thirty percent.

When your renovation project is complete you will undergo an inspection and be provided with an occupancy permit. Do a final walkthrough of the project with the architect, contractors and designer to make absolutely sure that everything is working as required. Create a punch list of little tasks that are undone and assign someone the task of finishing each task. Make sure that everyone reports back to you or your project manager/renovation coach by a specific time to make sure everything is finished.

Once your project is underway, you may find yourself overwhelmed or stressed out from all of the activity, keep drawing and photos of your finished project easily accessible so that you can remind yourself of the beauty that awaits you.

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