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Bathroom Remodeling
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Ten tips for the perfect bathroom remodel
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(ARA) - Giving an old, tired bathroom a makeover is one of the best
things you can do to increase your home's resale value. And while it
can take some planning, remodeling your bathroom is easily within the
capability of most homeowners.
While bathrooms often are among the smallest rooms in your home,
they're often the most used and valued spaces in our homes, and are
among the smartest remodeling investments in terms of return of
investment. Beyond the practical, day-to-day routines, for
many people bathrooms are a sanctuary - a place to escape the stresses
of daily life, even if only for a few moments at a time.
However, since most homeowners are working with small spaces and
because there is a fair amount of water involved (sink, toilet, shower
and bathtub), there's a lot of potential for a bathroom remodel to go
horribly wrong. Here are 10 tips from The Tile Shop, one of the
nation's largest tile retailers for do-it-yourselfers, on how to create
the bathroom of your dreams:
Get ideas.
Start with a visit to a premium tile or cabinet store that
offers bathroom displays showing the latest in bathroom design,
including the use of floor, wall and shower materials such as floor
tiles,
stone and granite, as well as bathroom fixtures such as lights,
cabinets, toilets and tubs. Another great place to get ideas is to
visit model homes to see the latest in bathroom design from today's
homebuilders.
Have a plan. Whether your bathroom remodel involves some light
fix-me-ups or is a down-to-the-studs project, it's important to
consolidate your ideas and create a remodeling plan and a budget. If
you're going to remodel it yourself, don't be afraid to get help and
seek out information on the latest in remodeling standards. For
example, The Tile Shop offers how-to videos on its web site,
www.tileshop.com, and offers hands-on seminars at its stores.
Bring it up to
code. Check your town or city's website to review or
download building code requirements related to bathrooms - in
particular codes related to plumbing, electrical and windows. Remember,
building codes mean meeting the minimally allowed standards required by
your city or state. It may not matter now, but it can be a big deal
when you try to sell your home. Spending the extra dollars to bring
your bathroom up to at least code, especially in the areas of
electrical and plumbing, versus doing simply cosmetic changes, will
bring peace of mind, enhance resale value, and avoid problems down the
line.
Include popular
features. Including popular features in your bathroom
remodeling project will help at resale time, and make your bathroom
feel more contemporary. Second sinks, decorative glass and stone tile
and accents, replacing tubs with showers, more storage space, better
lighting, extra-wide wall tiles, and heated floors are among the most
popular features in today's new home construction and upscale
remodeling projects.
Get quotes from local service providers
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Make it easy to
clean. No one likes cleaning a bathroom, so why
complicate matters by making it difficult to clean? For example, avoid
vanities with space underneath the cabinet that attracts dust. Don't
place vanities, toilets and other items too close together to create
tight spaces that are difficult to clean. Use large wall tiles
to eliminate grout lines. Invest in shower doors that keep water in a
shower or tub and don't show soap build-up. Consider adding storage to
free up valuable counter-top space.
Keep it elegant.
Your bathroom is not the place to express your secret
passion for Star Wars with movie-themed wallpaper. Focus on using
materials and fixtures that exude quality, offer an intimate,
contemporary feel, and are timeless. To create an elegant look,
consider downscaling a crowded full bath to a comfortable half-bath;
mix tile textures, sizes, colors, types (natural stone, ceramic,
porcelain, glass); and embrace neutral colors and whites.
Water is the
enemy. Water and moisture are the greatest enemies of a
bathroom. Make sure to adequately ventilate your bathroom to vent steam
and humidity generated from showers. Add a window, if possible, and
replace an old fan with a more powerful, quieter version. Replace
traditional sheetrock with water-proof cement board and use tile and
stone materials to further reduce the risk of water damaging wood.
Enough light.
Out of all of the rooms in our homes, it's in the
bathroom where we take care of our grooming needs as well as life's
little medical emergencies. When remodeling, pay close attention to the
lighting of your bathroom and if necessary, add more lighting options,
especially around the vanity to reduce shadows and glaring.
Make it safer.
Slick surfaces in a bathroom pose a serious risk for
falls. Shower stalls and bathtubs should be outfitted with
slip-resistant finishes on floors, rubber mats, and grab bars. Consider
rounded counter-top finishes versus corners with sharp edges. And keep
electrical outlets away from water, such as bathtubs.
Make it greener.
Green is in and is here to stay. When remodeling your
bathroom, consider using fixtures that save water, replace old windows
with new energy efficient windows, and consider counter tops and
flooring made from recycled materials, such as recycled glass mosaic
tile. Natural stone products act as a natural insulator -- keeping cool
in and hot out during the summer, and keeping your bathroom warmer
longer during the winter.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
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