bathroom | MANGAMOFO

Kitchen Or Bathroom Remodel – The Truth Not Seen on TV Shows and What to Expect From a Contractor

June 26, 2022 Comments Off

With all of the do-it-yourself shows on network television, most home owners fail to realize how many extras actually are required to complete a remodel. These shows which run for a 30 minute span of time can actually take well over a month or two depending upon the project undertaken. While edited television holds the viewer’s interest, it does a poor job of educating the home owner with the actual process of having a remodel. Patience and planning are the keys to an effective remodel. There is no general rule of thumb when it comes to how long a particular remodel will take. An example is some kitchen remodels can take as little as one week while others can take one month or more.
There are numerous factors to be considered. It all comes down to how well planned the design is, how the home owner makes themselves available for the contractor, what materials are to be used, where the source for the materials is located, and so on.
The first key ingredient to a successful remodel is patience. The home owner needs to understand and expect that the design stage can take several weeks alone. After sitting down with the builder or contractor to discuss what the home owner’s desires are, both the contractor and the home owner need to address potential challenges of the space to be remodeled. While the home owner will have many questions needing to be answered, the remodeling contractor should be asking a plethora of question of the owner. The more thorough this preliminary consulting is the more enjoyable the remodel will be and with fewer surprises.
Even with the most conscientious builder or remodeling contractor, occasional unforeseen snags can pop up from time to time. There are many reasons that this situation may occur. Older homes often can possess more hidden surprises than newer houses due to new building codes which were not the same as when the house was originally built. That is not to say that newer constructed homes are free of these types of situations. The solution for this scenario is to clarify the contractor’s experience.
Contractors always should have a portfolio of past projects to offer up to new clients. Many times a new design possibility may come to mind of the home owner from viewing examples of past work performed. Most remodeling contractors are more than happy and even excited to display their past accomplishments.
The home owner needs to patient once the planning and design stage has begun. It can take weeks upon weeks to decide on materials and acquire them for the job ahead. The one aspect of remodeling or even having a custom home built, which many clients fail to do, is consistently inspect the progression of work being performed and observe materials being used. The most contractors are competent and know exactly what they are doing, but an extra set of eyes will not hurt. Asking questions throughout the remodel will help to avoid any possible confusion with both parties and will yield result in a happier home owner when the job is completed.…

The Importance of Bathroom Design

June 23, 2022 Comments Off

Families are spending more and more time in their bathrooms than ever before, thus, they desire their bathrooms to be functional as well as inviting. If you are ready for a new bathroom look, take some time to consider ideas for the bathroom design and investigate remodeling your bathroom to suit your needs and style.
Several questions need to be asked prior to the start of any design process. It is critical before you decide to renovate to make sure that there are no underlying problems with the core of your home. Sound plumbing, heating and electrical service should be inspected before demolition begins. When talking to a designer, consider a few things: Do you need more storage? Are the fixtures out-dated? Do the vanity and faucets need replaced? Are you able to work around the existing fixtures such as the tub and/or sink? Do you want a separate tub and shower compartments? It is an important factor also to determined the style of bathrooms choices, you can choose from modern, traditional, contemporary or transitional type of bathrooms.
Once these questions are answered, sit down and work within a realistic budget. Determine how much you are able to afford. The focus on your bathroom improvements will also depend on the type of bathroom. If your remodel is for a guest bathroom, it should be useful, inviting, and even impressive for your guests. A children’s bathroom should be bright, colorful and even fun. A master bedroom bathroom can have a resort style, relaxing, or perhaps a sexy feel.
Making the correct lighting choices, such as decorative or accent lighting add elegance to a bathroom, or adding softer dimmable lighting can give you more of a cozy feeling. Another focal point in any bathroom is the vanity mirror, giving the area a bigger feel and a chance to show off your individual style with a decorative frame or a uniquely-shaped mirror. Incorporate your family’s own taste and fashion with accessories to complete you bathroom remodel. Tile designs, the color of the walls, and open shelves for display items add character to every bathroom as well.
Bathroom design should be attractive and just as comfortable as any other room in your home. Remodeling is also an ideal time to make your house healthier for you, the community, and the environment through the use of environmentally-friendly products and recycling or reusing existing materials.…

Why Bathroom Remodeling Pays

June 17, 2022 Comments Off

Bathroom remodeling is one of the most popular home improvement projects undertaken by homeowners throughout the U.S. By working with an experienced bathroom remodeling contractor, you can plan for a bathroom remodel that will increase the value of your home, reduce your energy costs and save water. Using environmentally friendly materials can also help to save the environment. This is why bathroom remodeling pays.
Updating and upgrading your bathroom, especially a master bathroom, increases your comfort as you live in the home. It also increases the value of your home by 61 – 74% of the cost of the remodel. Although you will not get this money back immediately, you can expect to recover this much of your cost when you sell your home. That, by any standards, is a good return on investment.
Careful planning with a qualified bathroom remodeling contractor will give you the opportunity to choose construction materials that are environmentally friendly in terms of how they are made and in terms of saving natural resources by reducing usage. Consider, if you will, that by choosing a low-flow or dual flush toilet you can save as much as four gallons of water with every flush (depending on the fixture you are replacing). Considering that each person flushes an average of nine times per day (minimum), a family of four would save 180 gallons of water every day. And low flow faucets and showerheads also save significant amounts of water.
Now let’s assume that your home is all electric. By upgrading the insulation in your bathroom, changing your window to a triple-paned vinyl framed window with Xenon gas between the panes, you will reduce your energy usage for heating and cooling by one-third in the bathroom. Then install an energy-efficient ventilation fan, an energy-efficient spa tub or shower, and energy-efficient lighting fixtures, and you can reduce your demand for electricity even more. If the bathroom you are remodeling is heavily used, your energy savings increases.
Next think carefully about the materials you will use for your remodel. Your contractor will be able to help you decide which materials are best for your needs and your location. Some of the materials you might want to consider are: environmentally friendly drywall, recycled glass tile, cork floor tiles (for comfort and beauty), natural paints, and engineered wood.
And you can consider other options for your bathroom that will improve energy efficiency, such as: an instant water heater for sinks, a whirlpool tub with an in-line water heater, radiant floor heating, insulate walls behind shower and tub, UV blocking window coating, a skylight or roof window (or tunnel/tube light) to bring in more natural light or motion activated light switches.
These are just a few of the materials, additional features, and considerations for you to discuss with your contractor. This should be enough information to help you understand why bathroom remodeling pays. In fact, by carefully considering your options, the materials you will use in your remodel and special features, you can expect to recover the cost of your remodel within a couple of years by combining the increased value of your home, your energy savings and your reduced water and sewer expenses. There’s no question that bathroom remodeling pays big.
Consider bathroom remodeling in your home. Work closely with your contractor in making choices and planning your remodel. You might be surprised to see just how much difference it will make!
Copyright 2009 by ABCD Publishing…

6 Tips For Choosing the Best Bathroom Accessories

June 4, 2022 Comments Off

Choosing the best bathroom accessories can make your bathroom astonishing. It will greatly make the look of the room attractive and pleasing. There’s nothing better to do than to build the bathroom that you like.
Bathroom fixtures reflect your personality and taste, regardless if it’s an elegant bathroom or a simple bathroom. The most important thing to consider is to make a plan. It is also significant to choose the most appropriate accessories in decorating the room.
The design can either be simple or luxurious. A simple room can be created using pastel colors such as cream, blue and white. Alternatively, an elegant room can be created using metal, marble and glass. In choosing bathroom accessories, the best thing to consider is their form and function.
In decorating the bathroom, consider the theme that you like. It is easy to make necessary changes when you know how it should look like after decorating it. This is useful when you’re about to beautify the room by thinking over it first.
Bathroom fixtures serve many functions, being appropriate for small and large rooms. A cabinet for towels is useful to save space, along with shelves for hygiene products and cosmetics. You can simply improve your bathroom’s appearance by using bathtub and bathroom lights.
You should also consider the color. The accessories must blend with the color of the room, in order to have a balanced effect. Your taste can be expressed using some colorful wall pictures and flowers.
More importantly, consider the purpose of the accessory and the material used. It should be suitable for your bathroom needs. You should choose only the fixtures that can help you the most.
What really matters most is that you should choose the best bathroom accessories that are right for you. Remember that it must always satisfy your bathroom needs.…

Bathroom Makeover Tips Before You Sell Your House

May 31, 2022 Comments Off

When you’re preparing to sell your home, it’s important to remember that the first impressions you give to prospective buyers are often the ones that last. So it makes sense to undertake simple improvements that can be completed relatively quickly and cheaply in key areas. A bathroom makeover is a great way to improve the look of this part of the house — particularly if you feel that it’s an area that lets the rest of your home down and might put off potential purchasers.
Some homeowners decide to go in for a major rehab project before they put their house on the market. But unless you’re sure that you can recoup the expense that you’d be investing with a full bathroom remodel, it may be better to make cosmetic changes and improve the look of the fixtures and fittings that you already have with some simple cleaning and decorating tactics.
So how do you start fixing up your bathroom to maximize its appeal without having to spend a lot of time and money on a major remodeling project? Here are some suggestions to get you started:
Cleaning: it goes without saying that when you’re getting ready to sell your house, everything needs to be sparkling clean — and this is especially important in a bathroom. As well as the bath tub and sink, make sure the floor mats, walls and countertops are clean. Get rid of lime scale around faucets and plug holes, clean grout (you can find a special grout cleaning pen for the purpose) and polish glass shelves and steel or chrome fixtures.
Check Seals and Fixtures: even if major fittings such as the bath, basin or toilet are in good repair, the seals around them may be damaged or cracked, grungy or leaky. You can remove damaged or badly stained sealant and replace it at little cost, often greatly enhancing the overall appearance. If your bath is worn or chipped, consider having it resurfaced if you don’t want to go to the expense of replacing it entirely. If your faucets are old-fashioned or showing signs of wear and tear, it may be a good idea to invest in new ones.
Resolve Bathroom Moisture Problems: water is a key element in the bathroom, of course. But over time, poor ventilation or leaks can cause water stains, peeling paint or even mold growth. A serious mold problem can require professional inspection and treatment, so it’s important to control humidity levels through good ventilation and use specialist cleaning products to prevent mold growth. Blistering paint or other surface damage may also require treatment.
De-clutter: clear away personal items and toiletries from your countertops. Having clear surfaces may make these areas seem larger and will de-personalize the space, allowing house viewers to imagine their own belongings in the room. For the same reason, it may help to replace your favorite patterned towels or shower curtain with plain white or cream alternatives.…

The Basics Of Remodeling A Bathroom

May 21, 2022 Comments Off

Remodeling a bathroom is a great way to increase the value of your house. Even if you aren’t planning to sell your home yet, remodelling your bathroom now is still definitely worth it, as you can luxuriate in a new bathroom now, whilst knowing that your property has increased in worth if you decide to sell in the future.
A bathroom is a room that is used very frequently, which usually means that it will be subjected to a lot of wear and tear over time. As the bathroom is often used by visitors too, it is important to keep it looking attractive and in good working order.
A bathroom remodel is only limited by your imagination and budget, but there are a few main areas to consider that can make a vast difference to the look and function of a bathroom.
Tiles are a very important part of any bathroom renovation, as they will protect the walls around the sink and bath from splashed water. Ceramic or porcelain tiles are ideal for this and are easy to keep clean. There are many styles and patterns to choose from, so it shouldn’t be too difficult finding a style to suit your bathroom.
Floor tiles are also great for protecting the floor, and again come in a variety of styles and designs. They can be a bit cold to step on, so it may be wise to place a rug over them, or even install under floor heating if you have the resources.
Lighting is an area that shouldn’t be underestimated when remodelling, as it can make a huge difference to the look and functionality of a bathroom. Ideally, you will have a combination of lighting that can both light the bathroom in general, and provide the stronger lighting required around the mirror.
The cheapest and most obvious way to transform your bathroom is to give it a new coat of paint. Soft and subtle colors are best for this as they can make the room appear lighter and more relaxing.
Any bathroom fixtures, such as the toilet, faucets, bathtub or vanities that are worn or damaged should repaired or replaced to make sure your bathroom is a pleasure to use as well as look at.…

Ceramic Tile Removal in a Bathroom Remodel

May 14, 2022 Comments Off

On this step of removing the ceramic tile it’s going to get dusty so what I did first was remove everything that I could so I wouldn’t have to clean it when I was done. Even though I was not going to reuse the tile, I wanted to be careful because I wanted to put the tile on Freecycle or Craigslist so someone else might be able to use them. The only tools I used were an old flat tip screw driver, hammer and a box cutter.
I should say that the tiles that are offset from the wall about 1/2″ with a mortar mix. The way that the mortar stays on the wall is a wire mesh that is attached to the wall with staples and nails. I started by cutting the bead of caulk around the top edge of the tile being careful not to cut to deep and into the drywall. Now the first tile off is the most critical so you have to be real careful. I just started the screwdriver back behind the tile and pried a little bit at a time at tile I could remove without damaging the wall or the tiles next to it. From that point it gets easier. I worked a line straight down to the floor and then made my way around the room.
Being how we are still using the bathroom I had to work around a few things. The first was the toilet. The tank of the toilet was real close to the tile so it made it difficult to get the tiles off around it. The next thing was the vanity. I should tell you that when they built this house they custom built the vanity and everything before they put up the tile so there is allot of things to cut around. I would have to say that when I got to the mirror I had to be real careful because the mirror was resting on top of the tile. Now I am the kind of guy that if something can go wrong it probable will. I got lucky on this part and didn’t break the mirror.
Another nice thing about doing all the work myself, I get to see how thing’s are built. I am a project engineer for a manufacturing company and I am always looking at how things are built. Okay I better get back to the tile work. Now I mentioned that the tile was about 1/2″ off the wall with a mortar mix. When I got to the door way there was the mortar mix on one side and on the other they built it up with a piece of plywood and used liquid nails to hold the tiles up. Needless to say, I couldn’t save any of the tiles that were glued to the wood. Then I found an area that the tile was glued straight to the drywall. I have to replace some drywall now. Luckily that was the end of removing the tile.
I stacked all of the good tile in a box and threw out all bad ones. Swept up all the debris and put everything back in its place. As I mentioned at the beginning I am going to list the tiles on Freecycle since they are in good condition and hopefully someone else can use them instead of them going into the land fill. As I remodel I’m always looking for ways that I can recycle materials instead of throwing them into a land fill that is already overloaded.
In the next article I’ll be removing the mortar mix and the wire that was attached to the wall.…