Five Things to Know Before Beginning Your Bathroom Remodel

Our very own Patricia Davis Brown was featured in the magazine Design Bureau, sharing her expertise on remodeling your bathroom. Learn from Patricia the 5 things to know before beginning your bathroom remodel:

 HAVE A PLAN

“Most people make the mistake of going to the builder first, but a professional plan puts the ball in your court. This allows the homeowner to get accurate bids and be able to determine if the project is in their budget. If you find you’re out of budget, then you are able to value engineer it by substituting less expensive materials to bring the cost into budget.

DON’T FORGET THE LIGHTING

“Every room needs good lighting, but the kitchen and bathroom are the rooms that need a layered lighting plan. A layered lighting plan covers general lighting, task lighting, and ambient lighting for the multiple purposes of a bathroom.”

DO YOUR RESEARCH

“You do not want to date yourself on a brand new remodel by putting in last year’s trends, so stay on top of the latest products and technologies for the bathroom. One of the good things about using a professional designer is they are in the know on the latest looks and will bring them to you.”

BE PREPARED FOR BIDDING

“I recommend bidding with three different builders or subcontractors so you can get a good picture of what the bids should be. And remember, the lowest bid is not always the right one.”

ASK FOR REFERENCES

“A full bathroom remodel takes about three months to complete in full, so you want to make sure that you pick the right contractor to work with. I always recommend asking for three references before I consider hiring such an important person. And before you meet with anyone, make sure they are licensed and insured.”

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*article source digthisdesign.net

Hot Trends For Bathroom Remodeling In 2012

From toilets that double as sound systems to water conserving spa experiences, here's what's trendy for bathroom improvements in 2012.

Trend #1 Conservation Rules
All around the country, water reserves are stressed. In response, regional governments are implementing conservation measures.  As a result, there are likely to be new regulations that will affect your construction or remodeling plans.  Here's what to watch for:

Your new toilet will have a lower flush per gallon rating than the one that's in there now.  Consider a dual flush version, or any low flow toilet coming on the market that meets your style preference. At the very least, your new commode is likely to feature a 1.28 gallons per flush rating - better than even the most recent 1.6 GPF offerings. You'll find them at home improvement centers from $100 to luxury showroom versions for thousands more.

The WaterSense label, launched in 2006 by the Environmental Protection Agency to promote water conservation by plumbing manufacturers and homeowners, will become as well-known as Energy Star. You'll be shopping for low flow shower heads and faucets with the WaterSense label on the box. Just as with Energy Star appliances, there is no cost premium associated with WaterSense savings - there are faucets in every price range.  WaterSense shower heads are newer on the market, with a more limited selection today-mostly at affordable prices.

You'll start seeing more shower heads-especially reading shower models-using Venturi principles that deliver strong water pressure by adding air, not water, to the mix. They are available in every price range, to ultra-affordable standard heads to luxury rain showers.

Trend #2 Technology Advances

You may not think of your bathroom as a high-tech space, but that's about to change. Here are some of the trends that can benefit your home:

You'll be able to create a custom showering experience more affordably than ever. For $300 for simple controllers, two $3500 or more for a complete luxury installation, programmable showers let you digitally set your water temperature, volume, and even massage settings before you step in. To achieve a personalized shower experience, you'll need 120 volt power source, and the thermostatic valve and controller in addition to your standard shower head or heads. Luxury models may include a steam system, a Wi-Fi source for music, multiple body spray outlets, tankless water heater, and the secondary controller to start the system from another room.

Dock your iPhone or MP3 player directly with your speaker equipped, high-tech toilet so you can entertain yourself on the commode.  While you're not likely to invest $4000-$6000 for a Kohler Numi toilet using this technology today, start looking for competitive models later in the year with lower prices.

Catch up on news and weather while you brush your teeth. Television screens are being integrated into medicine cabinets and vanity mirrors. Cost? Early entries to the market command a premium $2200-$2400 price tag.

Plug your smart phone or MP3 player into your medicine cabinet so you won't miss a call or song while you're getting ready for work or bed.  A built in jack keeps your unit charged ( and away from wet countertops) and linked to a built-in speaker system.

Trend #3 Aging Demographics Emphasize Safety

It's not just high-tech that bringing an experience to the bathroom.  Trends in universal design features added comfort, convenience, and safety. But that doesn't mean your bathroom has to look institutional. Here are a few universal design innovations that can factor helpfully and stylishly in your 2012 remodeling plans.

Sleek, low-profile linear drains are ideal for creating safe, zero threshold shower designs. Unlike standard round drain covers that are typically mounted near the front end of the shower, these long, straight drains can be installed in different locations to minimize the slope of the shower floor. One popular location is at the outside edge of the shower,creating a wheelchair friendly curbless shower.  More offerings in more finishes - including nearly invisible tile-in channel modes that are largely covered by shower floor tile- are becoming the standard for upscale spaces.  You'll spend $500-$900 for a quality linear drain. 

The rapidly expanding selection of porcelain, glass, and ceramic tiles makes it easy to find slip resistant, low maintenance floors that don't skimp on style.  Expect to see faux wood, linen, and uniquely textured looks for tiled bathroom floors and walls in 2012.  The texture adds both visible impact and better traction for wet feet.

The accessible tub is no longer limited to the high walled, narrow door format that dominated the market in the last decade. Newer models, such as Kohler's Elevance ($5,100) employ rising panels in front that give more of a traditional tub look with easier entry and exit. Others use standard hinged, sealed doors, but are increasing door width by several inches for better accessibility and appearance.

What improvements-big or small-are you planning for your bathroom this year?

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*article from houselogic.com

Bathroom Makeover

If you're in the mood to be creative design-wise, there's no better room than the bathroom.

If you feel like unleashing your creative potential this weekend, point your palette toward the bathroom. It's the room where you can finish a project in a weekend and still have money left over to get takeout while you're waiting for the paint or polyurethane to dry.

"The beauty of a bathroom is that it's small," says Gary Foreman, publisher of The Dollar Stretcher. "So if you've never sponge painted before, you can try it for an hour or two and if don't like it, what have you wasted? You can paint over it the next day. If you're in the mood to be creative design-wise, there's no better room than the bathroom."

Give your bath a custom look with paintable wallpaper.

Fun Looks Under $100
If you like the look of old fashioned tin ceilings, then you'll love the Norwall Traditional Ceiling Tile Paintable Wallpaper $12 for 56 sq. ft. roll at Lowe's). "It's a textured wallpaper that looks like embossed white plaster," says designer Audra Kennedy, of Audra Kennedy Designs in Huntsville, Ala.
Kennedy helped a friend apply it under the chair rail of a bathroom in an 80-year-old house. "We painted it and created this beautiful wainscoting. It looks fantastic and we put the wallpaper up in one morning."

Paint and regular wallpaper (make sure it's pre-pasted) can also dramatically change the look of a bathroom, says Kennedy. She put up grey diamond patterned wallpaper with a white background in a bathroom that had dark aqua tiles on the floor and shower. In 1970s houses with outlandish tile colors, "You need to do something interesting on the walls to draw the eye up," says Kennedy.
When painting the walls of your bathroom, use bold, deep colors, suggests Kathy Wilson, editor of thebudgetdecorator.com. "Carry color onto the ceiling to keep it from looking broken up," says Wilson.

Tired of your vinyl flooring? Paint it! Make sure to prime it first with a specialty primer and then consider creating a tile pattern or using stencils for a border. Follow with four to six coats of polyurethane, which essentially serves as a coat of plastic. Here's another creative, and really economical, idea from Kathy Wilson: tear off irregular size pieces from brown paper bags, glue them to the floor and top with four to six coats of polyurethane. "It looks like leather or stone," says Wilson. "You can also stain it different colors."

Need artwork? Many designers suggest framing prints (from books, magazines or garden catalogs) that won't ruin your budget if they get damp. In a children's bathroom, hang kids' artwork. Another great place to look for framed prints, including ones with a bathroom theme, is art.com.

In a bathroom, artwork can also be practical. For a wide selection of machine washable, whimsical hand-painted canvas shower curtains, many of which are under $100, go to www.showercurtainart.com.

Go Custom
Custom-made shower curtains by designers can cost more than $250, but if you pick out the fabric yourself, take your own measurements and hire a local seamstress to do the hemming, you can save a lot of money, says Kennedy.

Give your bathroom some texture by adding bead-board or wainscoting to one or all of the walls. The price will vary depending on how many tools you already own, says Kennedy. You can buy primed bead-board at Lowe's, which also offers instructions for installation.

Pick out a matching bathroom rug and shower curtain to brighten up your bathroom. Here's one site with fabulous designs: www.vitafutura.com.

Big Updates, Small Price Tag
Choose a striking cotton or polyester fabric and get a custom-made shower curtain (about $250 for labor and fabric) and a matching valance (about $100). Keep in mind, says Kathy Iven, of Fabric Farms Interiors in Hilliard, Ohio, indoor-outdoor fabrics are becoming much more stylish and they won't attract mold or mildew. (See www.calicocorners.com or www.fabricfarms.com for great selections). Spend whatever you have left on beautiful hardware.

If you're tired of your vanity counter top but can't afford to replace it, consider resurfacing the top. Granitclad has half the thickness of a granite bathroom counter top and a fiberglass backing so it can flex without cracking. Find a fabricator to come in, measure your counter top, and cut out a replacement that goes directly over the old top. It costs about $45 per sq. ft. so a three foot long vanity could be resurfaced for $300. For more information, go to www.granitclad.com.

Even if you've only got one weekend's worth of time and a small amount of money, you can turn your bathroom into a stand-out room by Sunday night.

*article from HGTV

Bathtub Reglazing

When home owners are looking to spruce up dated bathroom tile, reglazing the tub and shower is an option. For many bathrooms, to 'gut' and refurbish the room would be upwards of several thousand dollars. Reglazing the tile in the bathroom will pull it into this decade without breaking the bank.

Typically, reglazing will cost approximately $1,000, but has the ability to transform the old into something new. Reglazing a bathroom should be performed by a professional. The process uses many chemicals that are too toxic for an amateur to handle safely.

The reglazing process should take a professional roughly about 10 days. The video below shows the drastic change that reglazing can offer.

5 Bathroom Remodeling Tips

In effort to stay current with the trends, the most common room to be remodeled is the bathroom. This is because, many bathroom remodeling projects are relatively easy and inexpensive in comparison to other room remodels. Below are eight, economical tips to consider when remodeling your bathroom.

• If you are looking into a bath tub replacement, first consider reglazing the tub. This can save you more than half the cost of a tub replacement and is a much cleaner, quicker project.

• If you are replacing or adding a tub surround, consider cultured marble sheets. It will save you money on the installation costs and marble sheets are easier to clean.

• If you have limited space and are hoping to create more room, there are multiple options for you. Try purchasing a jetted tub and shower combination. Also you can use a pedestal lavatory instead of a vanity cabinet with a sink. Both options will open up the bathroom.

• If you are planning to add a large jetted tub to your bathroom, you may also want to consider adding a water heater dedicated to that tub. Large tubs can hold up to an average of 75 gallons or more of water. This can overextend your existing water heater and cause problems in the future.

• One of the most important pieces of advice, is to gain as much knowledge as possible. Know your options, develop a plan and research ways to execute it. If you plan to use a contractor, get multiple bids and check the credibility of the contractor.

For more tips on remodeling, check out the FREE Remodeling Salvation Guide from Irion Books LLC.

Top 10 Remodeling Trends of 2011

As the New Year begins so do new trends of remodeling. While houses may not be selling, homeowners are still looking to modernize their homes and stay with the current trends. Below is a listing of the top 10 remodeling trends that are expected in 2011.

1. Bathroom Remodel: Bathrooms are the most cost effective rooms to remodel. Many require only small fixes, such as new tile or appliances. Meaning 2011 is the year for a bathroom update

2. "Must Do" Remodeling Projects: Also in an effort to be cost effective, home owners are predicted to complete projects that 'need' to be done, such as a roof that leaks. People will be working towards completing their "have-to" projects instead of their "want-to" list.

3. Warm Up the House: Interior decorators are noticing more warmer colors and tiles in recent decorating. People are moving away from minimalist, white designs and are in favor of cozier, earth tones. The new trend is a mix of earthiness and modern design.

4. Backyard Deck: Homeowners have also begun to increase their outdoor space. Many people enjoy being outside and are spending more time at home.

5. Opening Up Rooms: Open floor plans are in and many homeowners have removed interior walls to enlarge and modernize older spaces. Open floor plans help families be more flexible with the square footage they already have.

6. Bronzing: Metallic features are also moving towards warmth. Oil rubbed bronze, aged bronze or distressed hardware are becoming increasingly more popular.

7. Going Green: Bamboo floors and bark siding are some of the newest and more popular green home products. Homeowners are looking for greener and more energy efficient appliances. Some homeowners have even moved towards tri-pane windows.

8. Industrial Flair: Exposed beams will continue to be popular, but so will stainless steel cable and architectural products. Many homeowners have begun to work from home, meaning homes will take on a more industrial or commercial look to enforce business credibility.

9. Relaxation Space: Tranquility has become a more common need for homeowners as of recently. More people are looking for 'zen like' bathrooms, with works-steam, seats and body sprays.

10. Planning Ahead: Finally, many homeowners are looking towards the future and to their retirement years. People are adding ease into their homes for their later years through easy opening cabinetry, hand held showers and more accessible kitchens and baths. They may not be in need of the products now, but homeowners are increasingly thinking about their future with these additions.

Easy, Economical Bathroom Remodeling Tips

After years of use, the bathtub and shower area can start to show its age. Making some inexpensive fixes to the tub and shower surround can remove mildew buildup or dirty grout, and update tiles and fixtures.

This is important because, next to kitchens, a bathroom is the second most used room in a home, meaning the monetary return on the investment is high. Luckily for homeowners, there are plenty of economical ways to "revamp" their bathroom showers and tubs.

Replacing the old grout in between the shower tiles can brighten up the room. The new grout will enhance your existing tile and in many cases look new. According to All Decks and Improvement this will approximately cost $750.

Another option is to replace your tub and shower surround. The cost depends on whether your bathtub has water or mold issues. Problems such as these do not have an easy fix. If these issues arise, many contractors suggest that the bathroom be completely gutted. Although if your shower is free of these issues then it will approximately cost, from $200 to $500.

Reglazing your tub and shower area is the third economical option. According to Master Kitchens and Baths, reglazing can save a customer up to 90 percent on the remodeling costs. This process is also known as refinishing or resurfacing. The process includes acid washing the existing surface to make the area porous, then adhering a new enamel.

Reglazing can be completed in the home, without disturbing the existing tile, fixtures or plumbing. It takes three to four hours and the bathroom is ready to use after 24 hours.

If the bathroom does contain a mold problem, it is important to call a mold specialist immediately. Mold can infiltrate past the surface, through the wallboards and into the framework of the house.

Any of these easy, inexpensive fixes will freshen and breath new life into your bathroom.