Renovations

Home Design, Renovations

A power bathroom renovation is no easy task. It requires a lot of planning and figuring which material goes with what, not to mention how much materials cost. Below are a couple of tips on how to accomplish all that you need to do.

Find an inspiration

In order to complete your power bathroom renovation quickly, first find design inspiration to focus your work on. The best way to do that would be to choose a theme for space. You could go for something minimalist, modern, or post-modern. This way, having a theme in mind will guide your decision on what to remove from the bathroom, what will stay in place, and what to replace.

Consider your budget

Any remodel will require a budget and power bathroom renovation is no different. Figuring out the budget of the work will require a lot of research. This will mean talking with a contractor who has experience in this aspect.

Expensive things should be neutral

Renovating the bathroom is expensive enough as it is, you don’t want to splurge on an expensive fixture only for it to be outdated in a matter of years. If you want to splurge, spend that money on fixtures that are neutral. Examples would be tile flooring or hardware fixtures. Consider these features like that of a blank canvas, easy to fit no matter the design of the space.

Don’t forget storage

Whether it’s a cabinet to store extra toilet paper or to store extra towels, you should never go without storage in your bathroom. This is an underappreciated feature in many bathrooms but one that will be sorely missed when absent.

Recess

If space is tight, consider adding built-ins like recessed medicine cabinets, soap dish, and roll holder to conserve as much space as possible. You can also make the ceiling light by converting it into recessed lighting.

Ventilation

All bathrooms need proper ventilation not only to eliminate odor but to prevent the growth of mold in a space that’s moist and damp most of the time. A small window usually does the trick but if the bathroom is in the middle of the house, then the next best thing would be to install an exhaust fan. If you’re leaning towards using a fan, make sure you check out the fan’s capacity, the amount of air it can move per minute, relative to the noise it makes.

Adding some greenery

Bringing in some greenery inside the home is always a good idea, especially in spaces that are a little small. A small potted plant in the bathroom will bring a much-needed freshness and color in an otherwise sterile space. Step it up a notch by installing a shelf for your trailing plants to reside in.

Flooring is everything

Wood flooring, while beautiful and adds character to the bathroom, is obviously not the best type of floor material for any bathrooms. Instead, pick a flooring material that’s durable and stand up against the constant wetness. Popular materials include porcelain and ceramic tile, vinyl plank, and sheet vinyl flooring.

A little color to extend the space

For smaller bathrooms, one way to make space look bigger is through color. Trick the eye into thinking space is bigger than it actually is by sticking to a white or light color palette. Use light-colored fixtures (toilet, tub, sink, etc.) to adjust the bathroom space. The ceiling should be painted in white or light color and no other.

Lighting is everything

The bathroom is the room where people check themselves out constantly so a bathroom that’s dim and badly lit doesn’t make sense. In a room where there’s limited space, the tendency is to stick to one type of lighting, usually ceiling light. But consider adding lighting around the mirror using scones. Make sure the lighting you add isn’t blinding or it will defeat the purpose.

Take it from some experts & professional contractors at Bathroom Remodel Wpg, who provide quality bathroom renovations homes count on for stellar results. They were kind enough to supply us with a few of these insights.

Renovations

Planning to do a house remodel? Then you should hire a qualified remodeling contractor. Here’s what you should look for.

Get recommendations

The first thing you have to do in looking for the right remodeling contractor would be to ask for recommendations. You can talk to friends and relatives who have undergone a recent home remodel or simply contact experts in the field and ask if they know someone with the right experience and skill to handle the job. A good contractor will be easy to contact and will be transparent about their previous projects.

There are different ways you can start compiling a list of possible candidates. One, you should seek help from other homeowner friends and families for recommendations, especially those who have undergone recent home renovation projects. Next, you should search online for the kind of service you need within your area. Most likely a few contractors will be conscious enough to advertise their services on the web, either through social media or other websites. In checking possible contractors online, don’t fail to check out reviews. Possible red flags to watch out for include contractors who are hard to get a hold of. You should also be wary of contractors who offer a ridiculously low bid for the project. And a professional contractor should be able to answer basic questions you have about the services they’re offering as well as previous jobs they’ve done.

Compare profiles

Look for contractors that specialize in the type of remodel you plan on doing. If you plan on remodeling your kitchen, you should look into contractors with extensive experience in this. A remodeling contractor with a background of design can also be helpful in some projects. Ask prospective contractors for their portfolio and compare them against each other as well as your requirements. Photos should include before and after the remodel and clear. In asking for a contractor’s portfolio, it should contain at least 10 previous projects with the recent ones within the last year or two. Ask for blueprints, sketches, or other types of plans for you to get an idea of how the contractor takes on a project.

Possible red flags to look out for include portfolios with too few projects, no pictures before the project, or photos that are of low quality. Also, keep in mind that most home renovation contractors only include their best projects so if what you’re seeing in their portfolio is not up to your standards, you should reconsider hiring the contractor for the job.

Ask for certification and licensing

Next is to ask for your candidates if they have any license and certification. It should match the type of work you plan on undertaking in your home. Make sure they carry the right license and certification to do the job safely and legally. Never work with a contractor who can’t provide this requirement. You should also make sure that every contractor you’re considering for the job has liability insurance in case they damage the home during the course of the project. The contractor, as well as workers in their employ, should also be covered by worker’s compensation. Make sure you ask for a copy of the contractors’ insurance policy and check that it’s up to date.

Write off any contractor that doesn’t have the right credentials. You should also be wary of working with someone who is hesitant to provide you with the information or takes too long in giving you the information you require.

Check for references

The last is to check references. Almost all reputable contractors will expect their customers to ask for a list of references and should have no problem providing that. Typically, they should be able to provide around ten jobs complete with names and addresses as well as contact information. In calling the references, ask if the contractor stayed on schedule. Also, ask if the job site was kept neat and tidy throughout construction.

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Home Design, Renovations

Remodeling a kitchen is no easy task but there are a few tips and tricks to make the endeavor manageable. Read on and find out these simple kitchen renovation tips.

  1. Undoing the kitchen

Most kitchen cabinets are attached to the wall but not its doors. Start by removing cabinet doors. Next is to remove doorways and trims if you’re planning on reusing them. Shut off power to the kitchen and remove appliances as well as lighting fixtures. Take care to cover exposed wires. If you want to remove the paneling, use the crowbar to pry them loose.

  1. Finding someone in charge

Before even starting the renovation of your kitchen, you first have to consider who is in charge of the project. You can find a general contractor to supervise the work or take on that responsibility yourself. Keep in mind that hiring a contractor will cost you around 30% of the overall budget, money that you can use for some other purposes. Whatever you decide to do, make sure the contractor is licensed, skilled, bonded, and insured.

  1. Replace old plumbing

Now that you’ve taken on the challenge of redoing your kitchen, you might also want to consider changing the dated plumbing system. Older plumbing might leak and break so make sure you have plenty of buckets on hand. Also, consider installing a shut-off valve box for the fridge and installing a new gas line.

  1. New wiring

Newer kitchen style is all about recessed lighting, pendant fixtures, and breakfast nook lighting. You should also look into upgrading your circuit breaker, increasing it up to 200 amps. Talk to your electrician if you want to get this done. Change all wiring that is not up to code as well.

Consider mudding

The job of hanging sheetrock is a rather simple job but muddling, the process of installing multiple compounds to the joint takes some skills. Mud is basically a joint compound that used when it has been dumped into a mudding tray then smushed to create a softer consistency. It can take up to three coats of mud. It will take the work one day for each coat, amounting to three days total.

A fresh coat of paint

Most likely you’ll have to add a fresh coat of paint to your kitchen walls and ceiling during your renovation. There are many people who label themselves as painters but don’t deliver the high-quality job a true painter could. Any homeowner can do the job of painting their kitchen but they’ll never match the quality a real professional house painter can. In this regard, let the pros handle the task; they’ll do a better job at it. Also, their paint job is going to look a lot more beautiful and will also last longer.

New floor and baseboard

Most contractors will install a new floor after they’re through with the cabinets but you might want to consider doing it before. There are several choices for kitchen floors available in the market. Cork flooring is an eco-friendly option that’s made from tree bark, leaving the tree still intact. Bamboo is also another option. Although set at a premium price, they are easy to install and comes in a variety of patterns. Also, bamboo is a grass and grows extremely fast so it’s a sustainable option than hardwood.

New cabinets

If you’re tired of your old kitchen cabinets and prefer something fresh and new, then you’ll have to include new kitchen cabinets in your kitchen remodel. This will require the help of a professional who can level and install them properly. If you approach a company for your new kitchen cabinets, they should be able to also provide qualified and skilled installers to do the job correctly.

New hardware

And last but certainly not the least when it comes to a kitchen remodel, you should have new hardware and ones that match. They add a tiny spark of accent to your otherwise monotone paint job.

Follow some of these guidelines for a successful kitchen makeover and welcome some new design trends into your home!