One of the most important rooms in the home is undoubtedly the bathroom. Although it is one of the smallest, it is used very frequently, usually by all members of the home. This is especially so if it is the only bathroom in the house. A nice bathroom can raise the value of a home greatly if remodeled properly.
There are some useful tips to adhere to if you are going to be remodeling your bathroom. Firstly, if you do not have a lot of space in the first place, perhaps you should consider replacing your bathtub with a shower stall. There are many beautiful shower stalls that you can source and purchase. If your bathroom is very small, but you would like to have a bath and shower facility, you could consider installing a shower head attachment onto your bath.
Your choice of bathroom sinks must be taken into careful consideration. Although some metals like dark copper are appealing in the showroom, they will make soap and water marks stand out. Your best bet is to go with a clean white porcelain sink, perhaps in an interesting bowl shape. The objective is to create a bathroom that looks neat and clean even when it is being used often. There is nothing neater than white porcelain.
Sink tops in your bathroom could be made with granite or marble. These surfaces can be kept clean, and attain a nice shiny finish. You may want to install a small cupboard under the sink to keep bathroom necessities in, or perhaps a small set of drawers strategically placed can attractively house toiletries. It is important to keep a neutral and matching color and style theme throughout the bathroom. Ensure that the tiles match the shower and sink and any drawers you may add.
As mentioned previously, a nice bathroom can add great value to your home. Some popular and admired bathroom fixtures are skylights, walk in showers for couples and his and hers sinks. Skylights will make your bathroom look very attractive, all the while adding beautiful natural light. Ensure that you do not add his and hers sinks for high resale return, when there is hardly enough space for one sink in the first place! This also applies to a couples shower.
Smaller bathrooms can be given a makeover to add the illusion of space. Consider placing a large picture mirror on one side of the bathroom, preferably above the sink and bath. A large mirror placed correctly will open the room up, and is also useful, because everyone needs a mirror in the bathroom! If you are lucky enough to be remodeling a larger bathroom, you could even consider installing a bidet. A bidet will enhance your hygiene as well as adding further value to your home.
Some more things to keep in mind are the finishing touches and fittings. The toilet roll holder must be placed at a comfortable height for use whilst on the toilet. An attractive hook or rail should be fixed next to the sink for a hand towel to be hung on. Bath towel rails must be installed near the bath tub and shower stall to ensure easy access without dripping too much water on the floor.
Hopefully these tips will assist you in creating the perfect bathroom, at an affordable price. Don’t forget to arrange an alternative bathroom to use whilst yours is being remodeled!
Sean Farrell
http://www.articlesbase.com/bath-showers-articles/what-to-consider-before-remodeling-your-bathroom-731657.html
Bathroom Remodel Disaster – Need Opinions?
I hired a guy to rip up the old sub-flooring, put in new sub-flooring, put in cement backer board, put in tiling and a new toilet. I have never hired anyone to do work in my house before. I hired him, because my son (electrical) does work on houses with him (construction) once in awhile.
I’m not happy with the results. At first I was just a little concerned, but last night I found many tiles that were not set in the mortar (I think that’s what he said it was). They just popped right out. Grout is supposed to be done on Monday. He used quick set mortar, so I assume he let it dry too much before putting those tiles in. There are also spots where he didn’t use enough mortar, because you can still see the backer board through the spaces between tiles.
I am seriously considering asking for my money back so I can hire someone else to do the whole thing over again – even if I have to go to court. My son feels I should let him fix his mistakes, but I don’t trust him anymore. Here’s why.
He did not replace the whole floor. He left at least one big section of old flooring, because he said it didn’t need replacing. I questioned this, because the new flooring is "taller" than the old flooring. He said it would all work out in the end, because the mortar would level it out. Now there is an obvious bump along the whole area where they "meet" up, for whatever reason. He also did not take the sub-flooring all the way to the edge of the wall in a few spots. You can still see holes going into the basement. The backer board has the same issue. Again, he said the mortar would fill it in just fine. He obviously doesn’t follow the "measure twice, cut once" rule. And when he screws up, he doesn’t do it over. The sub-flooring sections don’t even meet up! The holes he cut for the toilet in the sub-flooring and backer board are a joke. They are way off center and far too big. The tiles there are a mess too. They are cut so bad.
As I said, the tile is a mess, in many different ways. There is one spot right by the door, where he cut 1/2 inch sections to fill the gap from the last tile sets up to the wall. It looks totally retarded. The lines don’t even match up. They are also sunk in further than the other tiles. Behind the toilet, some of the tiles are clearly sunk in further than the rest, which is where the flooring didn’t go all the way to the wall.
I know I’m a perfectionist, but these things don’t seem acceptable. I just don’t think he was careful enough. I don’t feel he can be trusted, because I did try addressing my concerns with him, and he blew me off. I really don’t feel that he can be trusted to do it right the second time.
So what should I do? I’ve never met this issue before, and am lost as to proper protocol. Thank you for taking the time to read all this. Thank you in advance for your responses.
I would ask for your money back, but be prepared for your son to get some of the backlash from this. Tile and sub flooring is not that hard to do, get your money back and do it yourself. I had zero experience and I gutted the bathroom at our old house one day while my husband was at work. The tub and toilet both leaked and were going to fall through the floor to the basement, the walls were water damaged and all had to be replaced. He came home to a ceiling, studs, and floor joists. I had it all back together in about a week.
So, first bust up the old tile. Pull up the backer board, and the subfloor. Using a circular saw to cut the pieces, lay down the new sub floor and backer board. Find the center of the room and lay a verticle and horizontal chalk line. This is where you will start your tile. Spread your mortar larger than the first piece of tile and place it within these lines. Use plastic spacers (home depot) to space your tiles. All you cuts can be done with a rented tile saw and should be along the edges. Let dry overnight and grout the next day. Use grout sealer the following day. Home Depot sells a great florring book that give step by step instructions.
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I agree with you. You should get someone else to do the repairs and ask for a refund. There are codes that have to be followed when doing repairs to your home. It sounds like this person knows nothing about these codes or he would have tried to follow them. I would contact the code enforcement office in your town to obtain a copy of the codes for bathroom upgrades and show them to this person. Apparently he takes no pride in his work. It is your home and you must live in it and use this room daily. It should be done to your specifications.
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Tell him to take his bag of tricks and hit the da– road .
I would not pay him a cent and take plenty of photos of your claim in case he tries to take you to court ! The problems your having already are only what you can see ,so what is going to happen later when its done ? Do you think he will come back to repair them later ? Wouldn’t hold your breath ! Out with the trash !
Its your money , so be a perfectionist all you want !
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