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Posts Tagged ‘budget’

It’s one of the indicators of a ‘proper’ recession when the general public starts to rethink strongly held views on what they once ‘couldn’t live without’. A study by Pew Research Center of a wide sample of American households looked at what appliances were taking a hit in the credit crunch. They posed the question “which of these are a luxury you could live without and which are a necessity?” in relation to a list of everyday appliances and objects. The list ranged from cars to air conditioners to microwaves to cell phones.  There were a few surprising results that showed the impact that this recession is having on how we think about our most treasured possessions.The number of people who considered a microwave a luxury item went up by a fifth compared to the last survey. Having a home or portable air conditioner stopped becoming a luxury for 16 percent of people asked compared to a few years ago. Maybe the most surprising result was the fact that 12% less people considered a TV to be a necessity in the home.  It was technological gizmos such as cellphones, high speed internet connections and flat screen TVs that were the ones not to take a hit in the rankings, suggesting that these have become the new necessities of our time.

To be honest many of the results don’t surprise me all that much.You only have to ask around to friends and family to see that frugality is becoming key as we live in fear of rising prices, reduncancies and difficulties in obtaining credit. I suppose from now on it will be about spending the minumum necessary to get by. Having a ceiling fan instead of air conditioning during the hot summer we have coming ahead. Sticking with the bedroom furniture or fridge freezer you’ve been promising to replace for one more year. Using public transport, or walking or cycling instead of driving to cut petrol bills. In my opinion these kinds of things aren’t going to make a big difference to our overall quality of life. The scary thought lurking around the corner, however, is that this is only the beginning and will really start affecting our quality of life.  Maybe at that point people will start to think about all the billions we pay in taxes that gets spent on war, bank buyouts and corporate kickbacks, and start to demand some real change in our society.

Have you ever looked at your bathroom and wish it looked a little different, or maybe a little more modern?    There are a variety of ways to breathe new life into your bathroom from rearranging the room to installing new components.   Whatever your aspirations may be, bathroom planning, you’ll want to know how much space you have to work with, what components you want to put in it, and what budget you have to work with.   Local contractors can take your measurements and ideas and give you a pretty accurate idea of how much your new bathroom will cost so you can budget accordingly.  Once you’ve got your plan completed and your budget set, the bathroom of your dreams is within reach!

Should you Expand the Bathroom?

Does your dream bathroom fit in the space you have? If you want to install larger bath and shower components, or separate shower and tub components, you may need more room.  You can do this by knocking out a wall or doing whatever you have to do.   The contractors you plan your budget with will definitely need to know about this part of the plan as it will definitely cost a little more.  Again, the contractors you work with will be able to tell you if expanding the bathroom is even possible.  Expanding the bathroom on the edge of a home, into the yard, shouldn’t be a problem.   You may need to do some serious re-planning if you find out you don’t have the room you need to expand the bathroom.

What to Put in the Bathroom

Now that you know what kind of space you have to work with, you’re going to want to fill it with the various components, such as sinks, toilets, tubs, showers, and whatever else you want to put in there.   When you pick out the bathroom components, think about the style you want to go with like modern, classic, or country.  The main thing to keep in mind when bathroom planning is that you want to remain consistent.   You don’t want to put in a modern sink, for example, if the rest of your components are older.    Just have fun with it, as bathroom planning is a blast.   Your new bathroom will mean even more to you knowing that you are the creative genius behind it!

Premium Product Review:
For those of you whose taste go further than IKEA and know what real craftsmanship means we have some product recommendations on our site that you might like. This week we feature the Cole & Company Premier Collection Medium Provence Vanity. Read our review of this piece of art and see if it might be right for your home.

Do you ever walk in the bathroom and think about how you could update it? Make it a little more modern? Look around and think about how you would change the space. Do you have room for a larger tub or shower? Or maybe there’s room for two separate components? When bathroom remodeling planning, there are a few things to consider like budget, room, and what component you’d like to put in first. When putting together a budget, it’s a good idea to get a few quotes from local contractors so that you have an accurate idea of the cost. Once the budget is set, planning is complete, and you are ready to get started, you can create the bathroom of your dreams.

Should you Expand the Bathroom?

When you are planning out your new bathroom layout, think about whether or not you’ll have enough room in the existing space. If, for example, you don’t have the space to put in that large sized shower you’re looking forward to installing, you might need to add a little space. You may have to knock down some walls to make it happen. This is of course going to cost extra, but it’s all information you’re going to need when figuring out your budget. The room you have available to expand into is going to be your main concern. If your bathroom is on the outside edge of the house, you should be able to expand into the yard. You may need to do some serious bathroom design planning if you find out you don’t have the room you need to expand the bathroom.

Components

Now that you know what kind of space you have to work with, you’re going to want to fill it with the various components, such as sinks, toilets, tubs, showers, and whatever else you want to put in there. You’ll also want to decide if you’re going to go modern or if you’re going to go for a slightly older look. Definitely stick with the style you choose. Keep everything looking clean and professional by sticking with one look. Just have fun with it, as bathroom planning is a blast. The best part comes, though, when you’re all done and you can finally look at your finished product and know that you planned it all by yourself.

Bathroom Remodeling Recommendation – Of all the remodeling projects we’ve done, those that include a new bathroom vanity are the most appealing. We continue to recommend the Fairmont Design Vanities Collage Collection to our more sophisticated clients and they are never dissappointed.

By: Chet Lystrom