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Posts Tagged ‘Remodeling Project’

So, you’ve decided you want a professional to handle the remodeling of your bathroom. You have several ideas of what you want your bathroom to look like, but want to go to a decorator/bathroom remodeler who has a portfolio of their work available. What should you look for in an “exceptional” bathroom remodel portfolio?

Product Review:
We have been in the bathroom remodeling business for over 30 years and in that time have come to know good quality bathroom furniture and fixtures. Without fail our clients are consistently happy when we recommend and install a Cole & Co. Custom Collection Petite Classic Vanity or a similar product from that line. We can’t recommend them enough!

A Bathroom Renovation Portfolio is a Reflection of the Service

A bathroom remodeling portfolio is an opportunity for a planner to show his/her level of professionalism. If you go to a remodeler who has a disheveled bathroom remodeling portfolio, this indicates that the sense of professionalism is not nearly as high. You are more likely to discover a well-organized portfolio displayed by a planner who charges a modest fee – not the cheapest. Here, again, is the old adage – you get what you pay for.

What information should a professional bathroom remodeling portfolio provide me with? The portfolio should provide you with clear before and after pictures of previous completed projects. Details, like tile design, and generalities, like lighting, should be visible. Blurry pictures or pictures only taken from certain angles are clear indicators of a non-professional portfolio.

Also, an ideal bathroom renovation portfolio will have references from people who have had their bathrooms remodeled by this particular company. Look for a full name disclosure on the reference. Don’t just take the provided reference at face value; if the reference also includes contact information, take the liberty of contacting that client to corroborate the reference provided.

Many bathroom remodeling services advertise, so how do you decide which one to contact first? At sometime you must have noticed someone else’s bathroom that impressed you – find out who completed the decorating job. Getting the name of a renovator from someone else who has had work done by them can help you get started. For example, if there is a particular contractor that you have heard many good things about, start with them first.

Many home renovators look to the internet to do their research. You may find pictures of various finished remodeling projects as you navigate from page-to-page. While it might take a lot of time and effort, you can find the right contractor for your particular job. Through your research you will find the contractor that’s right for you.

By Chet Lystrom

When hiring someone to perform renovations on your home, they will usually offer an estimate on the cost of materials and labor.   Go over the estimate with your contractor so you understand exactly what your project estimate includes.  Most estimates will include a cushion just in case unknown repairs come up, but it should also specify how much cost adjustment is allowed and that all changes must be approved by the homeowners.

Most contractors are honest people, but you’ll still want to get references from previous customers.   They will generally offer an accurate bathroom remodeling estimate for the job, knowing that if they continue to charge more than the job was estimated, their future will be limited.   However, there are a few that will purposely undercut a bathroom remodeling estimate in order to get the contract and then try to add things into the price without consulting the owner.

Allowing the contractor to make adjustments to certain aspects of the project up to a certain dollar amount is normal in most remodeling contracts.   Adjustments should be made to the overall total cost of the project, not individual phases.  It will be difficult for the homeowner to reign in the cost of the remodeling project if increases are made to each little part of the project.

Get An Exact Agreement In Place

Everything spelled out in a bathroom remodeling estimate should specify the materials to be used.   The materials list should not just be a general list.  It should include product dimensions and styles.  Being as specific as you can ensures that you will get the bathroom that you are picturing.  If you choose to change the materials, or material quality used during installation, the originally estimated cost will go up.”

Other things to look for on the estimate are the brand and model of any fixtures that will go into your new bathroom.   If you think the contractor might purchase used materials, you may want to specify the purchase source of those materials, or you may want to find a new contractor.  Taking the time to go through the estimate with a fine tooth comb will ensure that you get what you are expecting out of your bathroom remodel.

Hot Products:
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 & Co. Petite Classic Vanity. Read our review of this piece of art and see if it might be right for your home.

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.

Despite the better quality of bathroom remodeling done by professionals, many homeowners decide to do their own bathroom self-remodeling. If you can learn to use most hand tools and aren’t afraid of a little effort, bathroom self-remodeling is a good option. However, if you are planning wiring for new lights or plumbing for new fixtures, check with the zoning code office to determine if this work is required to be done by a licensed contractor.

Many do-it-yourselfers use the money they save on the bathroom self-remodeling project on higher quality fixtures. Instead of replacing the current features, one may be able to add granite or marble countertops or a second sink. Saving money by doing the project yourself, may mean you can buy that flooring material that you’ve always wanted.

While saving money may be important to some homeowners, they need to realize the bathroom self-remodeling job will probably take longer, especially if they are doing the work on night and weekend schedule. Also keep in mind that there will be phases of the project where the bathroom will not be available for use.

Your Project Plan should be the Least Disruptive

Consider all parts of the project and break the job down into manageable phases. You may need to look at what aspects of the project you can complete during a certain timeframe and budget your project and time accordingly. Be sure to allow for unforeseen problems and remember the older the house the more likely problems will some up once the job has begun. For example, when removing the countertop and sink, old pipes my break requiring another trip to the hardware store for replacements.

While it may seem logical to start with the biggest and hardest phase of the project first, remember that this phase will likely be the most disruptive and will likely be disruptive for longer. The most disruptive phase of the project should be scheduled when the self-remodeler can complete it quickly.

The extent of a bathroom self-remodeling project needs to be decided based on the available budget. It is not always possible to budget for every possible penny, even if you do make allowances for the expense of things that don’t go quite according to plan. Don’t forget to leave room in your budget to upgrade some features and celebrate the completed project.

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 Fairmont Designs. Read our review of this piece of art and see if it might be right for your home.

If you wish to have a bathroom spa bath, go ahead and indulge yourself with the facilities and comforts that spa style bathroom offers. This type of remodeling project could very well be quite expensive. If you are keen and willing to take a loan, then visit your bank and enquire about it. Get quotations from various contractors and see which of them suits you best. Some contractors have different payment plans, so make sure you check them too before starting on a spa style bathroom remodeling. This can help ease the pain of a large one-time payment. A spa style bathroom provides you a good relaxation right at home.

Check Before You Start Any Remodeling Project

Check with your contractor if you need to add more space for your spa style bathroom remodeling. If this project does not need more space, you can go ahead and plan your project. If you are planning to increase space by breaking a wall, you better get a permit to avoid hassles. Check with your city government to find out what this entails. While not getting a permit seems like a quick way to get started you can get in a lot of trouble down the road without one. Also, you can concentrate on your spa bathrooms without any hindrances.

Funding
There are various methods to accommodate your spa style bathroom remodeling. If you have sufficient credits, you can opt to take a bank loan by providing them with supporting documents. You can try mortgage or reverse mortgage of your home. Another idea is to see if you can work out a payment plan with your contractor. Check out all your options and be prepared before starting your spa style bathroom remodeling.

Planning
Planning is the most important part of the spa style bathroom remodeling project. You must first decide on how you want your bathroom to be. Take tips from magazines or remodeling books. The Internet can also be a great source of ideas and resource for the latest trends and fashions in bathroom remodeling. Check out with your friends if they have a spa style bathroom and know the facts which will not only help remodel your bathroom, but also in planning additional costs involved in maintenance. Exhaust all the options and make sure you are completely satisfied with the plan before starting on your spa style bathroom remodeling project.

Bathroom Remodeling Advice – 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 Bath Vanity Collage Collection to our more sophisticated clients and they are never dissappointed.

By: Chet Lystrom

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

If you happen to mention that you are considering doing up the bathroom, you will be flooded with remodeling a bathroom ideas.  Whether you get ideas from a contractor, someone else who has remodeled their bathroom, or someone without a clue, you’ll get ideas you like and ideas you don’t.  Experts are people with real experience, not just ideas they got from watching renovation shows on television.  Although home renovations shows like “This Old House” has helped many people with economical home repairs, it also has made armchair experts of thousands of others. 

Here is how not to find bathroom remodel ideas.

Anywhere Alcohol Is Involved

It used to be that a local bar was the best place to find contractors.  Contractors would stay in the bar knowing that potential customers may come looking for them there.  If they weren’t in the tavern, then they weren’t looking to take on any more work at that time.  Nowadays, no respectable builder or contractor drums up business this way.  Even getting ideas in the bar is a bad idea.  Drinking and remodeling are two things you should never mix.

The “Trust Me” Guys

The words “trust me” do not mean what they once did, especially when they are connected with any ideas for remodeling your bathroom and not their own bathrooms.  That phrase has really changed from something meaningful to a warning over the years.  Even if your best friend, even if your lover, even if your mother ends any ideas for remodeling your bathroom with the words “trust me”, just nod, smile and then mentally wipe all the ideas from your memory banks.

Contractors Don’t Wear Suits

Have you ever seen a contractor in a suit?  It’s not something you see everyday.  The person may have previously been a contractor, so they could give some useful ideas.  Their ideas could be looked into, but be sure that the building codes or material prices haven’t changed since they were remodeling bathrooms.  Architects frequently wear suits, but will probably not have the same focus as you.

By: Chet Lystrom

When hiring someone to perform renovations on your home, they will usually offer an estimate on the cost of materials and labor.   When getting a bath makeover estimate take the time to go over it with the contractor to be sure of exactly what is included in the price.   Most estimates will include a cushion just in case unknown repairs come up, but it should also specify how much cost adjustment is allowed and that all changes must be approved by the homeowners.

It’s important to get references from previous customers, even if you trust and like your contractor.  They will generally offer an accurate bathroom remodeling estimate for the job, knowing that if they continue to charge more than the job was estimated, their future will be limited.   However, there are a few that will purposely undercut a bathroom remodeling estimate in order to get the contract and then try to add things into the price without consulting the owner.

Allowing the contractor to make adjustments to certain aspects of the project up to a certain dollar amount is normal in most remodeling contracts.   Adjustments should be made to the overall total cost of the project, not individual phases.  This mistake can considerable increase the cost above the initial bathroom remodeling estimate, with the homeowner having little wriggle room to reign in costs.

All Contract Specifications Should Be Exact

Your bathroom remodeling project estimate should definitely include all the materials the contractor expects to use.   The materials list should include specific dimensions and style.  For example, if you are having a granite counter top installed, the dimensions and thickness should be listed.   Being as specific as you can ensures that you will get the bathroom that you are picturing.  If you choose to change the materials, or material quality used during installation, the originally estimated cost will go up.”

Other things to look for on the estimate are the brand and model of any fixtures that will go into your new bathroom.   If you think the contractor might purchase used materials, you may want to specify the purchase source of those materials, or you may want to find a new contractor.  Taking the time to go through the estimate with a fine tooth comb will ensure that you get what you are expecting out of your bathroom remodel.

Bathroom Remodeling Idea – 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 Designs Bath Vanities Collage Collection to our more sophisticated clients and they are never dissappointed.

By: Chet Lystrom

A bathroom exposition can be an excellent place to find ideas.  At kitchen and bathroom remodeling trade shows, you’ll mingle with other people who are possibly doing their own remodeling, you’ll see the various styles and brands available and you’ll get to talk to people in the know, which can give you great contacts for when you’re finally ready to do your remodeling.  There is so much to choose from, you won’t have any problems finding the kitchen or bathroom of your dreams.

Locating Trade Shows

The best way to find local a bathroom show is to visit your local kitchen and bathroom remodeling stores.  They should know when and where the trade shows will be as they are interested in the products that will be shown as well.  There are other ways to find shows, however.  You can pick up a newspaper as sometimes you will find ads for up and coming trade shows of all kinds.  Trade shows will also be listed in local entertainment magazines.  Of course, you can also check online.  Just look around, and you should find the information you are looking for.

Trade Shows Showcase What’s New In The Industry

A bathroom exposition is perfect for finding out what’s new in the industry.  Seeing the newest products on the market will give you a lot of great new ideas for your project.  You are more likely to find custom products at the trade show that you won’t find at regular stores.  Seeing everything available at the trade show will give you more ideas than you can imagine.

The most important thing you will do at the tradeshow is make valuable contacts you’ll need once you start your remodeling project.  Their input will also give you a good idea of the cost of your project.

By Chet Lystrom