Kitchen & Bathroom Remodeling Tips

Remodeling a house adds a personalized touch and truly makes the home “yours.” That said, the idea of remodeling a house can cause mixed feelings about the whole task. The process can be as exciting as intimidating. The good news is that you can modernize your home all by yourself, with exquisite furniture and fixtures that offer your home a personality of its own…all at an affordable price. And here’s how…

Home is Where the Heart Is

Home improvement is not only about the value it adds to your home. Your home is also a place where you can de-stress after a day’s long work, a place where your children feel loved and the ONLY place where you can feel… well… “at home”!  So, here are a few tips to give your home a make-over by simply sprucing up two key areas of your house – the kitchen and the bathroom(s).

Bathe in Style: Bathroom Remodeling

1. Bathrooms are wet, and often lead to hidden wood rot, so whenever you rip out fixtures expect hidden damage. Ensure that your budget includes an additional 10-15% to cover any unanticipated costs like hidden water damage that includes spongy floor or seepage.
2. Your bathroom should be aesthetically pleasing as well as able to sustain abuse, explains Jeff Diskin, a home remodeling consultant, “You can achieve both if you select the right surface, especially for the master bathroom.”  Larger sized tiles reduce grout lines and make your bathroom upkeep easier. Tile options include porcelain, ceramic, mosaic, natural stone, colored glass, polished pebble and of course marble.
3. Today’s fast paced life leaves you with little time to spend in a tub. So put your money in the shower instead. Indulge in a luxury shower head with a stylish panel. If you have 2 bathrooms or more, you can reduce the cost by installing a tub in just one of them.
4. Look for water-efficient fixtures for your facets and toilets. WaterSense models are highly recommended since they utilize only 1.28 gallons for every flush but all new toilets use less than 1.6 gallons so just switching to a new toilet can save you water from an old 3, 4 or even 5 gallon per flush toilet. If your current toilet has difficulty “clearing” and requires more than one flush, consider one of the models with an over-sized 4″ flush valve and  3″ ball pass.
5. Ensure that your bathroom is provided with plenty of light and ventilation. Everyone likes lots of light over the sink and lots of ventilation in the toilet and shower areas. Distributed lighting, humidity sensors and a bathroom fan not only keep moisture at bay but also protect your bathroom from moisture damage.
6. Quality sink tops,  vanities, medicine cabinets, plumbing and lighting fixtures, can add a great deal of value and make your bathroom much more livable.

Cook in Style: Kitchen Remodeling 

1. Add that touch of elegance to your kitchen by fitting it with affordable yet high quality wood cabinets. If you already have cabinets they can often be “refaced” for much less than total replacement.   New pulls and knobs can accentuate the overall look.
2. Albeit laying ceramic or laminate flooring is time consuming they are an effective option while high quality vinyl is easy to maintain and often less expensive. Laying out a fantastic carpet runner will complete your kitchen.
3. You don’t need over-priced counter tops to make your kitchen sparkle. Choose high quality, stylish, and utility-based counter tops that add grace to your kitchen without shrinking your wallet too much.
4. Try to avoid any updates that will “date” your kitchen but modernizing always helps improve the value.

In short, you can give your home a new and fresh look simply by adding/modifying a few fixtures here and there. The key is to purchase from a retailer that packs value and affordability into his products. This is not the time to choose second rate products. Your guests will know you went cheap and these products will not stand up to the pressures any household will put on them.

See Also:

• Appliances That Bump Up Your Electricity Bill
• Too Much Stuff
• Money Potholes on the Marriage Road
• Affordable DIY Home Improvements
• Appliance Repair or Replace: To Buy or Not To Buy?

Image courtesy of Idea go / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.