Today, bathrooms are considered more like spas than simply places where you can take a quick shower. A bathroom renovation can make a significant difference in the comfort of your life – and in the value of your home. The increase in value depends on a number of different factors, including the extent of the remodeling, as well as the fixtures and materials chosen. In 2007, Remodeling Online estimated that the average bathroom remodel project returned approximately 78% resale value.
DIY?
If you’re handy and just looking for a cosmetic update, installing new flooring, cabinetry and painting are time-consuming but relatively simple tasks. If you’re looking to completely remodel your bathroom, working with a certified kitchen and bath designer, along with a qualified contractor will save you time, money and headaches. Designers who specialize in bathrooms and contractors have the experience, skills and resources to work with you to create the room of your dreams – on time and on budget.
Where to Begin
Look through home design magazines, visit showcase houses, research renovations online and review potential designer and contractor portfolios for ideas. From there you will know what you want and you can budget it out as well.
A good place to get started is to make a list of everything you want to do to renovate your bathroom. If you had an unlimited budget, what would you do? With this exercise, you’ve narrowed down the style, the colors and the types of materials. Next you can begin to narrow your priorities down to determine what you can afford to do. Preparation will make it easy for your contractor to develop a plan that takes into account all your needs and that stays within your budget.
Financing Your Dream Bathroom
One of the most common ways homeowners pay for a bathroom remodel is by financing the project. Whether you tap into your home’s equity, take out a home improvement loan from a bank or credit union, or take advantage of the financing available from retailers such as Home Depot or Lowes, you should be able to afford the bathroom remodeling project of your dreams. Learn more on our Financing page.
- Your Goals
Why do you want to remodel? Has your family outgrown your current floor plan? Have you always wanted a gourmet kitchen? Do you plan to sell soon and want to get the most resale value possible? Establish what your overall goal is with the remodel. - Your Needs
Determine what you need to do to your home to meet your goal. Now is the time to prioritize projects - a new plumbing and heating and electrical system may be more important than replacing your home's flooring. - Your Budget
Write down everything that you dream about doing for your home renovation. Then, make another list of all the things that must be renovated or updated. Consider how much more a month you could put toward a home improvement loan or how much money you have saved for the project. Pick up the phone and call architects and contractors to get an estimate of how much your renovation will cost. Compare the cost estimate with your preliminary budget, and decide what you can reasonably afford to do. Plan to pad your budget 20% or so to account for unexpected cost overruns. - Your Timeframe
Does your home renovation need to be completed by a certain time or event? Are you planning to move out of town or are you having a baby and need the extra room? Renovations can take longer than expected, so only plan to tackle what can be accomplished within your timeframe. - Your Skills
Can any projects on your list become do-it-yourself projects? Do you have the skills - much less the time - to tackle such a project? Most people think they can easily retile a bathroom, install new hardwood flooring or build a new room addition only to find these projects still remain half-finished years later. Be realistic about what you can and cannot accomplish.
Links and Resources:
- Flow Chart
- Check List
- Planning Process Flow Chart
- Home Energy Checklist
- Standard of Practice
- American Society of Home Inspectors
- California Real Estate Inspection Association
It’s important to remember that remodeling can often take several weeks – months if you’re creating a master suite and bath or a whole house remodel. Of course there will be some noise, mess, and inconvenience during the process. But the final product – a beautiful new bathroom – is worth the wait.
2. Once you have the answers to the above questions, you're ready to dive into the details. You'll need to securefinancing, locate an experienced contractor and then be prepared to enjoy your beautiful, newly renovated home.
3. You can pick topics from the menu bar at the top of the page.
Understand the Players
When planning your home renovation, you may be working with a wide range of people.
- Architect - The architect designs the plans and creates a list of material specifications. He or she can also provide references for contractors who can implement your home renovation.
- General contractor - The general contractor oversees the entire and oversees the subcontractors, such as electrical, plumbing, painting, or roofing. Some contractors can help with planning and designing your renovation, while others do only the actual renovation work.
- Interior designer - The interior designer can help plan your rooms to make them more functional and can solve space problems, as well as give your home a whole new look.
- Design/build contractor - A design/build contractor sees the renovation job through start to finish. Design/build contractors usually work in conjunction with an architect or interior designer to help with the planning and designing phase.
What to Look Out For
While most contractors are honest, hardworking people, there can be potential scams and rip-off artists. Beware of a contractor who:
- Demands or only accepts cash
- Is high pressure
- Wants you to pay for everything up-front
- Tries to influence where you get your renovation loan
Interviewing your potential contractor is the first step in making your decision on who to trust with your home renovation. Be sure to ask following questions:
- What are your credentials?
- Do you have a portfolio of previous projects?
- Will I need permits for this project?
- Do you have references?
- Does this project require subcontractors?
- How long will the project take to be completed?
While you want to enjoy your kitchen and design it the way you like, you also need to consider what potential buyers would like in case you sell your home down the road. A kitchen that was designed even just a decade ago can look dated, and you may want to decide on remodeling your kitchen.
An important part of remodeling your kitchen is to find current trends that you are fond of. What had been popular decades before may not be what is popular now, so keeping up with 21st century kitchen trends for your remodel is a good idea.
When looking at trends make certain to watch for things that have remained in style or have changed very little. For example natural stone counter tops, such as granite, limestone and marble, are still the most popular material for counter tops. But adding a modern twist, like using different materials for specific work areas, keep your kitchen looking up to date and in style.
Less and less people have the need to prepare foods from scratch, so another trend of modern kitchens is to add more storage space. Work stations are now expected, whether that be full-size pantries, multi-level islands to work on, or cabinet pull outs.
The kitchen is now used for the entire family, so having a more open kitchen design for more space for family is also a current kitchen trend. Today's kitchen designs are more open as far as space planning, since smaller kitchens were usually designed for a single person.
The trend toward professional grade appliances has continued. Keep a look out for kitchen ranges, built in refrigerators, and ovens with convection microwave and warming drawer options. Dishwashers that look like part of the cabinetry is more popular now than the huge face of stainless steel.
With so many different and unique styles to choose from, a modern trend has been to be more specific in kitchen design. For example having your kitchen designed in the famour country style is not enough. You can choose to have it designed in French country or the Tuscan country style.
There are a dizzying array of kitchen design ideas to consider, so take your time and research the current trends. By doing so you will be able to keep your kitchen looking attractive, especially to potential buyers if you end up selling your home later on. If you feel overwhelmed by this, you are not alone, that is why most people go out and hire a trusted company that will help them install all of the fixtures and elements that they've picked out.
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If you would like to obtain more valuable information on other services provided by Action Plumbing, visit Action Plumbing's website or their blog. Action Plumbing is a family owned and operated company serving Utah customers plumbing, heating and AC needs for over 13 years. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lindsay_Parker
Any real estate expert will tell you that if you remodel your kitchen or bathrooms you can increase the value of your home. Many of us love the charm of a home that is older with character but we all want our kitchen and bathrooms to be updated. With a touch economy like we are facing today many of us are choosing to stay in our homes and remodel. In this article I will touch on some of the ways you can get great ideas for remodeling an old bathroom. First, expose yourself to as many ideas as possible. I always recommend visiting open houses and model homes. This is a wonderful source for new and innovative ideas. This enables you to look at the finished product up close. You may want to bring a camera if they allow you to take pictures. Secondly, go toa local bookstore and look through magazines and books that offer renovating ideas. If you see something you love you may consider buying the publication. Many areas have builder book stores you may find some very interesting periodicals there. Third, you may want to consider hiring an interior designer/decorator that can give you some great ideas and will be aware of what may work best for the space you have. They will also be able to advise of what won't work for you. Just before you hire a person be sure of their fee so there are no surprises. Many home improvement stores may have decorators that will come out for fre if you buy supplies from them. Fourth, you may want to network with friends and family who have recently redecorated their own bathrooms. They may be able to steer you in the right direction for you. Something you may think seems really great in a picture may not be functional at all. Remodeling your bathroom can be very expensive so you do not want to make any major mistakes. Lastly, make a budget and make sure your ideas and concepts will work within your budget. Make sure you figure all the expenses. The last thing you want to do is be almost finished and run out of money. In the end you do not want to have to settle for less desirable fixtures to finish the job.
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