Renovation experts say you should renovate your bathroom every 17.9 years. Our house is 18 years old and it is time to renovate the guest bathroom. We started a picture file and narrowed the ideas down to the ones we liked best. Then we met with the construction representative. "We'll have to talk about this," he said, following us upstairs to the bathroom.
After looking around, he told us why some ideas should be deleted. We chose renovation ideas that matched our budget. Two weeks later the representative returned with product photos, design specs, and costs. This experience has made us more aware of bathroom renovation blunders.
1. Lighting that is too high or too low. By today's standards my husband and I are short people. A few years ago we installed a new brushed nickel light over the vanity mirror. "It's a beautiful light, but I can't see myself," the representative said. We could see our faces but he could not because he was the same height as the light. The company will remount the light to correct this blunder.
2. Mis-matched lighting and faucets. To save money we are having our existing maple vanity raised a few inches. According to the representative, bathrooms with matched faucets and lighting look best. We are installing a brushed nickel faucet to go with the vanity light. Wodden drawer knobs will be replaced with brushed nickel ones.
3. Choosing the wrong vanity mirror. You may find inexpensive mirrors at home and discount stores. The mirrors may be attractive, but may not go with your home. We bought new towel bars and5B4 a matchng mirror for our guest bathroom.
4. Hard to clean tile. Because I love mosaics (I made them in my college days) I chose glass mosaic tile for the tub surround. They would look lovely, the representative said, but so much grout would be hard to keep clean and mold-free. We chose larger tiles for the tub surround.
5. Trendy colors. Colors that were popular years ago, like aqua and brown, are back in style again. These colors may not be in style when you need to sell your home. That is why realtors recommend neutral colors. We chose tan and creme to keep our house market ready.
6. Inadequate water heater. The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) says you should check the capacity of your water heater. "If you are going to add a large jetted tub to your project, consider adding a water heater dedicated to that tub," advises NARI.
7. Old, inadequate ventilation. Though your bathroom fan works, it may not ventilate well. Spending money on a new ceiling fan is money well spent. Avoiding all of these blunders will ensure a successful and long-lasting bathroom renovation. Just think of all the time you spend there!
Copyright 2007 by Harriet Hodgson
Harriet Hodgson has 4D5been a freelance nonfiction writer for 28 years. She is a member of the Association of Health Care Journalists and the Association for Death Edcation and Counseling. Her 24th book, "Smiling Through Your Tears: Anticipating Grief," written with Lois Krahn, MD, is available from http://www.amazon.com A five-star review of the book is posted on Amazon. You will find other reviews on the American Hospice Foundation Web site ("School Corner" heading) and the Health Ministries Association Web site.
Improving To Move
No comments:
Post a Comment