Tips & Tricks regarding kitchen & bath remodeling

Bathroom Remodeling Adds Value to Your Home - even 102% !

Remodeling your bathroom is a great way to brighten your day.

As times get tough, you need a relaxing environment where you can get away. You can create a place of retreat and enhance your home's value by turning your bathroom into an in-home hideaway. In fact, the addition of a home "spa" is one of today's most popular home remodeling projects.

The number one bathroom re-design trend is making the master bathroom significantly larger and increasing the number of bathrooms in the home. Homeowners are requesting separate shower and bath for greater comfort and space design. Above counter sinks and round tubs are also on the "hot list" for homeowners and interior designers, and serve as both functional fixtures as well as works of art.

Homeowners are also enjoying bolder colors and the ability to customize their fixtures to better suit their individual personalities. Color is a very important part of our environment and can significantly influence the way we feel. Some popular color choices include bright reds, blues, and greens.

Bathroom remodeling can substantially increase the resell value of your home. Bathroom remodeling projects can increase the value of a home by over 102 percent!

Choose colors and designs to reflect your individual style. Impress your friends and potential buyers with your new modern bath spa. Now is the time to start remodeling that old bathroom, increase the value of your home, and create your in-home sanctuary.

Your Kitchen Remodel: A Few Changes Can Make a Big Difference

If you are looking to do a kitchen remodel, there are lots of things to consider. If you are doing a complete renovation you will have a different set of plans and ideas versus doing a spruce up or minor remodel.

If it's a minor kitchen remodel you are planning, there are various options available to give you a great new look without spending a fortune. You may choose to simply change your cabinet doors instead of replacing all of the cabinetry. You can paint your cabinet doors and put on fresh knobs to change the look. For your counters, you can replace the counter top or buy one of the many products out there that are available for repainting or adding a faux finish to your counter top. There are many options that can make it look like you have a granite or marble counter top when really you've simply spent just a little bit of money painting and faux finishing it.

Kitchen Remodel

A new sink and faucet are a great option for your minor kitchen remodel. A new set of stylish taps and faucet can really dress up the counter area. If you want to brighten up the room without replacing the kitchen cabinets and counter, you could also simply paint your kitchen and replace your flooring. The kitchen is one of the most used rooms in the house and therefore gets the most dirty so a fresh coat of paint and a new floor could give you a feeling of having a brand new kitchen.

If you are doing a complete gutting of your kitchen and remodeling it from top to bottom the sky is the limit as far as ideas and decor. However, if you simply want to make some changes on a smaller budget, there are many things you can do to give your kitchen a fresh look without breaking the bank on a full and complete kitchen remodel.

Kitchen Remodeling Tips- Accurately Measuring Your Kitchen

Before you start a kitchen remodeling project on your own, the most important step is measuring your kitchen accurately. Unlike some other renovation projects, being negligent when it comes to the measures of your kitchen could cost you a lot of money - especially with cabinets and countertops ! Countertops have to be cut exactly to size, so accurate measures are needed. If you already have cabinets in place, and you are planning on keeping the same layout, then your job will be easy (just measure each of the existing cabinets). If not, you have to follow the steps below. By following a few simple steps, you will have all the information you will need to start accurately designing your kitchen.

Measuring Your Kitchen
The first step is to make a rough sketch of your kitchen, either freehand or on your computer. Always start from the left side of the room on the first wall you plan on adding cabinets and work from left to right. In your drawing, include images for all doors, windows, outlets and anything else that may affect the overall layout of your kitchen (you don't want to find out that a slot will have to be cut into the granite countertops while they are trying to install it).

Step 1
Measure the overall length of each wall and record it on layout. Always work from left to right to ensure that your measurements are consistent. Measure the ceiling height in at least four locations on each wall from floor to ceiling to ensure that there are no dips or high spots in the room. If so, it can be addressed when you are installing, but it is important to know about them ahead of time because it can affect the height of your cabinets.

Step 2
Starting from the corner on your left - measure to the center of outlets, plumbing, and vents. This is one of the most common problems that homeowners run into. Not knowing exactly where your plumbing or outlets are, can lead into problems. The last thing that you want to find out is that a vent is located right where you cabinets connect.

Step 3
Starting from the corner on your left - measure the distance to any breaks in the wall such as, windows and doors. In addition to measuring from side to side be sure to measure from the bottom of any window trim to the floor and the top of the window trim to the ceiling. With will help with cabinet selection, since you usually want to leave a little bit of room on each side of any window or door for even spacing.

On any opening that has molding - start your measurement of the wall from the corner to the outside edge or the molding.

Appliances
While you may not physically have your appliances yet if it is a complete renovation, you want to be sure that you have an idea of what appliances are going to be used. There are some standard measurements for some appliances, but refrigerator sizes, stoves, and range hoods can vary in size greatly. Be sure to record the dimensions of each appliance. Start by measuring the Width, Height, and Depth.

Most dishwashers are going be 24" Wide
Average size refrigerators will typically 30" to 36" wide. All of the other appliances can vary greatly in size.

Once you have all of your mesaurements, you are now ready to start shopping for your cabinets.