Bathroom Remodeling – Bathroom Renovation Benefits
The main benefit of bathroom is that it adds value any property. Another home renovation advantage is its long term energy and water savings. Hotels, homeowners, apartments and realtors who are deciding whether to spend their money on bathroom remodeling or not, are re-assured that a bathtub remodeling job that is done correctly and with the right plan can help them recoup their investment. Irrespective of the sluggish housing market, kitchen and bathroom remodeling have consistently offered the highest percentage return on investment (80-100%).
Home improvement that includes bathroom renovation as part of the overall project increases the resale value of homes and gives a delightful ambiance for a private affair. According to Remodeling magazine, the average bathroom remodeling project costs $15,800 and results in an increase in home value of about $12,400. Source: November 2007, Remodeling Magazine, Cost versus Value Report.
Bathroom remodeling is expensive
The price for renovating a bathroom can go from $12, 000 to $16,000 just for a basic and functional bathroom . Even though the bathroom in many homes, is the smallest room, when it comes to renovation, it can be pretty expensive. Home improvement involves a lot of sub-contractions and bathroom remodel is no exception. Here are your sub-contractors:
Bathroom Sink Vanity – Materials and Mounting Options for Bathroom Sink Vanities
A bathroom sink vanity can be a focal point and establish the style and decor of your bathroom. Bathroom sink vanities come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and styles and can look like pieces of art besides being functional. Colored bathroom sink vanities will cost more as will units that have delicate designs that are hand-painted.
A bathroom sink vanity can be made of the following materials:
o Vitreous China
o Ceramic
o Stainless Steel
o Porcelain
o Metals
o Culture Stone or Faux Stone
o Solid-Surface Materials
o Enameled Cast Iron or Steel
o Fiberglass and Acrylic Sinks
A bathroom sink vanity made of porcelain or vitreous china finish will be heavy, durable, imprevious to water and mildew, but it can chip if you drop a heavy object on it. Stainless steel and metal bathroom sink vanities are durable and easy to clean, but they tend to become scratched with daily use and show spots obtained from hard water and soap. Fiberglass, acrylic sinks, culture stone or marble can all be molded into very beautiful shapes, colors and patterns, but they are more susceptible to scratches and chipping than other bathroom sink vanity types.
Sinks for a bathroom vanity cabinet can be mounted on the countertop in several ways:
1. Self-Rimming or Surface-Mounted Sinks – the sink bowl gets dropped into a hole, but the hole is slightly smaller than the outside rim of the sink, forming a seal with the countertop surface.
2. Rimmed Sinks – the sink is dropped into a hole in the countertop, and the rim joins the sink and the countertop, forming a seal with a metal strip.
3. Undermounted Sinks – the rim is attached to the bottom of the countertop creating a very clean look to the vanity.
4. Integral Sinks – one piece sink and countertop unit made from the same material. The only disadvantage to this style is that if any part gets damaged, the entire unit needs to be replaced. These sinks are usually made of stone, faux stone or solid surface-type material.
A bathroom sink vanity cabinet provides countertop space, a place for the sink and faucets and storage below — these are called vanity-mounted sinks. You can also find pedestal sinks, wall hung sinks and freestanding sinks. Vanity mounted sinks are popular because they provide storage, a place for the sink and the most countertop space. Pedestal sinks use very little floor space, they can be placed in corners and they have a classic look, but they lack storage space. Wall hung sinks have the advantage of being easily installed at various elevations which accomodates children, short or tall adults.
Bathroom sink vanities provide a perfect place for shaving, washing, shampooing, brushing your teeth and personal grooming. Sizes of sinks vary from 12×20 inches to some that are as large as 33 inches in diameter, depending on the shape. If you and others in the household will be using the bathroom sink vanities considerably on a regular basis, consider the sizes and styles carefully before making your selection.
Whether upgrading an existing bathroom or planning a new one, the bathroom is a good home improvement investment. You and your family and guests will enjoy the bathrooms in your home every day. And should you ever sell your home, attractive and functional bathrooms will add value to the selling price. Before you buy, read as much as you can on choosing the bathroom sink vanity online or in stores that will be the best for you and your bathroom.
Copyright 2006 InfoSearch Publishing
Par Can Lighting
Par Cans are possibly one of the most widely used pieces of lighting equipment you will ever find. Traditionally used for stage lighting, they have progressed to become popular lighting solutions for displays, retail outlets, band & bar lighting and occasionally even used around the home to hi-light areas of interest!
Why are they so popular? Probably due to their versatility! Available in a range of sizes, with a choice of fittings they can near enough fit into most applications. The Par lamps are offered in a range of beam spreads, normally ‘spot’, ‘flood’ & ‘standard’ meaning you can choose what effect you want for your individual can. Alternatively you can have further control of the light beam by attaching barn doors allowing you to adjust the direction of light on separate performances. In addition to this colors can easily be changed with the use of gel frames & coloured gel filters.
Progressing on from standard Par cans and with the development of LED technology there are now also a wide range of LED Par Cans available on the market eliminating the need for replacement bulbs, gel filters and with many offering simplistic control from the actual unit they are a popular choice for low maintenance requirements.
There are many size Par cans available and it can be difficult knowing what Par can to go for. To start with; the numerical reference they use is an indication of their size. For example you can get PAR16 cans and you can get PAR64 cans. The number quoted relates the diameter of the bulb in 8ths of an inch. So a PAR64 can takes the PAR64 lamp which will be 8 inches across.
Ok so we understand the sizing of the Par lamp but what is most suitable for what application? For hi-lighting display areas, shop use or in bar set ups normally PAR16-PAR30 cans are sufficient and can be directed to hi-light your required area. For illuminating small stage areas such as in pubs and for general background lighting the PAR36-PAR46 are normally used. Then finally for large stage areas, rock bands & theater lighting the PAR56-PAR64 cans prove most popular. It is important to remember that the number of cans you will require will very much depend of what effect you want to achieve and how larger an area you wish to cover. Sometimes you are better using multiple smaller cans along one area than trying to achieve more light with fewer large cans as this can cause an overpowering flood effect (not to mention intense heat in one area).
When using standard Par cans rather than the LED version, users should be aware that the fittings can get extremely hot. This is particularly the case with larger cans and extra caution will be required if using the floor mounted types. In certain situations when inexperienced lighting technicians may be accessing the lights, such as in schools and youth theatre groups the LED versions may be more suitable as they generate very little heat.
Home and Garden Furniture Ideas
Home and garden furniture is furniture that can be used inside as well as outdoors. Some people have opted to enclose a large patio in glass or screen, carpet the floor with indoor – outdoor carpeting, furnish with a fireplace, and install ceiling fans along with an air conditioner. The patio area can be adjacent to the house or separate. The plans of the room or structure can come equipped with a kitchen separate than that of the primary section of the house. This area would require home and garden furniture to furnish the surroundings. When looking for plants for this area, you would still opt for house plants but maybe that of the larger variety.
Home and garden furniture can be made from wicker and wood. Metal and plastic garden furniture can be used, but would probably be considered inappropriate to adorn this region of your home. You would want furniture that is not too elaborate, but on the other hand you don’t want the furniture ill-suited for the region either. You will want it to blend with the surroundings you have created. The enclosing of the back patio area convince visitors that this is just an extra room in the house. You will want the room to give off the look of casual comfort. A room in which to relax and have fun. Home and garden furniture fabricated from wicker have a classic appearance. The simplicity of the designs leans to the casual look of romantic, comfort. Since the home and garden furniture constructed of wicker is made for the outdoors, care and maintenance should be a much easier, simpler task. Consult your retailer for those requirements.
Wicker is also constructed to be durable. It is a good investment in the future of your home. The wicker constructed home and garden furniture comes in a wide range of style, designs and colors. Along with the variety of colors you will have the option to choose one of the dining sets, or from a cluster of sofa, loveseats and chairs. Wicker tables will complete the look of your conversation area of the room. You also have the option of a porch swing a cozy, intimate seating for lovers and friends young or old.
Home and garden furniture is also available an array of wooden pieces or sets. If you want to be able to move home and garden furniture, you may want to browse the teak wooden furniture lines. Teakwood is well known for its lightweight and strength. Its natural finish is a golden color. Wooden home and garden furniture like the wicker home and garden furniture is also built to be sturdy and durable. Wooden home and garden furniture is also available in the same furniture pieces as the wicker furniture from the dining sets to the conversation sets included with loveseat or sofas. The porch swing is also one of the options available in the wooden home and garden furniture line. The maintenance and care for the wooden furniture as with the wicker should be a much simpler and easy task. For requirements for that care, check with the retailer. As with the wicker home and garden furniture, wooden home and garden furniture is a great investment in the future for you and your home.
Proper Lighting For Your Living Room
A place to bond with your family, the living room is considered as one of the main facets of a common household. It is a place to have family conversations, watching TV, a place to read your favorite books or newspaper, or even a place of play for the kids. This is also a place for you and your friends to have quality time together chatting or as a venue for fun-filled activities.
The lighting you use in your living room can determine the mood of those who stay in it, as well as the comfort that it can bring to your eyes. Too bright, or too dim, can cause eye strain, and might ruin the comfortable mood. Instead of using fixed intensity for lighting, you can use adjustable ones that can be used for different purposes.
In truth, there are two kinds of lighting for your living room: natural and artificial. Natural lighting comes from outdoor lights during the day. It can be enhanced with proper windows, curtains, and so on. Artificial lighting is electric in nature provided by appliances.
Natural lighting in the living room can be achieved through placement of windows, doorways, skylights, and more. If you want to adjust natural lights coming into your living room, you can use curtains and window tints to achieve the most comfortable natural lighting for you. Most often the case, natural lights can be cumbersome in watching TV or any home entertainment system, so it’s best to place your TV or monitor away from them.
Artificial lighting can vary in both quantity and quality. This depends on the kind of light you chose to place in your living room. Instead of placing only one light source in the middle of the room, you can use your creativity and utilize various lighting available today; such as recessed lighting, down (dim) lights, table or reading lamps, wall lamps, and so on. You can even utilized chandeliers with lighting controls so that you can control the atmosphere of your room.
Proper lighting for your living room is necessary considering its importance in your family circle. The perfect lighting will create the best mood in any activity, thus improving the overall functionality of the place.
Bathroom Lighting Design
Do you find yourself not wanting to look at yourself in your bathroom mirror in the morning? It may simply be because you have poor lighting. Lighting naturally creates shadows and if you don’t have your lighting properly planned, you may find that your newly remodeled bathroom isn’t the happy place you thought it would be.
I’m writing this article as a result of numerous questions from my neighbor who is remodeling. Being a lighting professional, they have lots of questions for me regarding their bathroom lighting. It really seems to be a daunting task for them. In Bathroom lighting design, there are many decisions to make. From design and placement to what fixture to use to what light bulbs are best. I’d like to take you around the room to give you a rule of thumb when planning your own bathroom lighting design.
Shower Lights
Showers are a space that you no doubt need a form of recessed lighting. It’s very important to use a recessed fixture that is made for the shower and rated to work under conditions of humidity and possible contact with water. In addition you’ll want to use a light bulbs rated to use in the shower. Most products will be clearly marked as such.
Personally, we have a dimmer on our shower light. It allows for a slow wake up by anyone getting into the shower before the light of day. But it’s important to provide enough light to allow you to shave and see what you are doing.
Bathtub Lighting
Depending on the height of your bathtub and if it is separate from your shower, your lighting solutions here will be different. Let’s assume you have a separate bathtub here. If not, you won’t do anything different than what I’ve outlined above. Typically, you will be using recessed lighting above your bathtub area. It is not necessary to have water rated fixtures and light bulbs in this spot. One or maybe two recessed fixtures aimed at the outside of the tub will provide what you need. Aiming to the outside of the tub will provide light to see what you are doing yet will cut down on any glare.
Mirror and Vanity Lighting
This area might be the most crucial spot to get it “right.” Improper lighting when you are trying to apply make-up or shaving can be the pits. Lighting companies have come up with a number of functional and decorative choices for vanity/mirror lighting.
Topping and flanking your mirror with vanity strips is one way to provide light. Insure that you purchase vanity light bulbs that have a lower wattage or frosted glass so you don’t blind yourself. The mistake I’ve seen many make is that their light bulbs are too powerful and then they unscrew several of them to take the light level down. This totally defeats the purpose of having a vanity strip as it is suppose to distribute light evenly.
What we decided to use is our home is wall sconces. And now that I think about it, we used it in all three bathrooms. The master has 3 as we have a long vanity and there are holes cut in the glass where the sconces sit. The other two bathrooms have the sconces flanking the mirror. When you choose to have more than two, it’s important that the spacing be such that the light is coming from either side of each sink. Spacing here is not as critical; just insure that they are evenly spaced. Most folks tent to stand in front of the sink and you wouldn’t want to have the sconce right in front of your face! Their height should be about eye height. This will need to be adjusted slightly according to the type of sconce that you choose. Bottom line is that you don’t want to be able to see the light bulb itself when standing and looking at the sconce.
Ceiling Fixtures
If you are lucky enough to high ceilings in your bathroom, go for a small decorative fixture like a small chandelier. The rule of thumb on the size of chandelier is calculated by taking the width of the room added to the length of the room. (Or if you are installing multiple lighting fixtures, use the dimensions of the area that this fixture is meant to light.) That number should equal the diameter of the fixture. Ie. A master bath that is 15′ X 13′ would need a chandelier or decorative fixture about 28″ in diameter.
Recessed Lighting
I’m all for recessed fixtures in your overall bathroom lighting design. What I don’t care for are ceilings that look like swiss cheese. After you’ve planned for all other lighting, it would be prudent to fill other lighting needs with recessed lighting. If using recessed in the toilet area, locate the can in front of the toilet and not right over. No reason to be in the spot light!
Use recessed to light dead areas or to light sitting/reading areas. Yes, some bathrooms are big enough for reading or lounging areas. Above a bench or reading area is a perfect place to insert a recessed fixture. Now, I’m going to throw this in now. My neighbor wants to put a sconce above the toilet for reading purposes. Use the same rule of thumb as mirror sconces and place the fixture at about eye level.
Night Light
Some sort of lighting that can be left on all night is not only a safety solution but will allow you to make the middle of the night trip to the bathroom without totally waking yourself up. Lots of folks use a night light and if you don’t have much space in your bathroom, this is a great solution. I love to use accent lamp lighting when there is room. A small lamp with a long life light bulb or compact fluorescent light bulb in it provides a wonderful accent light day and night. Either place on your vanity or on a small accent table.
There are numerous components to bathroom lighting design. The above should get you started in the process or at least give you the confidence that your electrician is putting junction boxes in the correct spots. One last suggestion I’ll make is to put all of your bathroom lighting on dimmers. Many of us use our bathrooms as a serene get away. To achieve this; lighting is a huge component. Having the ability to dim the lights will provide the perfect atmosphere.