Free Bath Seminar, Saturday January 14th

The next free ADR seminar is scheduled for Saturday, January 14 from 12:30-2:00.  The informative seminar will take place at the Somerville Showroom in Owings Mills.  The Somerville showroom specializes in bath and kitchen plumbing fixtures.  They also have vanities, countertops, lighting and other assorted products for bath and kitchen remodeling.  I will review a construction timeline and a general discussion of bath remodeling costs.  Jane will review bath design and many of the decisions in designing a bath remodeling.  Linda Kates from Somerville will review bath products.  There will be time after the presentation to explore the Somerville Showroom and for one-on-one discussions with our team of industry professionals.

Bath Counters

 

There are several choices when choosing a bath counter.  While cost may vary considerably, the typical bath counter does not have a lot of square footage so the cost of something unique may be affordable.  Of course one choice is to not have a counter at all – that is using a pedestal sink.  Pedestals work especially well in small baths and powder rooms, taking up less space, making the room seem larger by being more open, and usually costing less than the vanity/counter/sink combined costs.  Below is a review of some bath counter options.

§         Solid Surface:  Solid surface products such as Corian are a popular choice for bath remodeling.  The surface is durable, easy to clean and maintain, comes in a variety of colors and patterns, and can be shaped easily.  Plus they are often combined with an integral bowl of the same pattern creating a seamless finish without difficult to clean edges. 

§         Stone:  Granite is the most popular stone surface for bath counters.  Easy to clean, durable, a natural product, and readily available in a wide variety of colors and natural stone or vein patterns.  More porous stones such as marble or limestone while initially attractive stain easily, require regularly sealing, and scratch more easily than granite.

§         Tile:  Ceramic tile is typically inexpensive, available in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, finishes, and colors, and is a durable surface.  The largest drawback is the grout joints between the tiles that may be difficult to maintain and keep clean.

§         Man-made Synthetics:  Today there are a wide variety of manufactured stone products imitating the look of granite or marble.  A more traditional, and very inexpensive, product is cultured marble.  Including an integral bowl cultured marble is probably the least expensive option.  It is available in a variety and colors, is very durable, easy to clean, and is readily and quickly available for standard size vanities.

§         Other:  Laminate is another very inexpensive choice that is easy to clean and available in a variety of colors and designs.  Wood counters are also sometimes used in a bath, especially for a more decorative function like a powder room that will not receive heavy day-to-day use.  For both of these products water exposure may cause long-term issues.

Remodeling the Kids’ Bath

Many homes today have a master bath and a hall bath or a shared bath for the other bedrooms.  The second bath often functions as the children’s bath.  Remodeling a kids’ bath or second bath involves some different design and product decisions than for the master bath.  Following are some ideas to consider.

§         Size:  The typical 2^nd bath is smaller than the master bath and the number of fixtures are more limited.  There is often room for only one sink although in some situations two are possible.  Typically there is a tub/shower and a toilet.  Especially for small children a tub is important, showers are difficult to use when bathing infants.  And if resale is a consideration, having a tub/shower combo in the 2^nd bath is a good choice.

§         Design:  One popular option, if space permits, is a two-room bath.  The front room has the vanity or vanities and storage; the second room has the toilet and tub/shower.  This often allows more than one child to use the bath at a time.  Another design consideration is storage space.  If multiple kids are using the room, adequate storage for towels, toiletries, hair dryers, medicine, etc should be taken into consideration.

§         Product Selection:  Some bath products work better for small children than for teenagers.  Keep in mind if you have small children that they will grow.  A standard height vanity with stools for small children may be a better long-term solution.  Shower curtains are much easier to work with for bathing small children and can be easily and inexpensively changed in the future.  Decorative selections for small children are better used in towels, shower curtains, and accessories than for permanent items such as tile and plumbing fixtures that will be expensive and difficult to change.

§         Safety:  Many of the same safety rules apply for any bath.  Non-slip floor tiles, pressure balanced and scald guard faucets, and GFI protected electrical outlets are all especially important for small children and good ideas for any bath.

Bath Flooring Options

A bath remodel involves many product selections and decisions. There are pros and cons to different bath flooring options.  Plus, those product selections have a great influence on the remodeling price. 

Tile:  Tile is the most typical choice for a bath floor.  Tile is durable, water resistant, and comes in an amazing variety of colors, shapes and sizes.  Pricing can vary significantly from inexpensive to very expensive depending on the exact tile selected and the complexity of the pattern to be installed.  A good tile installation should include a tile backer board substrate to give rigidity and in the long term keep the tile from cracking.  To avoid slipping in a wet area bath floor tile typically has a textured or slightly textured surface.  In general tile is a mid-range cost selection but upgrades in the tile selection plus the optional addition of heating to the floor can increase costs significantly.

Stone:  Stone is similar to tile in many aspects but generally more expensive, and often the most expensive option for a bath floor.

Vinyl:  Vinyl is available as a sheet or in 12” tiles and in a variety of colors and designs.  Vinyl tiles are easy to install and especially a good choice for do-it-yourself remodels.  Vinyl is typically one of the least expensive bath floor options.

Laminate Flooring:  Laminate flooring is made of layers of paper and wood with a top layer picturing whatever surface you want the floor to look like.  It is typically inexpensive and easy to install.  While the top surface is water resistant, if water does penetrate, especially to the pad below, there is no choice but to remove and replace the flooring.  In general this may work for a powder room but is probably not a good choice for a full bath.

Wood Flooring:  Wood floors including hardwood such as oak or engineered wood floors, basically a layer of wood over plywood, are another choice for a bath.  Installation costs are mid-range.  If wood is used in a bath care should be taken to keep in dry and remove excess moisture from the surface.

Ten Luxury Bath Options

Baths are typically the most heavily used rooms in a home, often several times a day and possibly by several different people.  Many clients look to include some luxury features in the master bath.  The following is a list of ten options to consider.

1.       Upscale the sink. There are many unique design options available for bath sinks.  These include alternate materials such as glass, copper, bronze, stone, hand painted porcelain, or glass mosaic.  While undermount sinks are very popular, a vessel sink sitting on top of the vanity counter is a luxury choice.

2.       Upgrade the counter.  All the choices that are available for kitchen counters are also available for bath counters.  Luxury items include a variety of metals, stones, glass, and wood products.

3.       Multiple showerheads.  Luxury showers may include multiple jets lining the walls, fixed and adjustable showerheads, and rain showers from the ceiling.

4.       Steam baths.  Another luxury shower option is a steam unit included with your shower, or even a separate steam room.

5.       Sound and light.  There are multiple options possible with lighting for the bath.  And including a sound system is another option.

6.       Tile upgrades.  Luxury handmade tile, glass tile, and metal tile are among a few of the great variety of tile available for bath remodeling.  Tile comes in an amazing array of sizes, shapes, and colors allowing for many design options.

7.       Tubs.  Soaking tubs, especially the large claw-foot vintage tubs are popular again if you have the space.  Air jetted tubs with multiple small air jets are an upgrade to the traditional jetted tubs with 6-8 large jets.

8.       Heat.  Heated tile floors add an extra layer of comfort in a bath.  Heated towel racks or European style thin fin radiators are another good option.

9.       Frameless.  Frameless shower glass enclosures and frameless glass doors are a significant upgrade to the traditional metal frame enclosure.  Also consider a large walk-in shower without a shower door at all.

10.   Space.  A luxurious bath may require a larger space than the traditional bath.  Combining rooms, expending into closets, or even a home addition may create the large space to allow for multiple cabinets and vanities, separate tub and shower, steam unit, bath linen storage, or a make-up area.

Ten Cost Saving Bath Remodeling Options

The next series of blogs will review bathroom remodeling.  Improving your bath will improve the enjoyment of your home, add to your quality of life, and increase your home’s resale value.  By square footage, baths are often the most expensive room in a home.  With plumbing, electric, heating, tile, sheetrock, paint, accessories, cabinets, counters, etc. numerous trades and products are packed into a very small space.  There are, however, cost saving options for bath remodeling.  The following is a list of ten options to consider.

1.       Small changes can have a big impact- Your budget may not allow for a full bath remodel but small changes can make a difference.  Options including changing plumbing fixtures, changing the vanity and counter, painting, or changing a tub to a tile shower.

2.       Save on luxury items- Steam showers, jetted tub, heated floors, multiple shower heads, and frameless shower enclosures are all very nice but are a significant cost upgrade to a bath remodel.  A basic, well built, bath may meet your needs at a much more affordable cost.

3.       Consider plumbing options- Plumbing work and materials are a significant percentage of the cost of a bath remodel.  Leaving fixtures in their current locations is much less costly than reworking all the piping and plumbing rough-ins.  Plumbing fixtures come in a variety of finishes with standard chrome being the least expensive.  There is a huge selection of plumbing fixtures including toilets, sinks, faucets, showerheads, etc.  Your designer, plumber, remodeler, or plumbing supply showroom can help you with alternate and cost saving product selections.

4.       Limit the tile work- Older baths often have tile walls four feet above the finished floors.  Tile work is a large cost increase over painted sheetrock.  Consider limiting the tile work to the tub/shower and bath floor.

5.       Use pre-fabricated showers or tub surrounds- Tile is very nice but pre-fabricated fiberglass shower bases and tub/shower walls are fairly inexpensive to purchase, quick to install (saving labor costs), and easy to keep clean.  Certainly for a hall, kids, or 2^nd bath this will be a cost saving option.

6.       Install a tub/shower versus shower only-  A tub/shower is almost always less costly than the tile work required for a custom tile shower with a tile base.  Installing a tub gives you the floor and about 16” of wall.  Installing tile includes a vinyl membrane, sloped mortar sub-floor, cement backer board, waterproof membrane, and then the tile.  All added together this is a very labor-intensive process.

7.       Install a pedestal in place of a vanity- A pedestal sink typically is less expensive to install than a bath vanity.  A vanity includes the cabinet costs, the counter, the sink, and the labor to install each.

8.       Save energy and water- Installing energy saving lighting and low water use toilets and faucets will save costs in the long term.

9.       Have a design focus- Consider keeping the basic bath simple and inexpensive, white vanity and white tile for example, with a decorative tile pattern in the shower or on the floor, or a decorative vanity top and sink.  This can create a dramatic and unique bath while minimizing costs.

10.   Consider the accessories- Towel bars, toilet paper holders, towel rings and other bath accessories can create an updated look at minimum costs.  Similarly changing vanity hardware, window treatments, or door hardware can upgrade a bath again at a small cost as compared to a full bath remodel.  Even new bath linens can make a difference.

Kitchen Sinks: Materials 4-6

 This is a continuation of the previous blog reviewing kitchen sink materials. 

A wide range of choices are available for the kitchen sink.  We have come a long way from stainless steel or cast iron being the only options commonly available.  Below is a brief review of some possible material options and pros and cons of each material.

§         Engineered Materials including Solid Surface & Composite:  This category covers a wide range of options including solid surface materials like Corian or Swanstone, quartz, slate, or granite –acrylic composites, and cast acrylic.  The major advantage of solid surface kitchen sinks is their ability to be an integrated unit with the countertop.  Composite sinks fall into three main categories; polyester/acrylic, quartz composite, and granite based.

o        Pros – Solid Surface

§         Seamless joint with solid surface counter

§         Durable surface, deeps cuts or scratches are repairable

§         More forgiving to dropped objects than cast iron or stone sinks

o        Cons – Solid Surface

§         Not resistant to high heat or very hot pots and pans, can scratch or nick

§         Can be expensive, especially since they typically involve totaling replacing the counters as well as the sink

§         Installation and repairs require professional fabrication

o        Pros – Composite

§         Reasonable durability and resistance to scratching and chipping in stone composites

§         Available in a variety of colors

§         Stands up to heat better than solid surface

§         Acrylic composites are typically inexpensive

o        Cons – Composite

§         Acrylic composites are the lowest performing in terms of scratch and stain resistance

§         Granite based composite can command a premium price

§         Stone based composites are limited in color to a neutral palette.

§         Natural Stone:  The most common stone sinks are made from granite or soapstone, but there are also sinks made from travertine, marble, and onyx.  These are heavy, dense sinks and the soapstone is impervious to stains. 

o        Pros:

§         Strong, robust, durable surface

§         Good sound-deadening qualities

§         A unique and interesting style option

o        Cons:

§         Heavy and typically require custom built cabinetry for support

§         Some stones are porous and require sealing

§         Often expensive to purchase and install

§         Other:  Kitchen sinks are available in other materials including concrete and various metals besides stainless steel such as nickel, copper & bronze.  Other metals are often used for specialty sinks such as a bar sink. 

o        Pros Concrete:

§         Unlimited customization

§         Distinctive and unique style option

§         Can be incorporated with a concrete counter for seamless design

o        Cons Concrete:

§         Requires periodic sealing to avoid stains and to repel moisture

§         May show cracks and fissures over time.

§         Costly as they are typically custom made and include counter replacement

o        Pros Nickel, Copper & Bronze:

§         Non-rusting, visually unique

§         Copper will take on an aged patina depending on the type of care given

§         Nickel is harder and stronger than copper

o        Cons Nickel, Copper & Bronze:

§         Expensive to very expensive depending on size and design

§         May need polishing to retain bright appearance