Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Remodeling Bathrooms: How Hard Can It Really Be?

Its well known that remodeling the bathroom in your home is an easy way to increase its value. Much like the kitchen, the bathroom is one of the most used, and most appreciated parts of your house. So spending money in either of these areas provides a very high return on investment when it comes time to sell. But just how difficult is it to remodel a home bathroom? Is it as expensive as everyone says? Can you do it on a tight budget?

Heres what this expert says.

Depending on how detailed you want to get, remodeling a home bathroom doesnt have to be expensive or difficult. If your happy with the current location of your plumbing fixtures, you can most likely do everything yourself (with a little patience and guidance). All you really need is some basic tools, some creativity and the time and determination to do it.

There are dozens of options when planning your remodel. Heres a few of the simple ones most do-it-yourselfers can handle:

Open up a bathroom by increasing its space.

One of the fastest ways to improve your bathroom is to add some space to it. Adding just a few square feet can transform your bathroom from cramped and crowded to luxurious. If its possible, break a wall in any direction possible to add that extra depth. Just keep in mind that any room you take the space from will now be a little smaller. So its a bit of a balancing act. Often times though, just a few inches from a bedroom will never be noticed. Yet it makes a huge difference in a traditionally small area like a bathroom.

Let in more natural light if you can.

To add to the effect created by the extra space, try to let in as much natural light as possible. If you can add a skylight or bigger window, youll be impressed at the difference. On a recent remodel of my own, I installed an entire glass block wall in my shower. No its one of the brightest spots in the house!

Remodeling a home bathroom by adding extra storage places.

Extra storage can work wonders for your bathroom (and the rest of the house too). Adding some shelves, drawers and cabinets will increase the functionality of your bathroom like you never imagined. You just cant have enough storage space!

Cosmetic changes are quick, cheap and make a dramatic difference.

A quick trip to the local kitchen and bath remodeling center can do more for your bathroom then just about anything else. Try changing knobs, door and drawer fronts, paint colors or countertops. The difference that these changes will bring to your bathroom will astonish you. But best of all, it can be done in an afternoon (or at worst a weekend), and its relatively inexpensive.

Change that dated flooring.

Adding character and class to a bathroom is often achieved with a new ceramic floor. Nothing says luxurious better then a nice new ceramic tile installation. Although this is a little more involved then paint and knobs, a little patience and average skills will result in a fantastic looking job. If youre worried about that ceramic being cold underfoot, look into some under floor heating pads for those cold mornings. They are easy to install (although you will probably need an electrician for this one) and very nice on those cold mornings.

If your serious about sprucing up your bathroom with a professional looking remodel, go to Amazon or your local Barnes and Nobles and pick up a book on bathroom remodeling. Youll find many do it yourself projects laid out step by step for you, making the process virtually foolproof.

If you try using one or more of the above suggestions youll wind up pleasantly surprised with the results. These simple and highly cost-effective ways to improve your home are within the reach of just about anyone. As an added bonus, theyll increase your homes value too.

Trevor McKay is a professional contractor, real estate investor and part time writer with over twenty years of experience. You can read more about his home remodeling suggestions here. Check out some of his mortgage financing tips and techniques here. Youll get the latest information from the world of mortgage lending.

Steel Stringer Floor Connection

No comments: