Regenesis Home and Garden » bathroom remodeling

Bathroom Vanity Remodeling

admin — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:10:31 +0000

Redecorating your bathroom with a new bathroom vanity is one of the easiest home remodeling tasks you can undertake in a do-it-yourself project. You do not have to deal with plumbing issues beyond turning the water flow knobs off before removing the water lines and making sure the new drain pipe is watertight. Generally the only tools required for a simple removal and reinstall of a bathroom vanity are a pipe wrench, screwdriver, utility knife and small pail or bucket. Even the installation of more complex vanities will not strain the average homeowner’s abilities.

To take out the old bathroom vanity you start by shutting off the water at the input valves and open the faucets to relieve the pressure. With the bucket ready, loosen the drainpipe and catch the excess water. After the vanity is cut off from the water supply you will need to carefully work loose any sealant holding the countertop or sink to the wall. Usually this is just a line of caulking, which can be cut through with a single gentle slice. Also check for and remove the few mounting screws in the back that help support the vanity against the wall. Since sinks and sink counter tops can be heavy it is recommended you have help lifting the old vanity out of the way.

Now that the area is free of obstruction, a thorough cleaning and patching of any wall damage is needed so the new bathroom vanity will have a well-prepared space to be installed into. The process is very much a reversal of the process. Move the new vanity into place and attach the wall screws. Set the caulking line around the new countertop and cabinet sides and let it dry. You will then reattach the drainpipe and seal it with waterproofing cement. When all else is ready, it is time to reattach the lines from the water valve to the faucet lines. Once they have been reattached, you can open the water valves and enjoy your newly redecorated bathroom.

Installation aside, there are many places you can buy bathroom vanities. You can purchase vanities from all-purpose stores like Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Ace. You can also visit bathroom specialty shops. One of the most popular options these days is to purchase bathroom vanities online. Online stores have less overhead, which means they often offer a very wide array of products to choose from and are often reviewed by others who have purchased them. Good luck choosing and installing your bathroom vanity!

Tips For Bathroom Remodeling On A Budget

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:00:42 +0000

Cleaning: This may not seem like much, but it should be the first step when it comes to implementing your bathroom remodeling ideas. Although it is difficult it will cost very little except for a bit of time and some hard work. I like to start with three containers: one for rubbish; one for items that you can donate or sell to charity; one for items that belong elsewhere in the house. Begin at the entrance to your bathroom and work through it slowly, being ruthless as you go.
All the cupboards under the sink should be empties and you should justify anything you want to keep. Try to free up as much room as possible because you will want to remove as much as possible of the counter-tops. If your shower has mold or mildew, then spray it with a mixture of water and bleach. Your grout and caulking will quickly come up sparkling white with very little work.
Shower and Window Curtains: Often, shower curtains and window curtains can simply be washed with a cleaning agent such as Oxi Clean. If you have blinds, they can often just be washed under the shower. Shower curtains are quite cheap, around twenty dollars, and easy to replace if your old one is looking shabby. One tip I recently came across was to replace any old blinds with new paper blinds. They are cheap and easy to fix up. If, after a couple of years they are looking tired then simply replace them.
Bathroom Vanities: The cabinets under the sink are often one of the most prominent features in the bathroom. They can, however, easily make you room look outdated if they are old. These are the most expensive items to replace even with just refacing them. First of all give them a really good clean to see what sort of condition they are really in. To update them, you could either paint them or, a simple and effective solution is to replace the knobs. These can be found cheaply online, especially on sites such as eBay. This is one of my favorite ways of making the old bathroom vanities look like new.
Painting: Re-painting the bathroom can improve the look considerably. Just a fresh coat of paint of completely different color can change the atmosphere in the bathroom. A current trend is to go for natural earthy colors. For most bathrooms, you should be able to re-paint for under thirty dollars.

These simple steps can change the appearance of your bathroom quite dramatically and give it a more modern look. It should be possible to do it all for well under one hundred dollars.

Small Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

admin — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:53:27 +0000

The key points in any small bathroom remodeling job should be the functionality of the room, eye appeal of the room and comfort level.

Bath vanities range from the sleek modern design to granite top pedestal sinks and everything in between. Choosing a pedestal sink or a wall hung sink is not only efficient in functionality but will also help to keep a small bathroom from looking over crowded.

Keep bathroom accessories down to a minimum in a small bathroom. Too many accessories will make a small bathroom look cluttered and disorganized.

Painting techniques can differ from person to person but in a small bathroom they should be kept to the classic, one color paint. To help keep small bathrooms from feeling as though the walls are closing in opt for light paint colors; this will help the room feel more spacious. Painting the ceiling a pure white will add height to the room and the feel of more space.

Replacing the toilet in a small bathroom renovation job with a wall hung toilet will not only save space but looks great as well. There are many different wall toilets to choose from on the market today and they come in many different styles as well.

Mirrors are an essential part of wall décor for a small bathroom. When mirrors placed on adjacent walls from each other it helps to create the illusion of depth and will make a room look bigger. Bright lighting in a small bathroom can also make it feel bigger. The light will play off of the mirrors and add the feeling of space to the room decor itself.

A great option in small bathroom remodeling is to only have a shower installed. Bathtubs look and feel great but take up a vast amount of space. There are one piece shower stalls available and will fit into any bathroom decor.

Simple Do It Yourself Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

admin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 23:17:17 +0000

If you decide to replace everything in the bathroom then your bathroom remodeling costs can quickly become expensive. If you are looking to save money then it is worth considering doing some of the remodeling yourself and transform old objects into new ones. There are jobs you can do quite easily such as patch rust holes on your bathtub, modernize and old bathroom mirror and refinish an old countertop. With these simple ideas you will find it quite easy.

Eliminating Rust Stains and Holes:

Initially, it is worthwhile getting rid of any signs of age and wear such as lime or water stains and rust from the shower, bathtub, sink and toilet. Use a good general purpose cleaner for the toilet such as Lysol Power Toilet Bowl cleaner followed up by using a limescale and rust remover.

For any cracks and and holes on the shower or bathtub I like to use the Bondo Tub and Shower repair kit. To even out the color on your tub, toilet or shower something like Oleum Tub and Tile Refreshing kit is good at bringing a new sparkle to your surfaces. These products can be found at most general home improvement stores and come with instructions.

Refurbishing the Countertop:

Another good project is to remodel the bathroom countertop. For the paint to adhere to the surface you first need to lightly and it to provide a key for the paint to adhere to. Then apply two coats of a primer waiting around thirty minutes between coats. Then use a good quality acrylic paint to apply three shades using a sea-sponge faux finish. If the surface is tile or porcelain use a gloss finish paint.

Refurbishing an Old Mirror:

Continue with your bathroom remodeling plan by next looking at the bathroom mirror. Any stains or marks along the edges can be hidden by building a frame for it. One money saving tip is that if you want to replace your old bathroom mirror, buy two cheap mirrors that have no frames, build a couple of frames for them and then hang them side by side. This can give a really modern look.

Using the same sea-sponge faux finish technique, mentioned earlier, you could repaint the bathroom walls. The most effective colors are warm, soothing shades. Don’t forget to paint the ceiling though. Make sure the paint is suitable for the bathroom and is waterproof, which will help prevent the build up of mold and mildew.

Basement Refinishing: Big Return on Your Investment

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:44:48 +0000

When considering new projects to undertake in your home, you may take a look at your basement and ask yourself if it’s time for a basement remodeling project. This could be a simple updating of an existing finished basement, or it could mean addressing some issues you are having in your finished basement, such as mildew and moisture, or even foundation issues.

Perhaps you have an old basement refinish still sporting lovely mustard yellow tiles and shag carpeting, or perhaps your basement is just in need of some simple updating to make it fit with how you want to use the space now. The first step is to make sure that there are no problems that need addressing, especially before installing new flooring or carpets that could be damaged by leaking or moisture issues. Once you’ve determined that everything is structurally ready for a refinishing project, you can start to make your plans.

When comparing basement remodeling to say other types of do it yourself projects like bathroom remodeling or kitchen finishing, you usually are going to get more “bang for your buck” This is because when refinishing a basement, you really gain usable living space. Other remodeling projects only give you upgrades to space you already have. Basements can go from what was once a damp and musty storage area to a beautiful family room, den, or home office. This really can pay off big when it comes time to resell your residence.

One thing to consider about basement refinishing, that the real estate experts say is quite important, is continuing in the same style as the rest of the home, to make it flow well. These days there are so many options for lighting up a dark basement, a bit of research on the web will reveal many innovative ideas for lighting up basement spaces. Flooring for basements has also come a long way recently, with many options now available for use on concrete floors that didn’t exist before.

With a little looking around at some ideas presented in many specialty shops on the internet, you can get your design ideas from flooring, to creative ways to hide heaters and pipes, to beautiful basement kitchenettes and bars.