Archive for the ‘Bathroom Renovation’ Category

New ventilation whether replacing an old fan or newly installed can arguably contribute to the comfort and beauty of your bathroom decor. The great thing about replacing a bathroom fan during a bathroom renovation is that it normally requires basic wiring. The bad part is that it is the installation of the fan itself and the ventilation ducts that take up the most of your time and effort. Read the rest of this entry »

Here are some common problems you want to avoid when installing a drywall ceiling in your bathroom and the solutions to these unnecessary mistakes. We all know that the bathroom is a moisture rich environment and nobody wants to go through the hassle of redoing their bathroom ceiling once it’s finished. A common mistake that home owners make when installing a bathroom drywall ceiling is they forget about proper ventilation, the drywall is not sealed properly or does not have sufficient support and the other mistake is inadequate framing at inside corners making it impossible to fasten the edge of the drywall as it should be. Read the rest of this entry »

Just about everyone has a vanity in their bathroom. If you want to perform a simple alteration like tiling over the vanity counter top or if you are tentatively contemplating replacement, just for the record, it is usually best to totally remove your old vanity and replace it with a new one before proceeding with your bathroom make over. Sure you can just replace the countertop and save on your renovation costs but if you want to completely refresh your bathroom design and integrate your vanity with your new energy efficient fixtures, a full removal is probably best. After all, on average it would only take you Read the rest of this entry »

Here is a renovation idea to help reduce your bathroom renovation costs by simply doing some of the renovation work yourself. Most bathroom renovation projects whether you are tiling your floor or resurfacing your lavatory walls will require you to remove your toilet. If you are confident and you have consulted a plumber, then the actual time it will take to remove your washroom toilet will be approximately thirty to forty minutes depending on if you encounter some stubborn anchor bolts. Whenever you renovate your bathroom, as always, safety should be a main concern, so be sure to turn off the water supply and any electricity going to your bathroom. Removing a toilet is actually quite Read the rest of this entry »

The National Association of Home Builders and The Canadian Home Builders Association both stipulate that whenever you hire someone for bathroom renovation in your residence, it doesn’t matter the size of the job, you should always get a written and signed contract or statement of intent. The more indebt and detailed the contract, the better. Even if you have been using the renovator for a while and you have a good working relationship there is still a short list of prerequisites that must be covered and agreed upon before the work can begin. Read the rest of this entry »

Bathroom demolition candidates start your engines! Grab that hammer, utility knife, flat bar, reciprocating saw and power drill for removing drywall screws. Get ready to pry out nails and drill out screws and I hope your slashing and cutting skills are up to par with that reciprocating saw because we are about to get down and dirty in your bathroom renovation. But before you begin you’d better Read the rest of this entry »

So you are just about to tear down the drywall and demolish the plaster with your hammer but wait did you shut off the power and remove the cover plates from the light switches and plug ins! Better yet, do you know what dangers lie behind and run through those walls you are about to haphazardly rip apart without a second thought about the consequences of your actions? The walls that run along your bathroom are laden with an arrangement of wires, ductwork (for heating and ventilation) and plumbing. And unfortunately the only way Read the rest of this entry »

Bathroom walls come in two different assortments: walls that simply divide the interior spaces in your home into partitions (or rooms) dutifully named “partition walls” and walls that bear the brunt of holding up the entire structure of your home, dubbed “bearing walls”. Bearing walls help distribute the weight of upper stories of your home all the way down to the ground providing stability. It is very important that you identify whether or not the wall that you want to move or change is a bearing wall or simply a partition wall, because removing a bearing wall can Read the rest of this entry »

Demolition is the first construction stage (or deconstruction stage depending on how you look at it) of your bathroom remodeling project. Many people relish this step because you can really have some fun here by letting out all your pent up frustrations. Knocking things apart can really be fun and therapeutic. Here tasks are measurable and usually move along rapidly so you can quickly get a sense of accomplishment before you even begin. Prior to you letting out your wild child though, it’s usually a good idea to see whether or not you actually want to keep anything before you send it off to the point of no return. Even a loosely laid out plan with some forethought can save you Read the rest of this entry »

So you have done your project planning, estimated your costs and set up a tentative timeline for your bathroom renovation project. Now you must decide if to hire or not to hire a professional to help you finish the job. Needless to say you should have already consulted with architects and bathroom designers when you were first formulating your plans. Just be aware, that there is no guarantee that doing most of the work yourself will actually save you money, especially if you place a cost value on your time and inexperience. Either way, there are two types of professionals that you should consult with when doing a bathroom remodel: design professionals and construction professionals. Read the rest of this entry »