Guest Post - Things to Consider While Preparing for A Bathroom Renovation

Renovating a bathroom is both an exciting and rewarding experience. A remodeled bathroom reflects personal style and delivers the desired comfort, maximum functionality, and added value. But to get the outcome you dreamt of requires time and a considerable amount of investment. Lack of focus and proper planning can get it off-track in no time. At times it gets overwhelming and daunting for homeowners as there is a lot of decision-making involved, and the bathroom is an essential everyday space that you can’t keep disorderly for long. 

If you are prepping up for a bathroom renovation, carefully considering a range of factors and a little advanced preparation and foresight can ensure that the project does not upend your life or create needless hassles. For people undertaking a bathroom renovation project for the first time, doing a thorough research and taking expert assistance will be a prudent choice.

Consider the following things before demolishing the bathroom to enjoy a smooth bathroom renovation process from conceptualizing to completion:

Plan it

Planning is the best way to start a bathroom renovation project. Write down your list of priorities, matters with the present bathroom, the expectations, or what you wish to achieve at the end of the project. Setting clear goals and creating a well-defined plan is the key to a successful bathroom renovation. 

Set a budget

There is no defined cost of renovating a bathroom. You can spend as much as you wish, and for this reason, setting a budget is critical. Do your research keeping all the required changes, like adding a new sink, a fresh coat of paint, lighting and plumbing fixtures, and cabinets in mind to get an idea of your ability and willingness to spend on different aspects. Setting a budget and defining the financial limits will make it easier to decide on the layout, design, and other features.

Layout

Keeping the current layout is always cost-effective. But if you have the budget and are not happy with the present bathroom condition, you can redesign it from scratch to suit your needs. Keep in mind that completely changing the layout will also mean plumbing alterations to accommodate the renovations. Don’t only think about the present while planning the layout. Plan it with the future in mind to accommodate all the changes you foresee in the coming times. 

Look for design inspirations

Browse through the internet or hire an architect to know ways to get the best out of the available space. A bathroom design should incorporate both aesthetics and functionality. Include factors like color, shower, bathtub, tiles, faucets, and fixtures while planning the bathroom design. Avoid experimenting too much with the materials and colors and keep things consistent with the rest of the house. While designing, also factor in how it will affect the resale ability of the house.

Keep the space in mind

Having an exceptional bathroom design idea is not enough. There should also be adequate space to execute it properly. Avoid setting unrealistic expectations and try to manage available space optimally.   

Appropriate plumbing fixtures and features

Plumbing faucets, fixtures, and hardware are inseparable elements of a bathroom renovation. They have a considerable impact on the overall appearance. Choose hardware that fits the budget and fulfills the family’s needs. It is surprising how things like drawer pulls or door handles can transform the look of your bathroom. You can also opt for greener alternatives while upgrading the bathroom features. For example, consider a low-flow toilet, energy-efficient water heater, and no-VOC paints.

Plan the storage

Storage is a crucial part of any bathroom. Planning cabinets, shelves, and other solutions can get tricky. The storage space should be functional, easily accessible, must accommodate all your stuff, and look aesthetically pleasing at the same time.

Pick the right materials

Only once you enter the world of bathroom renovation, you realize that there are much more details to look into than you thought. The choice of materials for different bathroom accessories depends on your need and the bathroom style. Do proper research before choosing a durable material for the countertops, floor tiles, cabinets, bathtub, backsplash, and lighting.

Lighting

It is easy to forget about lighting while remodeling a bathroom. Bad lighting can destroy the look of the space. Consider maximizing the natural lighting through a window or skylight, and add attractive lighting fixtures and recessed LEDs to perfectly light it up. 

Adequate ventilation

Bathrooms require excellent ventilation owing to their susceptibility to dampness. Careful planning is essential to finalize the modes of ventilation (window vents, exhaust fans) and their positioning to maximize airflow. 

Hire professionals

Selecting a reliable remodeler is essential to bring your renovation ideas to life. Avoid giving in to the temptation of hiring the one that offers the lowest price. Evaluate them for their skills, expertise, commitment, and reliability.

Taking all the above factors into account while planning a bathroom renovation will save both time and money. All the disturbances and disruptions during the process are temporary, and the final result will surely be worth all the efforts.  

About the author:

Richa has over 10 years of content writing experience with leading home improvement and renovation companies. This article is written by her for SITL Home Renovation and Design - Greenwich, CT renovation experts.

Load Up the Moving Truck: Packing Hacks to Help Make Moving Day Faster and Easier

Moving to a new home is always going to be stressful, but there are some simple things that you can do to streamline this process. That includes taking a look at some packing hacks that will make the day of your move much less stressful.

Choose the Right Supplies

While it might be tempting to save a little money by using cheap moving supplies, that will most likely cause some problems in the long run. No matter what steps you take to carefully pack away your possessions, they could become damaged if you are using flimsy boxes and no padding. Luckily, many different companies now sell high-quality moving supply kits at very low prices, and those products should be thought of as an investment.

Send the Non-Essentials Early

With a little bit of planning, you might be able to pack up a majority of your possessions well before you move to your new home. Some of the items that you might want to consider packing early include seasonal clothes, holiday decorations, outdoor tools, and old family mementos. Once you have packed those items, you can have them shipped to your new home or sent to a nearby storage facility. Many storage facilities charge very little if you only need to rent a single unit for one or two months.

Pack by Room

Once it comes time to start packing up all of the items that you use daily, you should consider which rooms they are going to be put in at your new home. You can then label each box with the destination room so that you know exactly where to take them when they are being unloaded. That simple trick could end up saving you hours of time and help you avoid losing important items.

Consider Working With the Pros

No matter what steps you take to plan your move, you might still run into a few major hiccups. That is why so many people decide to work with a moving company. Those professionals often offer a wide variety of services including moving your heavy furniture, driving the moving trucks, and unloading at your new home.

Taking these few extra steps to pack your belongings might seem like a lot of extra work, but they could be very beneficial in the long run. No one wants to spend a tremendous amount of time and energy moving to a new home only to misplace their possessions or find damaged boxes when they arrive.

5 Hottest Features Buyers Want To See In Their Home

Across the country, people are spending more and more time at home, and that is creating a unique situation for buyers and sellers. What people are looking for in their next home in 2021 is a bit different than what they might have wanted in years past. The features at the top of home buyers’ lists are all about comfort, convenience, and enjoying home dining and entertaining — especially as people are anticipating warmer temperatures on the horizon. The real estate experts at HomeLight recently interviewed more than 1,000 agents across the country to see the trends that they are noticing in their markets. Among their insights are the five features that buyers want for their homes in 2021. Here are some that are at the top of people’s lists: 

Updated basics

When it comes to buying a home one of the top features that people are always looking for are updated floors, bathrooms, and walls. That doesn’t mean that everything needs to be brand new, but remnants of the past such as popcorn ceilings, shag carpets, and unusual color schemes for walls, should be replaced with neutral tones for ceiling and walls, streamlined floors (such as wood, composite, tile, or updated carpet), and no carpet in bathrooms. Making these changes can equal a huge difference for selling your home. 

Bathrooms that mix form and function  

In the era of Covid-19, bathrooms are doing double duty with everyone at home for remote work and school, and that means not only updating these spaces, but transforming them into sanctuaries. One of the top bathroom upgrades that buyers are looking for now is a double sink, as 65 percent of agents noted in the survey. Other features that are high on people’s lists are a rain shower head (39 percent), or an expanded linen closet (29 percent of agents reported). Agents are also noting that decorative tiling is also highly desirable. 

Chef-ready kitchens

Remodeled kitchens are always hot, with stainless steel, updated cabinets, and granite countertops, but now, buyers want other features for top functionality, like enhanced lighting and workspaces, like a center island, as 64 percent of agents noted. 

Outdoor kitchens

With more time at home in 2021, outdoor entertaining is getting an upgrade, and people are looking to go all out with outdoor kitchens, as 46 percent of agents noted it at the top of people’s lists of desirable home features. These kitchens go beyond outdoor grills to include sinks, bars, and even, an outdoor fridge. 

Outdoor privacy and comfort

Outdoor spaces are more than just backyards, they are becoming an extension of people’s homes. Following that, buyers want these spaces to be not only private, with hedges or a fence (as a key feature according to 48 percent of agents), but also cozy, with a fire pit high on people’s lists, according to 54 percent of agents in the survey.

As sellers, it might be tempting to think that you need to make all of these upgrades, but the best strategy is to work with your agent to determine which ones are best for your home and return on investment, while keeping buyers’ interests in mind.

Insulating Your Crawl Space: Everything You Need To Know

The crawl space often doesn’t receive much attention when it comes to home improvement. One crawl space upgrade that you should consider, however, is updated insulation. To learn about why insulation is important, what insulation materials to use, and more, here’s everything you need to know about insulating your crawl space.

The Importance of Insulating Your Crawl Space

• Reduces energy costs: You can lose a significant amount of hot and cold air through the crawl space in one’s home. As a result, your HVAC system will have to work harder to regulate the temperature, ultimately resulting in higher monthly energy bills. By improving the insulation in your crawl space, you can reduce these costs.

• Enhances comfort: By improving the insulation in your crawl space, you can prevent uncomfortable drafts and temperature fluctuations in your home.

• Prevents pests: Depending on the material you choose, upgrading the insulation in your crawl space can help seal off small crevices and keep out pests.

Best Insulation Materials for Crawl Spaces

Now that you understand the importance of insulating your crawl space, it’s time to choose the best insulation materials for your area. Ideally, the insulation material you choose should have a high R-value to block the transfer of heat. It should also be long-lasting so that you don’t have to worry about replacing it often. In addition, the material should have moisture-resistant properties to prevent mold and mildew growth in notoriously damp and leaky crawl spaces. Insulation materials with these qualities include polystyrene and closed-cell spray foam insulation.

How To Prepare a Crawl Space for Insulation

Upon choosing your insulation material, all you have to do is prepare your crawl space for the installation process. Doing so is relatively simple and primarily involves clearing out the space as much as possible. This will make it easier for the installation contractors to move around and cover every nook and cranny. It is also important to waterproof your crawl space, as water accumulation can damage the insulation material over time.