5 Tips on Planning Your Bathroom Renovation With Allocated Budget

Wondering about remodeling your bathroom, and how much does it cost? If you have that in mind to renovate your bathroom for a modern style and fresh environment, you need to analyze the process and even settle for the best design you want with your expected budget.

A unique style of a bathroom can increase the value of your home. So, begin your plan and spend more time looking after your preparation. Here are some helpful tips and ideas that you might need.

1. Set your budget

It’s where you can apply the saying, expect the unexpected. Well, Materials are more costly, plus you will have your labor costs. At some point, ask your contractor or look for bathroom renovation quotes so you can know how much and what materials you’ll be needing — it’s best to seek advice from others and see related articles to add guidance for your cost-effective plan.

If you may want to save money, you can set up your DIY bathroom renovation project so you can spend how much money you allocated — precisely not that painful to pay from your pocket.

2. Establish your bathroom remodeling design

When thinking about bathroom remodeling, it is important to know what features, proper lighting, and space you would like. It should be appealing and clean to go, especially the master bathroom, therefore plan a design with great ambiance and the right layout.

Before you begin planning a bathroom remodel, here are some features you need to pin down: 

• Plumbing fixtures - Focus on purchasing affordable yet good quality — think about replacing the shower, bidet, bathtub, and internet components. However, it will consume more time and money if you buy these.

• Color Scheme - To ensure that your new bathroom fixtures do not conflict with your choice of color, decide in advance. Are you more on dark colors? Well, pick your top picks of color and what’s best for your style.

• Space and utility location - Do you find space to install your cabinets in your bathroom? Where would you like to hide your electrical wires and pipes? That’s surely your question when you begin to layout your bathrooms. Make sure to measure the size of your toilet to maximize your closet space.

3. Look for affordable tiles

It’s not necessary to buy pricey tiles for your bathroom, and you can purchase affordable tiles and find ways to use and place them together to make it nice. Decide whether you'd like to spend your money on a huge shower floor or a bath that is entirely tiled.

Consider using wall paint rather than buying a lot of tiles for your bathroom wall. Instead, you can also recycle your old tiles and drop your designs for them.

4. Labor

You will ask yourself: who will work for the renovation? Will you be asking help from your skillful friend, find subcontractors to perform multiple levels, or get the whole design run by a general contractor?

Looking for laborers who’ll handle the project is an additional cost, so what are you going to do? Definitely, you’ll be jumping off to making a DIY bathroom project instead of paying more money on laborers.

5. DIY bathroom remodel

Instead of thinking about finding contractors, why not do it yourself? Here are things you need to consider, and take a look at our step-by-step guide to find the right way to renovate your bathroom.

Make sure to Gather your tools and supplies

Of course, you will need to have a few items outside the basic toolset, but depending on your renovation plans. Check these few tools and supplies you need for your bathroom remodels:

• Caulking gun

• Hammer

• Tape measure

• Adjustable wrench

• Flathead screwdriver

• Safety mask

• Gloves

• Hacksaw

• Utility knife

• Chalk line

• Extension cord

Steps to renovate on your own

1. Remove bathroom fixtures - Get to strip the drywall and any designs. It's difficult to remodel your bathrooms yourself, so think of a few precautions that you can take to prevent any expensive errors during the demolition process. 

2. Put all new fixtures - This is the next process for you. After removing all the old ones, you can now install your new shower, tub, sink, and cabinets.

3. Install the floor tiles - Now, get your tiles and install them. So, make sure you’re doing it straight to avoid damaging it.

4. Start painting - Hang your drywall; after that, start painting.

5. Put the cabinets.

At this point, your bathroom has now resembled. You can add some designs for a final touch — like vanity mirrors, indoor plants, or stones and check the proper ventilation.

Consider These Tips and Tricks

After reading this, you’ll surely love the idea of renovating your bathroom to an elegant look. If you have an affordable cost that suits you, find the one that can deliver you the highest quality. 

There’s no other reason because you deserve to have a beautiful bathroom. Indeed, start to plan and share it with us.

Home Kitchen Design That Will Make You Feel Like a Professional Chef

If your kitchen needs some renovations, consider the design elements a professional chef would choose. A professional kitchen not only makes culinary mastery easy, but it also makes cleaning a snap. From choosing the right contractor to picking the right floor, there are several things to consider when designing a professional level, home kitchen.

The Right Designer and Contractor

If you want a professional-level kitchen, choose a designer and a contractor with that type of experience. They will know the tricks of the trade. Ask your designer and your contractor for an opinion on the layout, as well as the type of appliances, lighting, counters, and flooring. There are things about a professional kitchen that are not obvious to the casual observer. For example, everything needs to be within easy reach of the work area.

Stone Countertops

Marble or granite countertops are beautiful, but they're also impervious to hot pans and sharp knives. A stone countertop will last a lifetime with just a little routine care. But even if a chip or a stain happens, most stone countertops can be restored. Some natural stone countertops also come with factory-applied sealants and anti-stain warranties to protect your investment.

Brick Flooring

Brick flooring is often used in restaurant kitchens. It's sturdier than many other types of flooring, and it can withstand a lot of hard use. Additionally, certain types of brick, like dairy brick, are non-porous, which helps protect against water damage and bacterial growth. Moreover, brick gives your kitchen a classic appeal that blends well with stainless steel appliances and fixtures. You can talk to a company like Archway Brick and Tile about installing brick floors in your kitchen.

Just keep in mind that cleaning brick flooring takes a little special treatment. Mopping with a mixture of vinegar and water or a mixture of baking soda and water should do the trick. Also, a microfiber mop will hold up better than a sponge mop. Mop vigorously, and if necessary, use a stiff brush on stubborn stains.

Workspace Lighting

In addition to the general, overhead lighting, a real working kitchen needs workspace lighting. Whether it's pendant lights over a kitchen island or directional lights under wall cabinets, you need to put light where you work. It will not only help you craft gourmet delights, but it's also vital for kitchen safety.

Professional Grade Appliances

From sub-zero freezers to high-end ranges, a real, professional kitchen needs professional-grade appliances. The right appliances can make a huge difference to how you cook. Of course, you can cook on any old stove, but having professional kitchen appliances will give you a premier kitchen experience.

Upgrading your kitchen to a professional level can make your cooking experience much easier and more gratifying. Consider these and other kitchen design elements if you’re planning to update your kitchen to reflect your passion for the culinary arts.

Air Conditioning Tips, Tricks, and Hacks You Should Know

We partnered with a cooling company for this post. The opinions in the post are honest. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal views. We are excited because we know you will love it.

With ever-rising global temperatures, air conditioners have become indispensable for many people.

However, for all the comfort it brings, air conditioner use does account for 46 percent of the energy consumption of an average American home.

We also tend to work our AC systems to the point of shortening their lifespans, especially if we’re in the habit of keeping them on while we’re away.

Considering the cost of buying and installing an air conditioning system, we’d all want the one we have to last for as long as it should. At the same time, we would like our AC unit to be as efficient as possible.

Apart from regular AC maintenance, there are other tips, tricks, and hacks that will help us do just that. Here are some of them.

Smart Curtain Use

When your air conditioning is running full blast in the summer, you can help it do its job by using curtains, blinds, and drapes smartly.

The above window attachments can help keep direct sunlight out during the day. With your curtains, drapes, or blinds down, you can help keep the temperature inside cool and ease your AC’s workload at the same time.

Do Some Tree-planting

Curtains, drapes, and blinds are good at blocking the sunlight coming through the windows, but they can’t do much about the sunlight hitting the roof and walls directly and making your home feel like an oven.

If your home gets plenty of sunlight, you might want to consider planting trees in strategic spots around the house. 

Trees, specifically those with broad leaves, can provide your home with plenty of shade to keep temperatures down, which should help your air conditioning unit out in terms of performance and efficiency.

Keep The Air Filter Clean

Your air conditioning unit’s air filter doesn’t just prevent dust particles, pet dander, and allergens from circulating in your home.

Aside from maintaining good indoor air quality, air filters also protect the internal components of the AC unit itself.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for air filters to accumulate dust and debris to the point of clogging.

Once the air filter is blocked, it will lead to poor airflow, which will force your AC unit to work harder and longer just to keep you comfortable.

If you use your AC unit sparingly, cleaning or replacing the air filter every two months would be ideal. For more frequent AC use, a once-a-month replacement should do.

Neglecting regular air filter maintenance can significantly decrease the AC life expectancy. A well-maintained system not only ensures a comfortable environment but also prolongs the lifespan of your air conditioning unit.

Wear The Right Clothing Indoors

Some people turn the thermostat way down to keep themselves as cool as possible.

The problem with doing this is that setting lower temperatures means the AC compressor will have to work longer, which leads to higher energy consumption.

You won’t have to do that if you wear appropriate clothing indoors.

Shorts, tank tops, and clothes made of breathable materials like cotton, linen, or jersey help you keep cool.

Wear any of the above indoors, and you can stay comfortable even when the thermostat is at 26 or 27 degrees instead of 18. That much difference translates to considerable energy savings.

Use Fans

When your AC unit is running, you can help it out by turning on fans, which can help cool air circulate throughout your house.

While any type of fan is acceptable, Energy.gov favors ceiling fans when the AC is on, as it allows you to set the thermostat higher without compromising your comfort.

During the summer, set your ceiling fans to turn counterclockwise at a higher speed. Doing so will create a wind-chill breeze effect that will keep everyone at home feel cooler.

Cook Outside

The lower the temperature in your home, the better it would be for your AC unit.

Since cooking on your oven or stove will make your home hotter and your AC work so much harder to keep everyone comfortable, consider breaking out the grill and preparing your meals outside.

All of the above tips can help ease the burden on your air conditioning system. Do them on top of having your air conditioning system serviced professionally on a regular basis, and you will have an efficiently-working cooling system that will last a long time.

Guest Post - Innovative Bathroom Remodeling Tips

Everyone is in the race to acquire a home for himself and his family. Most people save up, some get loans, and others find means to raise enough money to own a home. However, owning a home does not only include buying the house but maintaining it. Every section in the house needs maintenance, especially delicate parts like the bathroom. At times, the best way to maintain a good bathroom is to remodel it. Remodeling a bathroom requires techniques and steps to follow. Here are some tips for you to remodel your bathroom.

Choose a Design or Plan for Your Bathroom

The first thing you have to do when remodeling your bathroom is to know what you are changing it into. You cannot just bring down the whole bathroom without planning how to remodel it to your taste. You have to create your design or choose an existing one that suits your taste.

Even if you have plans on calling a remodeling company to remodel your bathroom, you will still have to discuss the design you want. You can choose the way you want your bathroom to look and what amenities it should have. You can check out designs from friends or even check online for designs that suit you.

The bathroom design mainly entails the bathroom layout—the position of bathroom essentials, the structure of the bathroom, etc. The design is like the bedding floor of remodeling your bathroom; all other remodeling steps take place on the design.

Customize Your Bathroom to Your Taste

Customizing is vastly different from choosing a design. Customizing your bathroom gives it a signature look and differentiates it from other bathrooms with the same design. Customizing the bathroom is like spiking the bathroom and giving it a pro appearance.

To customize your bathroom, you will have to choose the color for the bathroom walls. You can also decide not to paint the wall but coat them ceramic tiles. These tiles have designs that give the bathroom an excellent look. Whatever method you use, make sure you give it the best because that is what your bathroom deserves. Customizing your bathroom also includes adding appliances to the room. You have to consider your bathroom's space before adding the devices so you won't choke up the whole place. You can also make use of top-notch floor designs for your bathroom.

You can choose the vintage style and give your bathroom the ancient feeling using the hardwood bathroom flooring. You can also make use of linoleum bathroom flooring, depending on what you want. Other flooring types for your bathroom include ceramic tile, vinyl, porcelain tile, engineered hardwood, and laminate bathroom flooring. There are also other types of flooring with their benefits and limitations. So you have to choose the one that suits you best. Customizing depends on your taste of fashion; fill it to the brim.

Replace Old or Worn Out Appliances

There is no doubt some appliances will become irrelevant in the process of remodeling your bathroom. Some appliances might be bad, while others might be too old and might be a dent in your design. Other devices might not fit the type of design you planned for. These appliances can come in the way of your design and can be a significant obstruction. You might have to change them, get a new one, or even discard them. If your design does not accommodate other designs, you should also get rid of them.

Several appliances can need replacement in the bathroom. Appliances like showers, water filters, washers, and even water heaters can require replacement. You can consider your water heater replacement and other necessary equipment when remodeling your bathroom.

Finishing Assessment

A finishing assessment entails checking out your work after everything gets accomplished. You might have to look into more details of the bathroom to be able to detect the flaws. It helps make sure that the bathroom is perfect to your taste. When conducting a finishing assessment, you might have to look into space in your bathroom to make sure it is well-spaced. You also have to consider the bathroom and the ventilation organization and ensure they suit your taste. You might have to look into every structure in the bathroom to ensure perfection.

There are several innovative ideas for remodeling a bathroom, but none is the best if it does not meet your taste. Go for the best creative ideas and follow the needed procedures for the best result. Having a well-remodeled bathroom is an excellent way to start the maintenance of your home.

Author Bio: Lena Linetti is an architect based in San Francisco.