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The Pros and Cons of Bathroom Remodeling

Every year, people from all over the world think about getting their bathrooms remodeled. Many people consider doing this, but not all of them will actually follow through with it. The reason for this is that many of these people do not know much about bathroom remodeling and others know that it is just too big of an undertaking for themselves to do it alone. The rest of the people know that it is very expensive and is probably far beyond the reach and ken of their budget.

The biggest reason why people decide not to remodel their bathroom is for the mere fact that it can be too expensive depending on the size of their bathrooms. Many people consider doing it, but when they look at the actual area of their bathroom and find out the costs that are associated with a complete renovation become deterred at the idea of bathroom remodeling. Many people also do not know how to remodel their bathroom, so when it comes to doing it themselves, they shun the idea, look at hiring a bathroom remodeling contractor and then find out how much it is going to cost and then completely forget about it because of the high costs involved. These are all cons in regards to bathroom remodeling.

There are pros to when it comes to remodeling your bathroom and these pros are that bathroom remodeling is one of the most cost effective places in the houses to do renovations to. It is also one of the most exciting and entertaining. Bathroom remodeling can take time and be a nuisance, but it far outweighs the results of what you can expect to achieve when you finish the job. Depending on what you are actually doing with your bathroom will determine how much it is going to cost and how much you are going to enjoy the results.

Remodeling your bathroom can also increase the value of your home, so if you decide to do anything to your bathroom, always keep in mind that you are making your house worth more. If you decide to do the remodeling yourself, you always run the risk of doing it wrong and having it end up costing you more than you wanted to spend. This is why it is always best to get a quote and try to get someone to do it for you professionally. This will also guarantee that the value of your home increases and will be a better investment than if you do it yourself. However, if you do have renovation experience, doing it yourself might not be a bad idea.

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Home Remodeling Trends for a Recession

With home values plummeting and foreclosures on the rise, there are few people looking to do home renovations. However, for the ones that are trying to take advantage of cheaper labor and materials, there are some home trends for remodeling that are more apt to be done than others. In a recession, some renovations are smarter than others.

Making it Senior Ready

In 2010, 62 percent of the renovations by builders, according to the National Association of Home Builders, were improving the home by making it more accessible for aging folks. These senior ready improvements included adding a first floor bedroom and other items so that the first floor was habitable without ever needing to climb stairs to the top level.

Giving In-Laws Their Space

For some families, nursing homes and other assisted living facilities are not really an option due to the economy. Instead, more are turning to having basements redone to include a small efficiency-type apartment or having what is termed a “mother-in-law” suite. These can give an option for those having to care for older people.

Function Over High End Appliances

In a recession, home remodeling tends to back away from high-end appliances and granite counter tops and put the emphasis on bigger pantries and open space, they want a kitchen that can be customized and blend into the surroundings. Food preparation areas are in less demand, opting instead of more space in the eating area.

Don’t Give Up The Backyard

While you’d think that extras like stone patios and grilling kitchen areas would be less common in trying economic times, people are still adding in patios and outdoor living areas. There is a great emphasis on creating an inviting place outside for play and family time. With more people using staycations instead of vacations, the outdoor living space in the home is a focal point that most don’t want to skimp on.

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Remodeling on a Whim: New Wood Floor and Painting in a Weekend

Laying a hardwood floor was not my intention when I pulled up the carpeting in my living room. In fact, I only needed to remove the carpeting and call a friend who was planning on installing my new-to me piece of carpet. This piece of carpet was in perfect condition; it had spent its life in a formal dining room that was rarely, if ever, used.

The plan: New flooring
In contrast, the carpet I pulled up out my room was well-used, to put it kindly. From the day I moved into my house, three years ago, I knew this sad piece of tan carpeting would have to go, but did not have a plan until being offered a basically unused replacement.

The process: If you give a mouse a cookie
As in the popular children’s book, the cookie is not enough, the mouse wants a glass of milk, and then a straw and so on, this little project snowballed into a major re haul. If you give a mouse a cookie, he is going to want…

• Painted walls
  Since all the furniture was out of the room, I figured touching up the paint on the walls was necessary. I took a trip up to the home improvement store on a Friday afternoon with the intention of purchasing a couple of gallons of paint.
• A wood floor
  I ended up browsing through the flooring section and came across a deal I could not pass up. Wood flooring, in the exact color as my trim at home, was on clearance. I quickly did some calculations and it turned out the price of the wood floor would be close to the cost of having the hand-me-down carpet installed. Armed with that knowledge, I loaded the cart.
• A painted ceiling
  My daughters, ages 17 and 10, took over this job and repainted not only the walls, but the ceiling too. They did it with a smile too. It turns out they had an ulterior motive. The plan was to cheerfully help with the living room, so they could redo their own bedroom next. Not a problem, they did an excellent job in no time flat. We were done before bedtime Friday night.

Figuring out the amount of wood to purchase was the easy part. I knew the dimensions of my room and simply used the calculator on my phone to determine how many boxes I needed.

Cutting wood planks to fit
Tongue and groove wood planks did not concern me. Since my house is a concrete slab, I only had to use glue to hold it in place. It looked like nothing more than a giant puzzle to put together. The logistics of having to fit the wood pieces around a fireplace and accommodate the narrow room, by cutting pieces to fit, was something that did not occur to me until I started. This lack of knowledge probably helped. If I would have known what obstacles I faced, I may not have jumped in so quickly.

One piece at a time
Setting the first few rows got me into the rhythm of the process. In my room, I could glue and set approximately seven pieces before I had to measure and make a cut. Then I would set the small piece to finish the row and move on to the next; glue, fit, glue, fit, glue, fit, glue, fit, glue, fit, cut, glue, fit.

Dance Party
With help from my girls, the room was ready to hold a dance party by 6 p.m. on Saturday. All those break dancing moves were now possible, if not probable. We sat, we spun, then we ordered pizza and enjoyed the fancy new floor and our supreme remodeling skills, on a whim!

If you are looking for a Home remodeler in Phoenix, AZ – Please call AZ granite & Remodeling Today at (602) 759-9000.