Mar
21
3 upgrades to help boost your home’s energy efficiency
March 21, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – With milder temperatures and longer days, it seems as though the last vestiges of winter are behind us. Yet, if you experienced high heating bills, or drafts and cold spots throughout your home, it could mean your home is not as energy efficien…
Mar
20
Spring home improvements you can do in 24 hours or less
March 20, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – For most of us, the idea of spring cleaning probably sounds refreshing after a winter of bundling up against the cold. Now that spring has arrived, it’s finally time to get started! Sprucing up your home doesn’t have to take lots of…
Mar
20
Spring home improvements you can do in 24 hours or less
March 20, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – For most of us, the idea of spring cleaning probably sounds refreshing after a winter of bundling up against the cold. Now that spring has arrived, it’s finally time to get started! Sprucing up your home doesn’t have to take lots of…
Mar
14
7 home improvements to tackle before you move in
March 14, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – You found the perfect home, so it’s not surprising that you want to move in as quickly as possible. However, there are some projects that are best done when the house is still empty.So, consider completing the following seven items before the m…
Mar
14
7 home improvements to tackle before you move in
March 14, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – You found the perfect home, so it’s not surprising that you want to move in as quickly as possible. However, there are some projects that are best done when the house is still empty.So, consider completing the following seven items before the m…
Mar
10
3 tips to make your bathroom remodel a breeze
March 10, 2017 | Leave a Comment
(BPT) – If you’re thinking about remodeling your bathroom, you’re not alone. Bathrooms are the most common remodeling project people will undertake in 2017, according to the National Association of Home Builders. So what’s the best way to begin? Here are three expert tips to help you get started:
1. Identify the “pain points” of your current bathroom. Even if you’ve been dreaming about a new bathroom for years, the exercise of writing out goals for your remodel is an important first step in taking the dream to reality. Start with the pain points of your current bathroom, whether it’s the fixtures, the tile, the vanity, the lighting or other functional and style issues, and then move on to your wish list. Determining your “must-haves” in advance is key to prioritizing your action list and budget.
2. Budget like a pro. Accurate budgeting can help take the emotion out of the financial aspects of your project and put it where it belongs — in the excitement of seeing your new room come to life. The average bathroom remodel was approximately $18,000 in 2016 for a mid-range bathroom remodel, according to Remodeling Magazine. When budgeting your own project, be sure to factor in labor costs as well as material costs, and set aside contingency dollars for the unexpected. If you only look at costs on an item-by-item basis, you won’t get an accurate picture. Working with a designer or contractor can also help you to best choose where and how to invest your budget within your space.
3. Explore the new world of affordable, professional design services. The internet has changed everything, and bathroom remodeling is no exception. Professional design experts are now available to the public in an affordable way, thanks to the advent of “virtual” personal design services. For instance, the Online Design Service from Kohler Co. offers homeowners up to three hours of collaboration with a Kohler Professional Bathroom Designer over interactive online meetings (such as Face-Time or Webex), email or phone. After an in-depth consultation with a Kohler Designer, each homeowner receives a personalized design package containing photo-realistic 3-D image of their new design concept, as well as mood boards, a sample box of finishes and color swatches, and a shopping list of product selections. Priced at an affordable $399, Kohler also gives rebates on the company’s products for online design customers purchases. More details can be found at www.kohler.com/designservice. For those who may desire a more traditional customized in-home design process, working with a National Kitchen & Bath designer is also a great option.
A nation of remodelers, the U.S. boasts a home improvement industry valued at more than $192 billion today, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. With new resources like online design services, it becomes easier for people to move from merely thinking about remodeling a bathroom to doing it.