POLL: Most common challenges with a bathroom / kitchen renovation?
Emily H
6 years ago
Staying on budget
Staying on schedule
Product delays
Expensive surprises along the way
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Comments (76)
Pamela Foster & Associates, Inc.
6 years agoUser
6 years agoRelated Discussions
Poll: Which room in your home are you most proud of?
Comments (5)That's hard. Doing a total renovation, every room is being done to my complete satisfaction naturally, so I'm loving every one of them and being in them....See MorePOLL: What is the most difficult part of a renovation?
Comments (47)kilaclarke, you're right. Trust is essential. We trusted the builder we engaged. I thought we had achieved open and honest communication. That was until he lied about getting an engineering assessment done for the beam needed to replace a load bearing wall; and he kept on lying. His rough guess was found to be grossly under-dimensioned and not even braced properly to the existing structure (was it John, Z?). We became suspicious about the beam because he delivered workmanship like the botched door frame in the pics below. Trust quickly evaporated. I'm sure he now tells people what awful clients we were. It's not always the client. The photos are evidence of what was awful. We sought to protect other families from this cowboy shattering their hopes, dreams and finances. The Master Builders Assoc didn't want to know about it. Neither did Consumer Affairs. Perhaps, if the building industry sought to clean up and eradicate all the shonkies within their ranks, they'd have a better reputation and customers could have a heightened level of trust. New fad: Let sunlight in through your door frames & go nuts with the nail gun. A new approach to mitre joints: they don't join! New fad: Leave 2 to 7mm gaps around the frame. New fad: Rough and raw with semi-hidden light switches. People do not trust builders when they can see that a grade 7 student could achieve a better result in their very first woodwork lesson. This guy should not hold a builders license. How many others are there like him? The industry needs a clean up....See MorePOLL: Is now the perfect time to plan your next renovation?
Comments (20)it is always a good idea to improve your home and there are many inexpensive ways to add value. Do your research in your area - always make improvements that will INCREASE the value of your home Take ideas from what’s sold in your area- which homes achieved the highest prices - in particular what features made the most impact and why... The most impactful way to improve your home - befor you renovate.. De clutter de clutter de clutter . if you can’t then add storage - storage is king. Look at door hardware - is it outdated ?? change to a more modern look - black hardware adds a great contemporary look to doors, kitchen and bathroom cabinetry - if you have a contemporary home that is! Bathroom mirrors - if your home is a standard 4 x 2 and holds a simple frameless mirror - then update it!! if there is no window treatment in the bathroom add one - 64mm venetian come in contemporary colours including black. best idea- use Houzz to find bathroom images of similar style and look to yours / then look for bathrooms that emulate the look your going for! sometimes cleaning grout and changing a shower screen can make all the difference! Kitchens - if your kitchen is functional and your cabinetry carcass is in good nic - change the doors with a local cabinet maker - if your carcass is good then don’t go over board! Having renovated over 300 properties to sell I look for simple but effective solutions that will impact a sale... Paint paint paint - best and cheapest solution by far! TVs - if they are currently sitting on tv units - mount them to a wall- create as much floor space as you can - sell your tv unit to fund your new monitor arm. a small floating cabinet or shelf underneath the tv should do the trick! Look for effective storage solutions for everyday appliances or gadgets that you use - you’ll be surprised at how much “bigger” your home will be! Use old bathroom mirrors and glue them to alfresco limestone walls behind your feature plants ( i’ve done this many a time is small complexes and large and they are always fantastic! ART - large pieces of art - if you can’t afford a great piece then find some beautiful upholstery or fabric and staple to an old canvas or multiple canvases to creat one large art piece even multiple fabric choices Recover old cushions - there are so many seamstresses out of work that i can get them done for under $10 per cushion .. Good window treatments can make all the difference. Pick your main areas to invest in the best window treatments and do the basics in the smaller rooms .. you can always update them later. Look at the companies warranties - the longer the better is what you want! make them guarantee fabric and components and ask them which products look good and stand the test of time year after year. Lighting - both mood and functional is so important - LED people ... will save you so much more money in the long run! If you can’t afford a lighting designer - go speak to the people at beacon or smaller lighting shops They will consult for you for free so ask them! I aiways guarantee that every dollar i invest in a project must make me at lest 1 - 3 dollars in return. Do that with every renovation idea make sure you’ll get your money back!...See MoreNeed help with Bathroom renovation
Comments (5)!) Set out your bathroom including shower, the sill of your window relative to shower, if shower under window.....However, exterior of widow needs to be considered. Brick suggests a new lintel above the window Have new window in before doing any more work Plumbing and electrical rough ins before RENDERING 3) Rendering by a good renderer will ensure the quickest method to " plumb " walls ..one day about $ 1,000....Organise your tiler BEFORE Rendering, some tilers render, or my " brother-in-law renders " ( A great option ) A tiler can only tile as good as the walls permit ! 4) Rendering....Waterproofing...Tiling ...Fit Out....Shower screen ( never be talked into buying a shower screen from a fixture business...ONLY have shower screen measured AFTER tiling is completed...See MoreUser
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