Remodeling your bathroom in your own style

The day you are handed the keys to your own home is a day you will never forget. You walk from room to room thinking about the changes you will make so the style of your home is your own.  You might choose to remodel the kitchen so you can update the appliances and replace the cabinets.

The bathroom in the master bedroom is a room that will take special planning so you can tear out the old items and install all new ones.  Maybe you have already looked at bathroom suites and chosen the toilet and basin that offer a style that you know is the perfect combination for you.  You want this room and all the others in your home to reflect your style and not that of the last owner.

Remodeling your home in a way that expresses your style is what makes the house truly yours.  You might go back and forth before finally choosing the right sink and tub or it might happen quickly. As you shop online you might know right away that you want a wall hung basin and and a contemporary toilet that when combined will create the look you have in mind.

New house, new rules

Deciding to make a move to a new house is a stressful matter on its own. But when this new house is something that you decided to build from scratch, you’re probably used to the stress.

The pressure begins right from the start, when deciding upon the lot of land that the house will be built at. Real estate is a very fluctuating market and that can cause some stress on its own, and the quality of the land you’re planning on buying needs to be assessed by a private expert. And this is just the first step.

Then comes deciding on a project for the house itself. This is when the real pains begin. You need to hire an architect and work directly with him on making all the tough decisions and these include making your house energy efficient, which will save you money in the long run. The biggest choice in this matter comes in the form of what heating system to use. Personally, I feel that an underfloor heating system is comparatively far more efficient, although it’s also a much bigger initial investment.

Hopefully by this stage you won’t have completely broken the bank, and you’re ready to start furnishing your house. Again, energy saving appliances will help reduce overall costs, so keep that in mind also.

Can you feel the heat?

One of my many memories as a child is constant visits to one of my dad’s business associates. This guy was pretty well off and had a newly build house with everything a kid could ask for: a big playroom, a pool, a swing set and a games room with a pool table and an arcade machine. Oh, and a Terminator pinball machine too. But asides from all these memories of playing and having fun when we went there to visit on weekends, another thing that stuck with me was noticing how warm is house was during Winter. When I asked my dad how his house was so warm even though they weren’t using heaters he told me he had a heating system that circulated hot water under the floor. Probably in words I could easily understand.

 So it stuck with me how effective this form of heating was, and when it was my turn to build my house one of the things I was sure of right away was that I wanted water underfloor heating installed. And when I checked the overall installation prices and how much upkeep would cost, as well as the actual costs of running the system, I realized that this dream of mine was actually going to save me some money in the long run.

Preventing Mold and Mildew

During the winter, windows and doors are kept closed to keep in the heat. This can cause damp air to sit undisturbed in bathrooms and kitchens and lead to formation of mold and mildew. I have been spending time removing this in my home recently so I thought I would post a few tips on prevention.

Firstly, there should always be ventilation in bathrooms. If you are not lucky enough to have a window present then make sure that an extractor fan is installed. Leave it running for about 30 minutes after someone has taken a shower.

If there is a formation of mold then a combination of vinegar and water can be used to kill it off. This mixture will also not harm chrome that is found in most bathrooms.

Make sure that grouting is kept in good order. If there are gaps in your grout then damp can get behind the tiles and it may be there forever. If you feel the need to regrout, make sure that all the old grout is removed before applying the new. Make sure to use a silicone based grout for best results.

With these simple tips you should be able to keep your house mold and mildew free.