Project: Bath Makeovers

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Bath Makeovers

Photo courtesy of Ann Sacks Tile & Stone.

SIMPLE PROJECTS CAN MAKE A HUGE IMPROVEMENT No matter how large or small your bathroom is, there’s probably room for improvement. All-out bathroom renovations can be costly. Consumer Reports recently found that a mid-range remodel averages $16,552.

But improving the look and function of your bath doesn’t always require a full-scale renovation. Smaller projects can yield a dramatic update for a reasonable price.

IMPROVING YOUR REFLECTION

BEFORE

AFTER

Mirror Makeover specializes in dressing up plain mirrors with decorative frames.

Something as simple as dressing up a plain, wall-to-wall mirror with a decorative frame provides instant panache for a ho-hum bath. Mirrorframing companies, such as Mirror Makeover, specialize in this quick 57

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and cost-effective solution. Once a professional measures your mirror, a frame is then custommade to fit the space, which is later professionally installed over your existing mirror.

SEE THE LIGHT

Proper lighting that provides the ideal illumination and styling makes the whole room— and those in it—look better. Lighting can actually change the mood of the bathroom and it can also help to ensure you have a good start and end to your day. Be sure to install ample lighting in key areas such as in the shower and near the primary mirror.

“Bathroom lighting can be a very important part of a remodeling or building project,” says Ann Morgan of The Lighting Gallery.

“Light fixtures can coordinate with the plumbing, cabinet hardware and the granite and tile surfaces in a bathroom. More importantly, the correct bathroom lighting is essential for illumination and practicability, as well as beauty.”

Shower yourself in uxury...

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BEYOND THE CURTAIN

Clumsy curtains and awkward frosted doors can lend a cluttered look to a bathroom. Sturdy, clear glass shower enclosures offer a modern look and a larger sense of space.

“A glass shower enclosure can be installed in any shower,” says Joe Mujadzic of Century Glass and Interiors. “There are really no limitations as long as it is measured, fabricated and installed by a professional glass door installer.”

Mujadzic says from the time of the consultation and final measurement for the new glass enclosure, the process takes about 7 to 10 days for completion. He also says the cost savings depends on the condition of the existing shower.

“If your tile is in great condition and if you do not have any issues with it, your savings can be substantial,” says Mujadzic. “New shower glass enclosures do not require that changes be made to the shower pan, tile or design to accommodate a new glass shower.”

SAVE WATER IN STYLE

Toilets are the main water wasters in the home. According to the EPA, toilets account for nearly 30 percent of indoor water consumption.

Replacing older, ineffective toilets with new high-efficiency toilets can LEFT: Photo courtesy of Century Glass & Interiors.

Over 30 Years of Experience on Residential & Commercial Properties.

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dramatically reduce water use. Also, adding an eco-friendly toilet can help to update the style of the bath by providing a more contemporary feel to the room. Many of the latest, water-efficient toilets available take up less space than older toilets, so you can gain several inches of floor space in addition to saving water.

A new showerhead can yield lower bills, too, for both water and the energy used to heat it. By replacing an existing showerhead with a powerful low-flow model, homeowners can enjoy their showers while saving water and money.

According to the National Kitchen and Bath Association, aerators are considered the single most important water conservation device your faucet or shower head can have. They make efficient use of the water that flows through them, usually by mixing air into the water stream.

They can save as much as 50 percent of your water usage and reduce the amount of energy used to heat the water, by as much as 50 percent as well.

If an aerator is already installed on the end of your faucet, you should be able to read its rated flow imprinted on the side. The rating should be no more than 2.5 g.p.m. (gallons per minute). If your aerator is rated at more than 2.5 g.p.m., it should be replaced.

Faucet aerators generally cost less than $10.

Tub-to-shower conversion overlays, such as Bath Fitter and ReBath, can transform your old bathtub into a spacious shower that is age-in-place friendly.

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STEALTH TOILET

The patented hydraulic and watersaving technology behind Niagara Conservation’s Stealth toilet involves a remarkable combination of air and water working in unison, which helps to deliver a cleaner and more reliable flush. Because Stealth technology maintains pressure in the toilet’s trapway instead of the tank, it produces a surprisingly quiet flush without residual noise. In addition, the Stealth features a sleek, stylish design and is easy to install. The system is also capable of functioning efficiently at varying water pressure levels and has no expensive parts to replace, providing further savings to the homeowner.

Multi-light fixtures are ideal for bathrooms.

Photos courtesy of The Lighting Gallery.

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CHOOSING A BATHROOM VANITY TOP By the National Kitchen & Bath Association If you’re looking for a bathroom countertop—usually called a vanity top—look for something that will stand up to water, soap, toothpaste, cosmetics, and alcohol- and acetone-based liquids. Replacing a vanity top is a feasible do-it-yourself project since you don't have to replace the whole vanity cabinet if you don't want to. Most bathroom vanity tops are surfaced with one of the following five materials: • Granite and marble • Laminate • Solid surface material • Tile • Wood GRANITE AND MARBLE

Though marble and granite are unrivaled for their beauty, at $125 to $250 per running, or linear, foot (as measured from one end of the counter to the other), these classic materials warrant careful thought.

Also, while marble stains easily, granite shrugs off most stains, except grease, especially if the granite is unsealed. If a solid sheet of stone for your countertop is beyond your budget, granite or marble tiles may be substituted at a lower cost.

The Manhattan line of vanity cabinets from Xylem comes with an array of countertops including stone, glass and china.

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Cultured marble is less expensive and is made from real chips of natural marble embedded in plastic. It's available in sheet form and in standard counter dimensions of 19 and 22 inches deep. Cultured marble comes with or without a wash basin molded into it, for $50 to $80 per running foot, installed.

Although easy to clean, cultured marble must be well cared for. Once scratched, it cannot be resurfaced. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations for what type of finish to apply to cultured marble to best protect it.

LAMINATE

This marble-topped vanity and stone sink allow the festive small glass tile backsplash to stand out. Photo courtesy of New Ravenna Mosaics.

At an installed price of $24 to $50 per running foot, laminate offers good value and performance. As a result, it’s the most widely used countertop material in bathrooms, just as it is in kitchens. Various manufacturers market laminates under different brand names, but they're all based on the same principle—a stack of thin plastic layers bonded together under heat and pressure. Laminate countertops clean easily and are resistant to water and stain. However, laminates can burn, wear thin, and dull over time. Hard blows can chip or dent the plastic, and there's no remedy short of replacement.

Available in many colors and patterns, laminate finishes range in texture from high-gloss smoothness to a mottled, leather-like look. Dealers usually have a few standard patterns in stock; you can view color chips in the store to order others.

Do-it-yourselfers can buy prefabricated laminate vanity tops or have them made to order with a hole for the sink cut where needed. Installing the finished countertop is a fairly easy matter. You can apply pieces of laminate material to an installed particleboard countertop, but a professional will do the job best.

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Resources

SOLID SURFACE

WOOD

Solid surface countertops offer many of the advantages of stone with few of the drawbacks. Cast from an acrylic resin that sometimes include crushed stone—particularly quartz—solid-surface material demands little maintenance and is extremely durable. Intense heat and heavy falling objects (which shouldn't pose much of a threat in bathrooms) can cause damage, but scratches, abrasions, and even minor burns (if you leave a curling iron on the vanity top, for example) can be repaired with fine-grade sandpaper. The methods and tools needed for working with this material are similar to those required for woodworking. However, some manufacturers require that a trained pro fessional install their materials.

Solid surface material is available in white, beige, pastels, and imitation stone, usually in ready-formed vanity tops with integrated sinks. Prices range from about $100 to $250 per running foot installed.

As a countertop surface, wood is attractive, versatile, and easy to CENTURY GLASS & MIRROR CO., install. It is, however, especially vul281.499. 9570 nerable to water damage, and its porosity makes it difficult to keep CRESTWOOD CONSTRUCTION, 832.388.5371 clean. All hardwood and softwood species must be well sealed with DESOLA GLASS ART & FRAME polyurethane or marine varnish.

GALLERY, 281.763.2500 Special care should be taken to seal around the edges of plumbing fixTHE LIGHTING GALLERY, 281-444-9299 tures so standing water can't seep in and cause wood rot.

MARATHON SPA & BATH, Maple butcher block is a popu281.342.8775 lar countertop material in the the kitchen, and it sometimes appears MIRROR MAKEOVER, in bathrooms as well. Available in 281.305.3444 24-, 30-, and 36-inch widths, butcher block is thicker than vanity tops, so to install it you may need to modify plumbing connections. Costs for wood countertops run $25 to $40 per linear foot, installed.

To find a local bathroom remodeling professional who can help you purchase or install a bathroom vanity top, search for fabricators and installers in your local area at NKBA.org/ProSearch.

TILE

As it does for floors and walls, ceramic tile makes an attractive, durable finish for countertops. It's available in many colors, designs, and textures. Grout lines that trap dirt and encourage mildew are a major drawback, although new grouts and sealers help alleviate these problems to some degree. Costs range from $10 to $40 per running foot installed.

Getting professional results with tile is a challenge for do-it-yourselfers. A slightly irregular look can be appropriate for rustic, unglazed quarry tile, but most other tile varieties demand greater precision. Using pregrouted tile sheets, or sheets of mosaic tile on a mesh backing, makes it easier to space tiles evenly.

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