Bathroom Remodeling Chicago

Clearing the way for your bathroom remodeling project is mainly a task of loosening nuts and bolts, disconnecting pipes and dismounting counter tops. You will need simple tools like screwdrivers, a basin wrench and other adjustable wrenches or hammers. If your bathroom contains older fixtures or difficult to remove pipes such instances may require specialist tools and the assistance of a plumbing contractor. Whether you’re doing this remodeling project yourself or you have hired a remodeling professional, it’s good to be well versed in this removal process.

To prepare for clearing out the old appliances, you must first shut off the water supply nearest the fixtures being removed. If you have an older house, you may have to shut down the entire house’s water supply. Otherwise, more recent appliances will generally have a shut-off valve on the supply line.

Look closely at how the fixtures are mounted and connected: wall mount, floor, suspension, or even mounted on a pedestal. Faucet assemblies can extend through holes in the fixture or may not be attached as they extend through the wall or holes in the counter top.

Toilets, however, are much easier with a greater incidence of mess. In a matter of minutes, you can empty a tank and dismount toilet. The mess occurs from the toilet’s trap, where water remains until the bowl is tilted – discharging water.

Removing a bathtub is easier if you have an access panel to the pipes. Otherwise, you’ll have to disconnect the plumbing from inside the tub improvising a tool to unscrew the chrome strainer and overflow plate. The rest of the removal requires careful handling and some strong helpers. You may have to remove the toilet and lavatory to have room to maneuver the tub from its recess. If your tub is cast iron – it’ll require a team of four people to remove it as they generally weigh about 300 pounds. Two people can lift out steel or fiberglass tubs.

Generally, you can salvage all or part of a removed fixture for usage elsewhere. You must be careful in your removal of fixtures as they are fragile. Made of porcelain, china, or steel; they can crack, chip, or get dented. If you save fixture parts, make a sketch for later use noting size and shape. Remember, they may not fit your new fixture and you may have to give up that great looking faucet.

Once you remove your fixtures, you’ll need to seal the open supply lines and drain outlets immediately with caps or plugs that match the construction material. This prevents sewer gas seepage into your home – a very stinky situation! It also protects the pipes from clogging due to construction debris. If your pipes were run through a plumbing wall, they may need to be removed, rerouted or cut back to the floor before the openings are sealed. Removing and correctly rerouting plumbing lines should be left up to a plumbing contractor because there are codes and regulations that one should abide by for the plumbing system to function properly.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Popularity: unranked [?]

Many people think that they can not modify any part of their apartment because they don’t own the unit or building. On the other hand some people seem to consider signing a lease as temporary ownership which can create major problems with the landlord or even physical issues to the building if projects are incorrectly constructed. Here we will review a couple simple tips anyone can do to spruce up their bathroom no matter if they own their house or are residing in an apartment.

First of all is your shower curtain, I have moved into some apartments that didn’t even have a shower curtain never mind a shower curtain rod. There are many stores that provide bathroom and shower supplies and some that will only provide accessories. Depending on your taste purchasing a shower curtain at the supply store might be fine, although some may require a type of design or print that is not offered at a supply store.

While looking for bathroom accessories or plumbing supplies it would be smart to ask an expert if there are any ways to obtain discounted prices for purchases of enough accessories or supplies. Experts can also direct you to plumbing supply stores that are less expensive than others while stocking a great number of options. Refer to your remodeling social network also for suggestions on local businesses you can support rather than the large retail chain stores.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Popularity: 10% [?]

Remodeling your bathroom to adjust for children’s usage can include just a few minor changes in order to create a safer bathroom. If a bathroom remodel is in your future, here are a few suggestions to make it more family-friendly.

Having a soft-close toilet seat is an inexpensive and affective way to keep the level of kid’s injury in the bathroom low. Adjustments you can make for a safer bathroom include putting a grab bar inside the shower stall, this is helpful for everyone not just kids—it can get slick in there! Also, having a pedal sink, with no cabinet doors, that is anchored to the wall, can also improve the safety level.

Also think about a hand shower in addition or instead of a wall shower. Not only is it great for you washing shampoo off of your little ones, but children are less scared of hand showers, which will be especially helpful when they are transitioning from taking a bath to taking a shower. Having a hand shower also benefits you while cleaning your shower/tub unit, it makes it a lot easier. You can use a hand shower to replace a regular shower head (that slides up and down on a bar, adjusting to height), or you can have both.

Another factor to consider when remodeling for kid’s safety include cleaning supplies. If you do keep cleaning supplies in the bathroom, think about adding a special shelve, above the door frame where you can store them. This way they are out of reach for the kids, yet easily accessible for you. Keeping them in a plastic caddy that you can just grab would add to the ease of keeping the cleaning supplies up there.

If the bathroom is strictly a children’s bathroom, make it functional for kids. Ideas for this include hanging towel racks at heights so it is easier for them to grab. Also consider making the bathroom cabinets and shelves low enough so that they can reach them without climbing on anything (like the toilet, tub, or sink, giving them a chance to injury themselves). Also, providing storage containers for items (bath toys, towels, etc) that is easily accessible to young kids will also give them less likely chance of injuring themselves in the bathroom.

Making these adjustments will allow for a safer bathroom for your children. If you think there are additional things you would like to do, you should check out the Child Safety Store, just browsing their website will inspire some other ideas as well.

Popularity: unranked [?]

Bathrooms are a critical part of any home renovation project. If you ask anyone who has ever been involved in real estate, bathrooms are the rooms that sell homes. These rooms have a lot of value, and making yours look great is only half the battle. While a good looking bathroom can increase the value of your home, a good looking bathroom that is functional will serve to increase value and make your own life easier and more efficient. There are many ways to utilize bathroom spaces, and finding the solution that works for you is just a matter of getting creative.

Start by figuring out how much renovation you will be doing. If you are completely gutting the room and starting over, you have a lot more ideas to play with than if you were only making small changes. You can design the perfect bathroom, as long as you remember to think about the functionality of the space as well as the aesthetic design. When you start planning, think about the strategic placement of the shower or tub, the sink, the toilet, and light fixtures within the area. You will need to consider different options and think outside of the box to get a unique, functional bathroom that you can turn into a beautiful space.

If you are not renovating the entire room, you can still make big changes in functionality by replacing little elements here and there. Change out light fixtures for more energy-efficient models. Choose compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) that gives off a daylight type of light for a more natural lighting solution. Even better, put in a window or two, or expand the existing windows if they are small. More outside light means you need less artificial light in the room. Consider changing the shower, faucets, and toilet to energy-saving models. You would be surprised at how many beautiful fixtures you can find that are also eco-friendly, allowing your bathroom to become more functional AND better looking at the same time.

You can still go to the store and pick out the items that you like based on looks. Just make sure that you check the information to ensure that you are picking products that look good AND work well. After all, if a bathroom isn’t functional, it doesn’t matter how pretty you make it look with your renovations. Utilize the resources that you have available to you, because today’s bathroom fixtures and materials allow everyone to have a space that looks great and provides the functionality that they need.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Clearing the way for your bathroom remodeling project is mainly a task of loosening nuts and bolts, disconnecting pipes and dismounting counter tops. You will need simple tools like screwdrivers, a basin wrench and other adjustable wrenches or hammers. If your bathroom contains older fixtures or difficult to remove pipes such instances may require specialist tools and the assistance of a plumbing contractor. Whether you’re doing this remodeling project yourself or you have hired a remodeling professional, it’s good to be well versed in this removal process.

To prepare for clearing out the old appliances, you must first shut off the water supply nearest the fixtures being removed. If you have an older house, you may have to shut down the entire house’s water supply. Otherwise, more recent appliances will generally have a shut-off valve on the supply line.

Look closely at how the fixtures are mounted and connected: wall mount, floor, suspension, or even mounted on a pedestal. Faucet assemblies can extend through holes in the fixture or may not be attached as they extend through the wall or holes in the counter top.

Toilets, however, are much easier with a greater incidence of mess. In a matter of minutes, you can empty a tank and dismount toilet. The mess occurs from the toilet’s trap, where water remains until the bowl is tilted – discharging water.

Removing a bathtub is easier if you have an access panel to the pipes. Otherwise, you’ll have to disconnect the plumbing from inside the tub improvising a tool to unscrew the chrome strainer and overflow plate. The rest of the removal requires careful handling and some strong helpers. You may have to remove the toilet and lavatory to have room to maneuver the tub from its recess. If your tub is cast iron – it’ll require a team of four people to remove it as they generally weigh about 300 pounds. Two people can lift out steel or fiberglass tubs.

Generally, you can salvage all or part of a removed fixture for usage elsewhere. You must be careful in your removal of fixtures as they are fragile. Made of porcelain, china, or steel; they can crack, chip, or get dented. If you save fixture parts, make a sketch for later use noting size and shape. Remember, they may not fit your new fixture and you may have to give up that great looking faucet.

Once you remove your fixtures, you’ll need to seal the open supply lines and drain outlets immediately with caps or plugs that match the construction material. This prevents sewer gas seepage into your home – a very stinky situation! It also protects the pipes from clogging due to construction debris. If your pipes were run through a plumbing wall, they may need to be removed, rerouted or cut back to the floor before the openings are sealed. Removing and correctly rerouting plumbing lines should be left up to a plumbing contractor because there are codes and regulations that need to be abided by for the plumbing system to function properly.

Source

Popularity: 57% [?]

Rub-a-dub-dub! It’s time for a new tub.
Modern bathtubs have come a long way from just being places to get ready for the day. Master bathrooms are becoming more and more like private retreats and sanctuaries, complete with the luxury amenities usually found in hotels and spas. In addition to new shapes and styles of tubs, new materials are being used for tubs. Stainless steel, stone, and concrete are examples of some of the materials being used in custom designed bathrooms as a way to make them more unique. Gone are the days of tile upon tile in bathrooms as people are opting for a variety of textures in the bathroom.

Sunken tubs

Pretty? Yes. Practical? Probably not. These tubs are typically recessed into the floor or sometimes into a slightly elevated platform. Though visually interesting, these tubs are difficult to get out of and easy to fall into in the middle of the night.

Overflow tubs
Similar to infinity pools, these luxury tubs continually re-circulate and re-heat water that spills over the edge. A way to continually keep the water warm, this style of tub is often recessed into the floor.

Soaking tubs
While whirlpools still have quite the following, soaking tubs are showing up more and more in bathroom remodels. Instead of behemoth whirlpool bathtubs, people are deciding on smaller, more sculptural soaking tubs that don’t take up as much space in the room. Soaking tubs are designed to be a little deeper that traditional tubs, allowing your entire body to be immersed in water. Plus, these are actually relaxing since there are no noisy jets to interrupt the silence of the room.

Freestanding tubs
Though not a “new design” per se, freestanding tubs have made a comeback. Once popular in the 1800’s, freestanding tubs are breaking free from walls and platforms, and are standing on their own once again (sans the cast-iron claw feet). Some freestanding tubs are elevated on legs, but one of the hottest trends is for the base of the entire tub to be flush with the ground.

Walk in bathtubs
Accessibility counts, and walk in tubs are the way to go if a traditional tub poses too much of an obstacle. Taking a cue from the Japanese style of soaking tub, called an ofuro, these tubs are narrower than American style tubs, and are much deeper, allowing the user to sit comfortable on a platform within the tub while soaking.

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Popularity: 67% [?]

Popularity: 100% [?]

Popularity: 16% [?]