Bathroom Remodeling 101

There are many home remodeling projects, but one of the most valuable in terms of increasing the value of the home is the bathroom remodeling job. Remodeling an aging bathroom can have a great many benefits, both in terms of livability and in terms of home value, but it is important to do the job the right way.

Start with proper planning

The great bathroom remodel starts with proper planning, and it is important to plan the project properly in order to have it turn out how you want. One priority, and unfortunately one that is often overlooked, is to obtain all the necessary permits from local and county governments. It is important to notify the township and other authorities of your plans, as failure to do so could leave you with a big fine o pay.
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Another part of planning is to draw up a good set of architectural plans. A good set of plans will be a great help when hiring a contractor, and it will help the contractor more easily visualize the finished bathroom. If architectural drawings are beyond your abilities, a quick drawing, or even a set of photos from the architectural magazine you have been using as your guide, can be a good substitute.
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Remember the utilities

Remodeling the bathroom may require moving utilities, and it is important to let the contractor know where the water lines are located, and which lines may need to be moved. It is important to know that structural changes may be needed in order to reroute water lines, or to bring in plumbing, electricity or telephone lines.
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Start with a good foundation

The floor of the bathroom is one of the most important considerations, since the bathroom floor gets much more of a workout than the floor of most other rooms. The most durable of all bathroom floors is stone or ceramic tile. When properly installed, stone or ceramic tile will last a lifetime.
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Of course the expense of stone and ceramic tile, coupled with the difficulty of installing it properly, puts it off limits to many homeowners. Vinyl flooring can be a good and more cost effective substitute for stone and ceramic tile. Vinyl is durable, and easy to clean, and it is comfortable, quiet and skid resistant as well.
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No matter what type of flooring you choose for your bathroom remodel, it is important to install it properly. Improperly installed flooring will not last, and the last thing you want to do is end up doing is remodeling that bathroom all over again in just a few years.

Brooke Sikula is a freelance writer based in Ventura, CA and writes on a wide range of topics from home improvement to credit repair and everything in between. She is a regular contributor to http://www.get-home-improvement.com and http://www.credit-card-faq.com
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For more information and advice on home improvement projects, check out http://www.home-improvement4u.com

Tips on Economic Bathroom Remodeling Ideas

Bathroom remodeling ideas you can afford: A bathroom is usually one room in the home, even a busy family home, where you can expect to find some peace and quiet.

For mothers of smaller children, it's often the only "retreat" space they have, and so bathroom remodeling ideas should take into account turning this space into a tranquil environment.

There are many bathroom redecorating ideas around, but which ideas are the ones that really appeal to you?

Look at the décor of your bathroom. Does it really fit with a tranquil theme? Are there soft colors, soft lighting and places for candles around your tub? Or is the shower gel fighting for space with an assortment of kid's toys? How stress-free can a bathroom be if that's the case?
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Can you relax on an air-filled pillow when you get into the tub, or are you fishing out ducks, boats and sponges left over from the kid's bathing?

Sort out the bath toys that are still required and dispose of the rest. Find some kind of storage container for them and make it your kid's responsibility that all things are returned to that container after their finished bathing - and follow this up with a threat that anything found floating in the tub will be consigned to the garbage!
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Having gotten rid of the debris, now look at your color scheme. Which colors are the most relaxing for you? It's surprising how different a coat of paint will alter how your bathroom looks. Not to mention how you feel when you spend time in your bathroom. Color can raise and lower your stress level. Bulls go after the color red for a reason!
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Choose a theme and work this around the bathroom - perhaps a Victorian floral theme, or a Scandinavian minimalist theme - look in some home decorating books for bathroom remodeling ideas.

If you don't have the money to refurnish the bathroom, use what you have with some paint techniques to freshen it up like the bathrooms in the magazines. Have a mural painted on your ceiling.
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If you do have a little extra budget for remodeling your bathroom, and depending on where you live, having a heated floor could be a great asset, especially in the winter!

Imagine stepping out of the shower and onto a floor that's just warm enough to stand on comfortably as you dry yourself off. As heat rises, the floor, especially at ground level, is one place that generally remains cold. I know I hate stepping out of the shower onto a cold floor. Ouch!
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In the bathroom, a heated floor is a luxury that's well worth considering, especially if you have a tiled or wooden floor!

Bathroom remodeling ideas don't have to cost a fortune. You can easily achieve a totally different look in your bathroom on a small budget if you fix a theme, get rid of un-necessary clutter into storage areas, and then shop around for the accessories that fit your theme.
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In no time at all your refuge can be transformed into a retreat space to help refuel your spirit.

Nancy Thomas is a freelance writer, interior design fanatic and webmaster for Bathroom-Design-Made-Easy.com and Kitchen-Design-Made-Easy.com, where she is putting together a growing number of bathroom and kitchen remodeling articles and ideas.