Month: November 2020

Remodeling a small bathroom can be deceptively complex: you’ll want to utilize space well, while maximizing new additions and modernizing fixtures. Of course, big or small, bathrooms come with a host of specific factors that make any remodel a bit more daunting than a bedroom or spare room. Forgoing the proper preparation can make a small bathroom project balloon into a large headache, and knowing how to remodel a small bathroom will spare you the project purgatory of a never done room: in short, a game plan is key.

Go from the Ground Up

Pipes, flanges, flooring, and drainage: the special requirements of a bathroom’s functionality are always phase one. Allocate at least 60% of your remodel budget toward incidentals and upgrades, even if the fixtures seem relatively new. You should also have a solid idea of regional permits and strictures, especially when working in a bigger city. Bathroom restoration in Los Angeles, for instance, can be very different from other, smaller municipalities. Bathroom floors have to contend with high traffic and moisture. While there are budget options, elements and fixtures should always be chosen with care. While the allure of brushed nickel and designer basins is always tempting, the less sexy pieces are going to give your remodel the biggest bang for its buck. Here are a few places not to skimp:

The toilet flange: This little part pulls the double duty of affixing the toilet to the floor, and the drain to a sewage outlet. Flanges can corrode, and bad workmanship can make them slip from alignment. There’s also a troubling risk of over-applying sealant, which can cause any kind of leak to build up under the floorboard tile and laminate. Be sure to check closely that the flange is properly installed. A shaky toilet is the first sign of trouble.

Ventilation: The scope and scale of your project will determine how to remodel a small bathroom for your specific space. Most often, structural retrofitting will be guided by the era in which the home was constructed–and any subsequent work done before it came into your hands. Ventilation systems for home bathrooms have evolved over the years, with many bathrooms built prior to having access to more modern options. Outside of the aesthetics, ventilation can help prevent problems with mildew build-up and potential mold issues.

Plumbing: Older plumbing can become corroded, or lose functionality over time due to blockage and environmental damage. For many remodels, this is an opportunity for piping to be replaced or updated. For successful bathroom restoration, you’ll want to be sure to know the basics of pipe materials:

• Galvanized pipes, while not always lead-tainted, are susceptible to corrosion, meaning particulate in the water supply that is dangerous and toxic in high doses.
• Copper pipes are less susceptible to corrosion; however, copper’s malleability can mean unfortunate bends or pinch points created by amateur installation or poorly planned DIY pipe movement.
• Pex pipes (made from high-density polyethylene, a high grade plastic) won’t degrade like metal, and are far less likely to freeze and burst. Pex can also be an ease to install, replace, and shift because of its flexibility, and the need for fewer fittings.

Pick Your Focal Point

For many people, the answer to the question of how to remodel a small bathroom lies in a detailed plan. Organizing the remodel around a star player is a great way to keep your eye on the prize, and help prevent creeping costs due to ancillaries and sundries that pop up along the way. Have you always wanted a dual sink and vanity? Is a main storage unit for all of your beauty products important? Or perhaps you finally want to opt for that spa shower? Use the most essential fixture or element as the organizing fixture for your budget and the rest of your additions.

Double Up on Space

For any small bathroom space, finding clever ways to make a small bathroom feel bigger is key. Corner sinks and trough sinks can help you bypass a space-dominating vanity, or forgo one entirely for a floating sink look. Strategically placed towel rods, especially telescoping ones, can help with storage for hanging items. Mirrors will open up the space. Larger patterns of tile, or wall murals, can make the space feel larger. For a backsplash, the opposite is true: go light, and go minimalist for a larger feel. Builders with experience in bathroom restoration can help maximize any space, drawing on other successful projects for inspiration and techniques.

Get Help

Even the handiest among us has gaps in our plumbing knowledge, and there’s no wiggle room for home remodels involving pipes, electric, and potential retrofitting. Lean on experienced team at A-List Builders, offering guidance from concept to completion and promising the highest standards. Still wondering how to remodel a small bathroom? Our team can walk you through it all: taking you from phase one through construction. Contact us today to get started.

Once you’ve tossed all the items that don’t spark joy, completed your spring cleaning, or wrapped up the garage sale, what will you do with all of that space? Embarking on the process of garage conversion into living space or any other ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) can give you the studio or fitness space you’ve always wanted. With an increase in working from home, it can also become a remote workspace that is more functional and adaptable than a living room or kitchen nook.

Get Your Plan

Step one is a conversion plan: find a reliable expert to turn your vision into a technically flawless garage conversion plan. An experienced construction firm can help you check on garage conversion permit requirements in addition to providing plans that ensure all regulations are being met while maximizing your budget and your vision.

They’ll outline different garage conversion options and costs. Of course, they’ll also advise you and help you develop your own ideas for the space. Different opportunities and challenges might arise based on your desired outcome. If you want to convert your garage to include a bedroom and bathroom for a basic extended living space, or turn it into a rentable unit for added income, having an expert on hand who has completed a similar project will be vital.

Take Stock

Some garage conversions are as simple as adding doors, converting garage doors, or working to expand windows. Depending on the ease of your vision, you can then work on details, and find the places you want your space to shine; with a project like this, you can bring an ideal space to life. Converting a garage into a studio is a dream for some, but a fitness space or spare bedroom can also be feasible with a little work. Here are a few places where you might want to take some time to flesh out your plan:

Power Sources: Per most states’ building codes, garages are required to only have one GFCI-protected electrical receptacle. While that might work with power tools and shop vacs, it’s not as useful for a living space, studio, or rentable unit. Electrical work can be tricky, and depending on the age of the home — anything over thirty years is likely past due for a replacement — might need a full change of knobs and tubes to modern wiring grids. If you don’t have them already, be sure to get blueprints from your county office before you start the garage conversion into the living space process.

Ventilation and HVAC: Generally, homes and garages have entirely different structural intricacies when it comes to insulation and air flow dynamics. Air leakage and pressure differences can hinder the cooling of your main house HVAC unit and depreciate the airflow to the garage, if those units are shared. The best HVAC option for a converted garage of any kind is a dedicated one. For a rental unit or living space designed for long-term occupancy, a mini-split heat pump, high-level evaporative cooler, or dedicated air conditioner is the best option. These options simplify the addition by not requiring ducts, and you’ll be able to keep the converted room cool only when used, with an eye on energy efficiency that can be easily monitored alongside your typical bill for the main house.

When converting a garage into a studio, where use is limited to sessions, a less expensive and easy-to-install option is a window unit. While cheaper, they often are noisier and less able to cool a space efficiently over time. Window units give fewer options regarding levels, remote shut-offs, and need filter replacement more often. On the plus side, they are a cinch to put in and start using right away.

Plumbing: Unlike bathroom additions to a home, in most cases, garages have no existing plumbing unless there is a utility sink. This means pipes won’t need to be just relocated or retrofitted, but will need to be installed. Any kind of bathing suite will also require ventilation considerations: poor ventilation will cause moisture damage and offset any value to a newly converted garage conversion into living space or rental unit.

Light: While a typical wiring grid might not be available for overhead lighting, working with an experienced electrician can reveal some unique adaptations to the space. The first, which is a strategy adapted from older homes, is to use pendant lamps and custom lamps to strategically place lighting in the space. Additionally, with the right retrofit to increase GFCI-protected electrical receptacles, you can save money by going DIY with lighting, looking for brands that offer highly-customizable light fixtures and ongoing support for technical questions.

As with any project, research and preparation are key. Only an expert can tell you what you don’t know you don’t know. Work with A-List Builders to navigate your ADU project from concept to completion. Our team can walk you through it all: Taking you from phase one planning to design and budgeting, all the way through to planning construction timelines for garage conversion into living space. Don’t let your vision just be a “someday” goal”: contact us to get started today!

If you’ve been perusing kitchen remodel designs and dreaming of updating some older appliances and fixtures in addition to overhauling your kitchen’s structure, there’s never been a better time to remodel your kitchen. Whether you’re a budding gourmand, weekend warrior chef, or looking to add some value to your home, the kitchen remodeling process can be a rewarding yet challenging endeavor to undertake.

Recruit an expert to help with design and structure, and work in concert with your ideal sets of fixtures and appliances for a seamless design that will make the kitchen your new favorite room of the house.

Modern and Inviting for Guests & Family

Contemporary appliances in brushed nickel and steel, open floor plans, and awesome high-tech touches: kitchen remodel designs that lean toward the futurist in all of us are appealing and add tremendous value to a home.

While at times expensive, kitchen remodels can add the greatest ROI: some estimates are upwards of $20,000. Of course, the point of the remodel before resale is to enjoy your updated space, which is why ergonomic and easy-to-use new fixtures can bring out your inner Julia Child–or at least make it easy to fake it when the guests are over. Here are some considerations for updating your kitchen with California style.

Modern Backsplash: A new tile backsplash is a mainstay in most remodels and a major set piece for any kitchen space. Serving as a wall protection and a focal point, the tile backsplash creates an attractive space between the vent hood or built-in microwave. Backsplash tile designs can be as simple as differing patterns of herringbone tiles, color coordinated tiles, or boho-style pop-of-color glass mosaics. Having proper installation is also a must for a seamless finish and a backsplash that fits the dimensions of the space perfectly. Unless the word “bullnose” is in your daily lexicon, make sure to recruit a professional to make installation a success. Of course, a great place to start is choosing a backsplash tile and being sure to pick up ten percent more, in case of breakage.

Wall Ovens: In terms of design and safety, wall ovens are ideal for modern kitchen remodel designs, especially for spaces with small children or older occupants. Wall ovens tend to be electric, which means that fussing with pilots and potential gas issues are eliminated. Electric ovens heat more efficiently than their similar gas counterparts and create less indoor air pollution–perfect for California kitchen style remodels, as a way to beat the Los Angeles area heat. Temperature consistency is easier to maintain with electric options, which means they’re perfect for less-seasoned cooks or those with small children, where every culinary adventure is a teaching experience. Families should also consider the safety factor. Wall ovens sit higher up, and are easier to access for adults while being less accessible for little hands.

Induction Cook-Tops: Like a wall range, easy-to-clean induction cooktops offer precise temperature control using electric heat sources. They also offer a streamlined look, and with a glass top, coil-free cook surfaces provide multiple adaptable options for different sized pots and pans.

Sturdy, Eco-Conscious Flooring: Green options like bamboo flooring are durable and adaptable, with the natural color lending well toward earth tones and offering the same options for color-staining as traditional wood. These unique options can make all the differences in flooring options, and give a bold, natural, and brightened look for your updated kitchen.

Updated Vintage

Love the French style? Have a softness for traditional layouts and countryside fixtures– perhaps even a shabby chic aesthetic? As with all remodels, the space should be congruent with the broader structure. A series of kitchen remodel designs which don’t fit the house style might end up looking like a pair of mismatched shoes. For a more classic home, though, there are a slew of modern updates that can let you have your cake and bake it in a new oven too.

New Range: While newer wall and convection units are great for modern design, there’s absolutely nothing like a good old fashioned range oven. Of course, with newer units, an update to the classic range is simple and modern options (which are, in general, less expensive and easier to install) act as a terrific centerpiece for the kitchen area.

Fixtures: While many modern kitchen fixtures are steel or steel-adjacent by default, traditional designs with new updates open up a world of possibilities. Here are a few additions we love: Fireclay or copper sinks with traditional two handle faucets. Rustic kitchen backsplashes with oversized patterns, stone, brick, or other classic looks. Walk-in pantries, offering easy-to-use storage and prep areas, as well as an old-school feel for classic kitchen floor plan ideas.

Ready to get the new kitchen you’ve always dreamed of? Cook up a plan with the elevated building perspective offered by A-List Builders: from an in-home consultation with a concept to a project completed with full-service dedication, our team can walk you through it all. From the first phase of planning, design, and budgeting, all the way through to construction and finishing touches for your kitchen remodel designs, you’ll be in good hands. Modern or classic, A-List Builders is there to bring a new kitchen off the blueprint page and into your home.

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