Shower Archives - EasyCare Bath & Showers

Tub or Shower Stall?

dcpeterson — Tue, 02 Feb 2016 01:11:14 +0000

When it comes to bathroom remodeling projects, there is a question that has been perplexing the minds of homeowners and contractors since the dawn of creation: tub or shower stall? Okay, maybe not since the dawn of creation, but at least for the last few years. The price of remodeling a bathroom has come down enough to encourage more and more homeowners to undertake these projects. Unfortunately, when it comes to the choice between a tub or shower stall it’s not as easy as it sounds. Both choices have their pros and cons that need to be considered.

Space Concerns

An older couple in upstate New York decided to remodel both bathrooms in their 2,000-ft.² ranch. The bathroom in the lower level originally had a full tub with a single sink/vanity unit. Unfortunately, there was no linen closet. In order to solve that problem they replaced the tub with a shower stall and used the extra space to install a closet. This solution worked well for them because they still had the tub in the main bath upstairs. However, homeowners with only a single bath may not have that luxury. For them it becomes a question of how important having a tub is.

Family Circumstances

Down the street from the older couple was a young family with four small children. When they purchased their California Split, it also had two bathrooms; one in the lower level and a second upstairs near the bedrooms. When it came time to remodel, they put full bathtubs in both. For them it was a question of family circumstances. With four young children and plans to have more, they knew there would be plenty of challenges getting all the kids in and out of a single bathtub at bedtime. By having tubs in both bathrooms, mom and dad had twice the space to work with. For them a shower stall would have been impractical because of its limited use.

The Rental Unit

A third scenario to consider is the homeowner who decides to convert unused living space into a small rental unit. This is a fairly common practice in urban areas where homeowners have more space than they need. If the homeowner plans to rent his unit to a young college student or a still-single professional, he could probably get away with installing just a shower stall. The active lifestyle of these types of people suggest they will not be spending a lot of time at home anyway. Installing a shower stall is a way to save a little money and make more effective use of space. Perhaps the scenarios we presented here do not help you make a decision for your bathroom-remodeling project. But that’s okay. Deciding whether to choose a tub or shower really depends on your circumstances and what you are trying to accomplish with your remodel. Do what you think is best for your current circumstances, knowing you can always change things around in the future.

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What to Change About Your Bathroom

dcpeterson — Wed, 06 Jan 2016 20:21:25 +0000

Are you tired of your current bathroom? It might seem like an odd thing to ask, but if you think about it, the bathroom is one of the rooms in your home in which you have very little control. In other rooms, you can rearrange furniture and give the room an entirely different look. Even with the kitchen, you can replace appliances and add an island. However, there’s really no furniture you can move around in your bathroom, and changing out anything may require the help of an experienced plumber. However, that doesn’t mean you cannot do a little bathroom renovation every now and then. Here are some of the things you can change about your bathroom and how difficult they may be.

Replace your pedestal sink with a vanity or vice versa. This doesn’t take that much work, but it can be a great change for your bathroom. If you are tired of not having any counter space, adding a vanity can be a great help. The storage in the vanity lets you hide items like extra toilet paper or cleaning supplies, and the counter space may make getting ready in the morning that much easier. Putting in a vanity or pedestal sink does not require any in-depth plumbing knowledge – most come with everything you need and clear instructions on how to install them. Another remodeling idea is to move the toilet or sink. This is a more involved renovation since it will require you to move around some of your pipes. If you can easily get underneath your house (through a basement or crawlspace, for example), it may not be that difficult. You will need to know how to shut off your water and how to install pipes. It may be best to hire a plumber if you are not certain how to do this. You will also need to be prepared to cut new holes in your floor and be prepared to cover the old holes. Changing the flooring in your bathroom can be a fairly easy task if you know what you’re doing. Remove the tile or linoleum, prepare the floor for the new flooring, and then install the new flooring. You can get all of the supplies needed from any home remodeling store, and since a bathroom is a fairly small space, it doesn’t take very long to put down the new floor. This is one way to change the dominant color of your bathroom – put in new flooring, paint the walls, and add a few other touches like matching towels or a shower curtain. You can also change out your bathtub or shower. This is a pretty large renovation since it involves remodeling the largest item in your bathroom. However, if you never use your bathtub, it might be a great idea to take it out and make a large shower. You may also need to do this type of renovation if you can no longer step up over the side of the bathtub due to health issues. It will almost certainly require a licensed plumber’s help, of course. Any of these bath and shower remodeling projects will take some time and money, but they can make your bathroom look incredible, especially if you undertake several of them at once.

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The Cost of Remodeling your Bathroom

dcpeterson — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 19:46:26 +0000

Remodeling your bathroom can be a great project that does not only change how your home looks but also adds value to it. However, remodeling a bathroom is not cheap, nor is it always easy. You have to carefully work within your budget so that you have plenty of money to cover the materials, any contractors you might need to hire, the extras you may end up buying, plus some emergency funds for anything that might go wrong. The overall cost of remodeling will depend on how much you decide to do. If you are just installing a new vanity and sink, it may be very affordable. If you’re enlarging the entire bathroom, moving the shower/tub, and putting in all new flooring, the cost will be significantly larger. Here are some of the things you might want to include in your bathroom remodeling and how much it might cost. •Changing your Sink/Vanity – This is a fairly inexpensive remodel. If you are looking for a fairly cheap vanity, you can find one for less than $100. More expensive, fancy models may be $300-$500 or more. Likewise, you may be able to find a pedestal sink for a fairly reasonable price. •Adding a New Countertop – Putting a new countertop on your vanity is also pretty easy and cheap. You might be able to put the new countertop on over the current one, which is very simple. On other vanities, you might have to actually remove the old linoleum first. That takes a little more work, but it’s still something you can easily do yourself. •Replacing your Toilet – Again, this can be done for $100 or so, and it’s not difficult to install your own toilet. •Changing A Bathtub into a Large Shower – This can be more difficult, but it’s not impossible. Removing a bathtub can be hard because it is heavy, but if you are fine with breaking it into pieces, it’s not as bad. You may need to seal off the pipes connected to the bathtub faucet, which may be difficult. You’ll also have to put down new tiles where the tub used to be and redo the walls in the shower. You may also need to add a new drain. The cost, however, may actually be cheaper than you think because you’re really only buying some new shower tiles. •Installing a Large Jacuzzi Tub – As this can be more difficult, you may actually have to expand your bathroom or move the plumbing around. You’ll most likely need to hire a professional plumber to do this. The cost depends on the size of the tub and how much remodeling needs to be done. It can cost $5,000 or more for a large, expensive Jacuzzi. • Adding a Walk-in Tub – Another bath and shower remodel involves replacing your bathtub with a walk-in tub. This is often necessary for those who have difficulty stepping up and over the side of the tub. It is similar to installing a Jacuzzi tub, but you usually do not have to move any of the plumbing. Walk-in tubs are fairly expensive, so be sure you have a good amount of money set aside for this project.

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