Bathroom Suites Weblog
Bathroom Advice From The BBC
Next to kitchens, bathrooms tend to be the most expensive rooms in a house to renovate, as they require specialised trade services such as plumbing, tiling, and electrical work. Even when buying a house or apartment that has already had a lick of paint and a few 'renovations' applied to bedrooms, hallways and living rooms, the kitchen and bathroom have probably been left untouched, or may not suit your discerning sense of taste and style.
This is a guide to doing a bathroom 'on the cheap' without it looking cheap.
Step One: Avoiding Major Costs
Take a good look at your bathroom. You may not like where the bath is, or wish the shower was just 'a couple of inches to the left'. Take a deep breath and toss away any grand plans to move any of these fixtures (toilet, bidet, basin, bath and shower), as the biggest budget-buster in a bathroom renovation is plumbing work.
Unless your layout is absolutely and completely unlivable (which is a matter of opinion), ditch any ideas of moving anything that's connected to water or waste pipes.
The second way to keep those costs down is adhering to the 'KISS' principle (Keep It Simple, Stupid!).
For example, options for daggy or dark tiles include buying tiles and hiring a tiler (expensive) or choosing a product to paint over the tiles to give them a fresh look. If your budget is already straining under a mortgage, it is advisable to choose the latter.
A product called Tub 'n' Tile does this job nicely, consisting of a two part epoxy resin that simply gets painted over tiles to produce a brilliant, porcelain finish. The only drawback is it currently only comes in two colours: white or vanilla. This limits decor choices, but also helps in sticking to the KISS principle.
Similarly, replacing unsightly floor tiles, which cannot be painted with the epoxy resin and require heavier tiles than walls, is another budget blow out. Consider taking the option of laying down bathroom carpet, which is rubber-backed and made from nylon. This works when the shower has a screen that prevents water splashing over the floor and making the carpet soggy. If this does not apply, perhaps making room in the budget for good quality floor tiles may be the only option.
Step Two: Preparation
There is simply no good substitute for preparation when it comes to renovations. Unfortunately, this is the most tedious and thankless part of the process.
Unless you are an exemplary house cleaner, the bathroom will have a build-up of grime from soaps, body fats and other dirt in those hard-to-reach places.
Before considering painting or applying a product such as Tub 'n' Tile, it is essential to get rid of this build-up from any surfaces which are going to be revamped.
Preparation includes sugar soaping the walls and ceilings to be painted, bleaching any mould spots that have accumulated and sanding all surfaces to be rejuvenated.
Another area of preparation is covering any taps, pipes and cornices you don't want paint splashed over with easy-to-remove masking tape. Also removing any items to be replaced, such as cabinets, tapware, etc.
Also, wash down all surfaces to ensure they are free from dust before painting.
Step Three: Painting Surfaces
Measure wall surfaces in square metres/feet and consult your local paint distributor for the required amount of paint2. You will also need to measure the surface area of tiles to be covered, to determine how many packets of Tub 'n' Tile are needed - local variants may differ in instructions and quantities.
Start by painting the ceiling, then come down to the wall surfaces. Give both two coats of paint and allow to dry. This may take longer if the weather is humid or raining, as more time between coats may be necessary.
Applying the Tub 'n' Tile product will take much longer because each tile needs to be painted individually to achieve the best effect. But the result is worth it; the tiles (and bathtub/basin) will have a gleaming, pristine porcelain finish.
Step Four: Decorations
A stark white bathroom is all very well for minimalists, but some need a bit of colour in their life. Instead of replacing a row of tiles with feature border, consider purchasing tile transfers that you can simply place over tiles to act as decorative features.
Another idea to add colour to a bathroom is stenciling a border around the walls.
After applying the tile transfers, and while waiting for those to dry, cut the carpet to size leaving holes for pipes.
Laying bathroom carpet is simply a matter of laying it straight over the floor tiles. If you want it to be semi-permanent, double-sided tape takes care of this.
Step Five: Installing Accessories, Tapware and Extractor Fans
After waiting the required time for all surfaces to dry and seal, now comes the fun part: dressing up your bathroom. This includes installing any new cabinets, towel rails, soap holders and tapware you may have bought.
It may be possible to buy all the accessories from the same hardware supermarket as the paint and Tub 'n' Tile products. More and more of these are springing up everywhere, with competitive prices that reflect the growing trend in DIY.
Finally, if you do not already have an extractor fan (the absence of which would have contributed to any mould on ceilings and walls) it would be wise to purchase and install one now. Unless your country has restrictions on wiring up appliances like these, you may need to hire an electrician. Or perhaps you are lucky enough to have one in the family...
For free impartial advice on bathrooms and bathroom suites contact Traditional Bathrooms Limited on UK 01405 818500
Wednesday 25 June 2008
Tuesday 24 June 2008
Bathroom Suites Weblog
Bathroom Suites Weblog
Bathroom Suite Replacement
Bathroom Suite replacement can be one of the best and most cost effective ways to add value to your property. Even the most grandiose bathrooms can still be affordable. The UK bathroom market has seen massive changes over the last few years. The decline of the UK manufacturing base has resulted in a shift towards manufacturing in the far east, with China now accounting for approximately 90% of the worlds bathroom production. When it comes to choosing your bathroom suite, we would advocate not to take into account the origin of the products. The important things are the styling and the quality of the products. As with most goods you will still have to pay more for luxury branding even though they are probably made by the same people in the same factories from the same materials. The cheap imports and competetive market forces have seen the price of UK bathroom suites reach an all time low. Traditional Bathrooms Limited and their subsiduary company Abstract Bathrooms source direct and sell direct to the end user.
Bathroom Budgets
Both new builds and bathroom suite replacement require careful planning. It is important to set a realistic budget and contingency plan. There are thousands of bathroom suppliers, products, styles to choose from all with differnet features and benefits. We advocate involving the plumber from the start of the project as they will be able to advise on the likely cost of the installation, be mindful that the plumber may want to do what's best from a plumbing point of view and regardless of the aesthetics of the bathroom. One of the generally accepted principles of bathroom design is that you don't relocate the toilet as to move the soil stack can be very labour intensive. There are design tools available for basic planning. Bathroom brochures and magazines are a great way of getting some ideas and inspiration. Once you have decided on your bathroom design the purchase of the bathroom suite is the easy part of the job. The important things to consider are the quality, length of warranty, availability and of course the cost. Traditional Bathrooms Limited and Abstract Bathrooms offer free bathroom brochure packs and expert impartial advice. If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us on 01405 818500.
Bathroom Suite Replacement
Bathroom Suite replacement can be one of the best and most cost effective ways to add value to your property. Even the most grandiose bathrooms can still be affordable. The UK bathroom market has seen massive changes over the last few years. The decline of the UK manufacturing base has resulted in a shift towards manufacturing in the far east, with China now accounting for approximately 90% of the worlds bathroom production. When it comes to choosing your bathroom suite, we would advocate not to take into account the origin of the products. The important things are the styling and the quality of the products. As with most goods you will still have to pay more for luxury branding even though they are probably made by the same people in the same factories from the same materials. The cheap imports and competetive market forces have seen the price of UK bathroom suites reach an all time low. Traditional Bathrooms Limited and their subsiduary company Abstract Bathrooms source direct and sell direct to the end user.
Bathroom Budgets
Both new builds and bathroom suite replacement require careful planning. It is important to set a realistic budget and contingency plan. There are thousands of bathroom suppliers, products, styles to choose from all with differnet features and benefits. We advocate involving the plumber from the start of the project as they will be able to advise on the likely cost of the installation, be mindful that the plumber may want to do what's best from a plumbing point of view and regardless of the aesthetics of the bathroom. One of the generally accepted principles of bathroom design is that you don't relocate the toilet as to move the soil stack can be very labour intensive. There are design tools available for basic planning. Bathroom brochures and magazines are a great way of getting some ideas and inspiration. Once you have decided on your bathroom design the purchase of the bathroom suite is the easy part of the job. The important things to consider are the quality, length of warranty, availability and of course the cost. Traditional Bathrooms Limited and Abstract Bathrooms offer free bathroom brochure packs and expert impartial advice. If you require any further assistance please do not hesitate to contact us on 01405 818500.
Modern Bathroom Suites.
Abstract Bathrooms have introduced a fantastic range of luxury designer bathroom suites at affordable prices. Whatever contemporary bathroom suite you decide upon please ensure that you compare them against these luxury bathrooms.
Back To Wall Bathroom Suite Sector Back To Wall Bathroom Suite. Close Coupled Bathroom Suites Molino Close Couled Bathroom Suite Alexis Close Coupled Bathroom Suite Freedom Close Coupled Bathroom Suite Palermo Close Coupled Bathroom Suite Jessica Close Coupled Bathroom Suite Sorea Close Coupled Bathroom Suite Veneto Close Coupled Toilet Silke Bathroom Suite Georgia Close Coupled Bathroom Suite Antonia Close Coupled Bathroom Suite Jade Close Coupled Bathroom Suite Elizabeth Close Coupled Bathroom Suite Wall Hung Bathroom Suite Palermo Wall Hung Bathroom Suite Close Coupled Corner Bathroom Suite Apex Close Coupled Corner Bathroom Suite.
Monday 23 June 2008
Friday 20 June 2008
Bathroom Suites Weblog
Bathroom Suites Weblog
The Traditional Bathrooms Limited team have realised that whilst they have a passion for traditional period bathrooms and in particular the iconic free standing roll top baths. The advent of TV programmes like Changing Rooms, Grand Designs etc have introduced to the british public the ultra contemporary minimalist bathroom. Abstract Bathrooms (a subsiduary of Traditional Bathrooms Limited) are a design lead bathroom distribution company. The Abstract Bathrooms sanitaryware collection offers high quality stylish bathroom suites at affordable prices. Any bathroom retailer either showroom owner or internet based wishing to display our products will qualify for a 50% discount from the RRP on the sanitaryware collection and a 65% discount from our Free Standing Bath collection.For further details, account forms, brochures etc please contact Steve Ratcliffe on 01405 818531.
The Traditional Bathrooms Limited team have realised that whilst they have a passion for traditional period bathrooms and in particular the iconic free standing roll top baths. The advent of TV programmes like Changing Rooms, Grand Designs etc have introduced to the british public the ultra contemporary minimalist bathroom. Abstract Bathrooms (a subsiduary of Traditional Bathrooms Limited) are a design lead bathroom distribution company. The Abstract Bathrooms sanitaryware collection offers high quality stylish bathroom suites at affordable prices. Any bathroom retailer either showroom owner or internet based wishing to display our products will qualify for a 50% discount from the RRP on the sanitaryware collection and a 65% discount from our Free Standing Bath collection.For further details, account forms, brochures etc please contact Steve Ratcliffe on 01405 818531.
BATHROOMS SUPERSTORE - BATHROOM SUITES, BATHROOM FURNITURE, BATHS
BATHROOMS SUPERSTORE - BATHROOM SUITES, BATHROOM FURNITURE, BATHS
Traditional Bathrooms Limited are pleased to announce that they have teamed up with finance specialists Able to Buy. Traditional Bathrooms offer buy now pay later and 12month interest free credit on all bathroom suites and bathroom products on orders over £499.00.
Traditional Bathrooms Limited are pleased to announce that they have teamed up with finance specialists Able to Buy. Traditional Bathrooms offer buy now pay later and 12month interest free credit on all bathroom suites and bathroom products on orders over £499.00.
Tuesday 10 June 2008
Tuesday 3 June 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)