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Connie Edwards, American Woodmark's Design Director,
is a certified kitchen and bathroom designer. She has over twenty year's
experience helping consumers make their homes both functional and beautiful.
CLICK HERE
FOR OUR
PLANNING
CHECKLIST |
So, the time has finally
come to remodel the bathroom! And while you may think that the project
is long overdue, taking time to really plan the project will ensure
the success and enjoyment of the whole process. So, sit down, put your
feet up and pour yourself a cup of coffee. It's time to do some planning
for this long-awaited project!
1. Access your needs,
wants and desires.
Begin by using the Bathroom Planning Guide on the next panel to help
organize your thoughts. Sometimes, just putting it down in writing makes
everything seem clearer. Then, look at magazines, the displays in the
Lowe's vanity area and visit friend's home that have recently remodeled
their bathrooms. List everything you would like to have first and then
adjust it to your budget. Without a little wishful thinking, you might
overlook a very important element in your project.
2. Establish the budget.
Bathroom projects can range from $300.00 for a facelift to more than
$15,000.00. On the low side of the range you might choose a new vanity,
a floor, general redecorating and perhaps a new modestly priced toilet.
On the high end you can expect a major re-do that might even include
tearing down the existing walls and a few luxuries.
3. Measure your existing
space.
Using a steel tape measure, and measuring to the nearest 1/8",
measure the entire space. Be sure to note ceiling heights, windows,
locations of floor registers or radiators and the centerlines on all
drains. Then look around for "found" space, such as a seldom-used
closet or an unused bedroom. Everyone enjoys a larger bathroom and yours
may be currently disguised as the end of the hallway.
4. Visit with the design
pros at Lowe's.
Now it is time to gather up all your carefully assembled research and
take it to your Lowe's store. Make an appointment if at all possible
so that a designer is expecting you. By fully communicating your needs,
desires and budget to the designer, you can walk away knowing that your
project is going to get the attention it deserves.
5. Make your selections
count!
Everyone is on a budget for a project of this kind, so be sure to spend
your remodeling dollars wisely. Ask lots of questions about the fittings.
Requesting tub/shower controls with some type of anti-scald device is
a safety feature that no home should be without. Look over cabinetry
for solid construction and durable finishes that will give you years
of beauty and function. When in doubt, pick the highest quality of each
product that fits in your price range.
6. Get the family ready.
Prepare the family for the upcoming remodeling project, by providing
each of them with their own bathroom tote for their grooming aids. This
will help keep things organized while sharing the remaining bathroom.
It may just help keep everyone in the family on friendly terms! If you
don't have a second bath, enlist neighbors, family members and the local
YMCA to help bridge the gap. And be sure to tell your installer to not
only leave the toilet hooked up as long as possible but to re-install
it at the end of each workday. That way, it will be available each evening
when the family returns.
7. Keep communications
open.
Throughout the project, be sure to ask questions as they arise. 'Not
sure if your wallpaper will arrive in time? Have your salesperson double-check
for you. 'Wondering why the toilet looks like it is in a different position
than you thought? Ask your installer. Sometimes, floor plans can be
confusing.
8. Be patient!
Most of all, be patient! Remodeling is disruptive and nobody really
likes the mess it entails. But hang in there! Shortly, you will be soaking
in your new tub and enjoying your beautiful new surroundings. What a
great investment you have just made in your home!
Any large project requires advance planning. You've
done all the right things and with the help of the design professionals
at Lowe's, soon you will be enjoying the updated bathroom that will
be the envy of your neighborhood! |
Consider stacking wall
cabinets and creating niches for decorative accessories to give your
bathroom extra charm. The matching "flying shelf" holds recessed
halogen lights.
Consider a furniture toe kick treatment to give your
vanity an extra designer touch. This treatment is made from an arched
valance and inside corner molding.
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