Top 3 Kitchen Remodeling Ideas for Your Fort Lauderdale Home

The last few years have taken a toll on our psyches, our wallets, and on home remodeling in Fort Lauderdale. Kitchen remodeling projects have always been some of the most popular home improvements, but this year kitchen remodeling trends have changed vastly.

This year’s remodeling trends are much more money and space saving. And this is because homeowners have tighter financial belts and tighter kitchen spaces. Still, many of the latest Fort Lauderdale kitchen remodeling trends offer style and beauty, along with functionality and cost effectiveness.

Top 3 Kitchen Remodel Ideas For 2010

Glass Cabinet Doors
Money:Updating kitchen cabinets is an affordable kitchen remodel project.
Space: Glass features have always had the ability to make spaces look and feel larger.

This year, glass cabinets have made a big comeback. They are available in many different styles, including French door inspired varieties. They also turn your dishes into part of the decoration in your kitchen, since you can see them through the glass. Another plus to glass cabinet doors is that you will never again have to open every cabinet door to find what you are looking for.

Mirrored Backsplashes
Money: Tiling is also a really affordable home improvement. Plus, today you can find beautiful, low cost recycled glass tile everywhere.
Space: Like glass, mirrored elements are also known to “grow the space” in small areas.

Glass, metallic, and other reflective tiles are really popular right now. You can create beautiful, upscale, modern backsplahes simply by tiling. And as mentioned before, there are lots of wonderful recycled glass tiles on the market. They not only have the same gorgeous luster as new glass, but they are also proven to have the same high quality at a cheaper price.

Pull Out Features
Money: There are some simple and greatly affordable pull out features that are really effective in kitchens.
Space: Pull out features are organization elements that all you to have more elements in your kitchen without taking up more space.

Any type of pull out kitchen feature is highly desirable right now. Now a days many Fort Lauderdale homeowners have smaller houses and smaller kitchens. The kitchen has taken on new responsibilities. It is an incredibly multi-functional area. It has served as everything from a laundry organizing area to a home office. Some simple pull out features are pull out waste baskets, pull out desks, and pull out ironing boards. To create a kitchen side computer station, you can simply have your contractor build a “cabinet” which opens up to the computer.

Green Bathroom Remodeling in Fort Lauderdale – Eco Friendly Furniture

Bathroom remodeling appears to be one of the most well liked home remodeling projects today. Remodel projects can go from total demolition and remodel all the way to changing out a few decorative items. No matter what you choose to do, it does not have to be a difficult or expensive process. What’s really exciting about remodeling today is that you have a number of eco friendly furniture and home decor remodeling options.

Once you have determined the budget for your project, move on to measuring the space. Keep those measurements with you while you shop. For eco friendly decorative items, like bathroom vanities, you will want to do your shopping online. That is where you will find the largest selection of eco furniture. You’ll also find good retailers that are willing to help you to ensure that you are finding top quality eco products.

Once your new floor plan, concept, and needed tools and equipment are established you may begin the actual remodeling process. Make sure you review all of your design concepts with your contractor, if you’re hiring one, prior to starting the remodeling project to ascertain everything will be accomplished the way you want it.

People utilize and waste more water in the bathroom than any other area in the home. Throw in all that water utilization with shampoos and soaps and the power employed to heat the water, and your bathroom could be causing a lot of harm to the environment. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case.

To be more eco-friendly in Fort Lauderdale when working on a bathroom remodeling project, use energy-efficient light bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs are 90 percent more efficient compared to incandescent lighting. The most ideal lighting for a bathroom is lighting that is bright enough to perform your daily bathroom tasks such as applying makeup or shaving without any trouble, but gentle enough to look pleasant while you do it. Select bright white power-saving bulbs, and emulsify the light by placing them behind frosted glass or situating them at eye level on either side of the mirror.

Another thing you can do to be more eco-friendly is to have dual-flush toilets. The majority of toilets sold today utilize around 7 or 8 liters of water per flush. Older toilets utilize 10 to 12 liters. Similarly, employ a low-flow showerhead or air shower. A regular showerhead dispenses 25 liters of water per minute. On the other hand, a low-flow showerhead dispenses just 6 to 15. Replacing old fixtures, such as leaky faucets can help too.

Bathroom decor need not be expensive or damaging to the environment. Try recycled materials like reclaimed glass tiles. Glass is entirely water-resistant, making it an ideal option for bathroom flooring, walls and countertops. This is just a sampling of the many ways that you can make over your home to be more eco friendly.

Fort Lauderdale Basement Finishing Ideas

If you have decided to finish or remodel your basement, you are in for a treat.  Remodeling a basement offers almost unlimited opportunity to add living space for your family. It will also increase the value of your home when you sell it.  Finding basement remodeling ideas can be fairly easy using magazines and the internet.

Before you go too far designing your basement remodel, there are a few very important things you will need to do.

1. Check for radon gas.
2. Check for dampness, leaks, mold or fungus and correct those problems.
3. Seal any cracks in the floor and/or the walls.
4. It is a good idea to apply a sealant to the concrete or other building material used to construct your basement.

The next step is to begin to design your basement remodel.  It can save a lot of time and a number of headaches if you begin your design by sketching out the floor space in your basement.  Next, mark your sketch to show important things you will need to consider in your design

• Show where any windows are located
• Indicate an exterior door
• Indicate the point(s) of access from the main floor
• Locate and indicate on your drawing, the location of your fuse box or circuit breaker box, shut-off valves for water, gas, etc. (You will need to design around these items to keep them accessible.)
• Indicate the location of any plumbing access pipes
• Indicate the location of appliances – furnace, heat pump, water heater, washer and dryer, etc.
• Indicate the location of any support poles or beams
• If ducts for heat and air have already been installed, you might want to include a reminder of the location of any ducts or duct work you will need to accommodate when you install a ceiling.

Now you are ready to use the basement remodeling ideas you have seen and create the design for your remodeled basement.  Here are a few money-saving, labor-saving, and time-saving tips for your design:

• Place any new bathroom, kitchen, laundry room, etc that will use water, as close as possible to existing plumbing. You might save a bundle by being able to connect with existing main lines.
• Decide if you need a second point of access from the first floor to the basement.  For example, if you will use part of the basement as an in-law suite or a teen suite or a guest room, you might want a second (more private) stairway.
• Determine how you will work around and still provide access to shut-off valves, circuit breaker boxes, etc.
• Find a creative way to work with support poles or beams.  Will you enclose them in a wall? Will you cover them with a fiberglass column? Will you just build a box around them?
• Where are the most logical places to create storage? It probably makes sense, for example not to use the limited space near windows for storage.
• Decide where you will construct walls and whether interior walls should be insulated or covered with sound board to reduce noise in other parts of the basement.

Some of the most popular uses for remodeled basement space are:

• Play room for children
• Home office space
• Teen or In-Law suite
• Guest Bedroom
• Home Theater
• Game room
• Computer or homework room
• Hobby or craft room
• Carpentry workshop
• Storage.

If you gather your basement remodeling ideas and plan carefully, you can finish your basement and provide a large amount of additional living space for your family.  Attending to these considerations for safety and careful planning will result in a smooth remodeling project that can be done either all at once or in stages as you have the money to finish it.

You will probably find more Fort Lauderdale basement remodeling ideas than you can possibly use, but with careful planning and a design that accommodates appliances and other areas that must be accessible, you can finish or remodel your basement with very few headaches.  In fact, you will probably have a lot of fun.

Six Reasons to Renovate Your Fort Lauderdale Bathroom

Bathroom renovations are one of the most popular renovation projects undertaken by Fort Lauderdale homeowners. Bathrooms are important rooms in any home. Whether you are considering the addition of a bathroom or renovation or enlarging an existing bathroom there are many good reasons to undertake a bathroom renovation. Here are six of the most common reasons for bathroom remodeling.

1. It is a good investment in the value of a home. The size and adequacy of the bathrooms is often a major consideration in the decision to purchase a home. Outdated or inadequate bathrooms can have a significant effect on the perceived value of a home. In terms of return on your investment in the bathroom renovation when you sell your home, you can expect, in most regions, to recover the majority of your investment.

2.  The bathroom needs repair. All bathrooms show signs of damage, wear and tear, and aging of materials and fixtures over time. The need to make repairs is often a good reason to completely renovation a bathroom. While the repairs are the main focus of the renovation, other features can also be updated.

3.  The color of bathroom fixtures is not to your liking. Fads in decorating colors come and go. Decorating trends change every three to five years. Some of the colors used for bathroom fixtures and design in the past strike us as “ugly” or “date” the bathroom to some period in the past. Whether you dislike the co lour scheme of your bathroom or you just want a change, a bathroom renovation might provide the fresh appearance you want.

4.  The fixtures need to be updated or upgraded. Styles in fixtures and surrounds change over time. Builders often use less costly fixtures at the time of construction. Someone who owned the home before you might have redecorated the bathroom in a style that doesn’t appeal to you. These are popular reasons to renovate and modernize a bathroom.

5.  More space is needed in the bathroom. Big bathrooms are a definite trend in new home construction today. You might want to enlarge your bathroom to make it more appealing to potential buyers. You might just feel a need for more space. Whether the master bath is too small for two people or the second bathroom is too small for the three teenagers who share it, enlarging a bathroom is a very common reason for renovating.

6.  The bathroom needs to be safer. Thousands of accidents and injuries happen in bathrooms every year. Whether you are thinking of your children, yourself, your parents, or your future needs, a safety upgrade is often the reason for bathroom renovation.

If you are evaluating any of these needs or situations, a Fort Lauderdale bathroom renovation might be the right choice in your home.

Ideas For Master Bathroom Remodeling

Bathroom Remodeling-Eco Friendly Decorative Items

Bathroom remodeling appears to be one of the most well liked home remodeling projects today. Remodel projects can go from total demolition and remodel all the way to changing out a few decorative items. No matter what you choose to do, it does not have to be a difficult or expensive process. What’s really exciting about remodeling today is that you have a number of eco friendly furniture and home decor remodeling options.

Once you have determined the budget for your project, move on to measuring the space. Keep those measurements with you while you shop. For eco friendly decorative items, like bathroom vanities, you will want to do your shopping online. That is where you will find the largest selection of eco furniture. You’ll also find good retailers that are willing to help you to ensure that you are finding top quality eco products.

Once your new floor plan, concept, and needed tools and equipment are established you may begin the actual remodeling process. Make sure you review all of your design concepts with your contractor, if you’re hiring one, prior to starting the remodeling project to ascertain everything will be accomplished the way you want it.

People utilize and waste more water in the bathroom than any other area in the home. Throw in all that water utilization with shampoos and soaps and the power employed to heat the water, and your bathroom could be causing a lot of harm to the environment. Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case.

To be more eco-friendly when working on a bathroom remodeling project, use energy-efficient light bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs are 90 percent more efficient compared to incandescent lighting. The most ideal lighting for a bathroom is lighting that is bright enough to perform your daily bathroom tasks such as applying makeup or shaving without any trouble, but gentle enough to look pleasant while you do it. Select bright white power-saving bulbs, and emulsify the light by placing them behind frosted glass or situating them at eye level on either side of the mirror.

Another thing you can do to be more eco-friendly is to have dual-flush toilets. The majority of toilets sold today utilize around 7 or 8 liters of water per flush. Older toilets utilize 10 to 12 liters. Similarly, employ a low-flow showerhead or air shower. A regular showerhead dispenses 25 liters of water per minute. On the other hand, a low-flow showerhead dispenses just 6 to 15. Replacing old fixtures, such as leaky faucets can help too.

Bathroom decor need not be expensive or damaging to the environment. Try recycled materials like reclaimed glass tiles. Glass is entirely water-resistant, making it an ideal option for bathroom flooring, walls and countertops. This is just a sampling of the many ways that you can make over your home to be more eco friendly.

Article Source:  http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julia_Ritzenthaler

How to Handle Your Home Remodeling Projects

Home remodeling is a perfect way to enhance the appearance of an old house. Increase the comfort level of the home with a home improvement project. Home remodeling would not only change the look of your home but it will also make it a better place to live in. The house should be designed to enhance its elegance and value. However, people should be very cautious about the kind of décor they select to restyle their house. The décor shouldn’t be too gaudy or garish.

Home remodeling helps in updating a house with latest fads and trends yet providing adequate comfort to people as well. It is a complicated process that needs to be undertaken cautiously in order to avoid extra costs and delay in work. Home remodeling refers to a process which involves introducing noticeable alterations to homes and their décor. It is a lengthy and tedious process which needs to be undertaken with proper planning of time and money. In order to remodel a home, one needs to follow step by step procedure to ensure methodical completion of tasks.

Below are the following steps:

• Once people have gone through various remodeling resources, they begin with its planning process. This involves hiring a project management firm that would help in designing the project. In order to use the services of experts in this field, people must thoroughly research and then hire a suitable contractor for their project.
• People need to plan out the expenditure that might result due to home remodeling. The cost factor shall depend on the scale of the remodeling project. If someone wants to get a small section to be altered or remodeled, he can do so within his budget. However, if anybody wishes to give a complete make-over to his house, the project would cost much higher. This causes the need to prepare a budget that would guide people to make prudent investments and not over-spend. People must control their costs as much as possible to stay within their budget.
• Sometimes while purchasing materials, contractors increase the prices which are charged to their clients. In order to prevent such instances, people should ensure that all required materials are purchased under their close supervision. People must make sure that the contractor they have hired is in possession of a legal business license before they start taking their professional services.
• People face difficulty in arranging an adequate finance for their home remodeling projects. People can obtain loans for their project from banks and other financial institutions. People must fulfill formalities regarding procurement of finance in all seriousness and with utmost care.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fannie_Yakov

Secrets of Profitable Remodeling

So How Do You Remodel A Bathroom?

The Pros and Cons of Bathroom Remodeling for Resale Homes

On each flip project a decision must be made as to whether or not the bathroom(s) need to be remodeled. The decision to remodel the bathroom of an investment property is one of the biggest you’ll make as it will also result in one of the largest costs in terms of time and money. The net financial result is what should concern you. Will the remodeling yield a profit on it’s own, or at least contribute proportionately to the overall profit.

The Pros of Remodeling the Bathroom of an Investment House:

Give it the WOW factor! The Wow factor is probably the major reason you would renovate the bathroom. There are three rooms that you want to be impressive; and the bathroom is arguably number one. Mr. and Ms. Buyer will often make their decision based on the condition of the bathroom.

Whether you choose to remodel the whole thing or just replace certain components should be based partly on the practicality of the bathroom in the buy-decision. Done properly a bathroom renovation could well be the deciding factor between getting your price and not selling your house.

An ugly, poorly maintained bathroom will have the potential buyers lowering their pricing expectations disproportionate to the amount it would cost to renovate it. A buyer purchasing a renovated house has expectations that certain things are in good shape – that’s why they’re buying a house that’s already been renovated.

Whether it’s a face lift or a total gut, that one room can make or break the deal.

If you’re working with a very limited budget you can decide which particular parts of your bathroom that you would like remodeled, such as the tub or the toilet or the sink.

If money is not an issue, you may make the decision to remodel your whole bathroom. In addition to deciding what parts of your bathroom you would like remodeled, you will also have complete control over the products and materials used.

For instance, if you wish to replace the toilet, you can choose the quality which suits the budget. What matters is that it’s new. Knowing that the toilet is new and has never been used is a big deal to some people. They may think “I will replace that toilet someday”, but it’s good enough to help facilitate a good overall impression.

Bathroom remodelling can be relatively easy to do depending on the depth you want to go. It is something an average handyman can do by themselves in order to save expenses.

Although you can save yourself money by doing your own remodeling, you may not want to or you may be unable to do so. If that is the case, you still have a choice. That choice is seeking assistance from a professional contractor.

Despite costing more money, your bathroom will be remodeled professionally and often in less time.

It is also important to mention that bathroom remodeling projects can help to increase a home’s value. That is one of the biggest pros to having your bathroom remodeled. The increase in value, if there is one, will depend on a number of different factors. Those factors include what type of remodeling is done, as well as how well it is done. Whether you choose to hire the services of a professional bathroom remodeling expert or if you have prior home improvement experience, the decision to remodel your bathroom could significantly increase the value of your home.

Although there are a number of pros to bathroom remodeling, there are also a number of cons. Those cons mainly include the cost of doing so. When it comes to deciding whether or not you want to remodel your bathroom, you will have to make up your own mind; however, when doing so you may want to keep the above mentioned points in mind.

The Cons of Remodeling the Bathroom of an Investment House:

There are two major cons to remodeling for a flip; cost and the impact of a poor job.

If you are contemplating a bathroom remodeling project, these cons may make you want to rethink your decision.

The biggest con to remodeling is the cost, particularly if you go high end on your fixtures. Remodeling for resale is not the same as remodeling for yourself. You must keep this in mind for a flip. The character of the end result should match the character of the house not your idea of what the perfect bathroom should be. Remember, you are in this for profit.

The extent to which you remodel will affect the price as well. If you gut the bathroom down to the joists you will be looking at a lot more than if you simply replaced the toilet and added a tub surround. In addition to the cost of supplies and materials, you also need to determine whether or not there will be any additional costs. For instance, if you make the decision to have your bathroom professionally remodeled, you will need to pay a professional contractor. Although a professional contractor often produces better results, you will find the cost of hiring one fairly high.

In addition to the cost of bathroom remodeling, it is also important to note the time that it will take. How long a bathroom remodeling project lasts will all depend on what is being remodeling. If you are simply looking to replace your toilet, you will find that your remodeling project takes less time than it would if you were planning on remodeling your entire bathroom. The amount of time it takes for remodeling will also depend on how much time can be devoted to it. If you make the decision to hire a professional contractor to remodel your bathroom, the remodeling will likely be done quicker. In addition to knowing exactly what they are doing, professionals can usually devote more time to work than someone who is only doing the work on the side.

Another one of the many cons to remodeling your bathroom is what it can do to your home. As you may already know, it is possible for a bathroom remodeling project to increase the value of your home. While an increase is likely to occur, it is not guaranteed. If your home’s value does increase because of a bathroom remodeling project, it will all depend on how much remodeling was done and the result of that remodeling. A professional or quality remodeling job is likely to produce the best increase in value.

What you need to be aware of is what a poor remodeling project can do for your home. There is a chance that a poor bathroom remodeling project could also decrease the value of your home. The chances of that happening are slim, but there is always a chance.

As previously mentioned, when having your bathroom remodeled, you have a choice as to whether you want to do your own remodeling or a have a professional do it for you.

When it comes to bathroom remodeling, you will find that are more cons to do it yourself bathroom remodeling.

As you can see, there are a number of bathroom remodeling cons. Although it may seem as if it isn’t worth it to remodel your bathroom, there are also a number of bathroom remodeling pros. These pros include a new bathroom and the possibility of increasing your home’s value. If you are interested in remodeling your bathroom, only you can decide whether or not it would be worth it and given your skill set and time, what the best approach would be.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Leighton

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