Master Bathroom

Reply to: A good rule to go by...the older your house is, the more likely you will have delays, issues and cost overruns. If you have an old house, 1940's-ish, right away the contractor should know the studs may not be at 16" centers, and structural framing will likely be toe-in nailed and apposed to having Simpson strapping ties (or similar). If you live in a hurricane or tornado zone I would presume you would need the same or similar framing codes as I deal with in an earthquake zone (likely more). If you have plaster walls then that makes everything many times more difficult. The more you know about your home the more you can consider when calculating your remodeling costs. p.s. Whatever you do, don't use the numbers you see on TV, they are always lower than reality....

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Reply to: The carpenter and I were on the same schedule, but three no show plumbers threw everything off. Actually four if I count the one I started the kitchen reno project with. I contacted his recommended carpenter, but that carpenter gave up when the plumber wouldn't return calls from either of us. The 2nd carpenter had his own plumber lined up. Said plumber came by to see what was needed, but failed to show up to do the work! Two others said they would but didn't. Lots of unnecessary stress. Amazing that people can stay in business with such lack of professionalism and consideration.

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Reply to: We have built three houses and totally renovated 3 more. This is the advise I give everyone - always work from complete and accurate blueprints, including change orders. If you decide to move a doorway, make sure it is on the blueprints. If you want a wall switch next to the bed - on the plans. If you want the kitchen counters 2 inches taller than standard because you are 6'4" tall - make sure there is notations. Make sure all plumbing, electrical and HVAC specifications are accurate. Also, I have twice made the mistake of not firing an electrician who was disrupting the project and refusing to follow the directions of the general contractor, me and the plans.

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Reply to: @RedRyder: I feel for you. At least you know you want tile! LOL I find myself in the same situation, not just tile, but with colours, flooring in other spaces and so on. So, I have a process that might work for you - or might not. :) I want a stone floor in my bath - but what kind? Do I want natural or tile? I decided to select tile due to the water permeability being zilch. So, what kind of tile? There are two to choose from. Ceramic or Porcelain. I decided to go with porcelain since it's denser, less porous and has a better stain and water resistance than ceramic. It also does well for radiant in-floor heating, which I am considering (thanks to Becky Harris' article on her bath). Now, I'm at porcelain. Finish? What type - polished or smooth. Do I want shiny or not. I decide not shiny, even a bit rough if I can get it. What is the style of my bath? Well, it will be Victorian - turn of the century with a claw footed slipper tub, gothic windows and embrasures. The tub will be painted a darkish blue or green (haven't decided yet) with a whimsical forest scene with flowers, trees, grass, butterflies, an elf or two and maybe a fairie and dragon, just for fun. The sink will also have a Victorian feel as well as an 1840 Hall Tree to hold towels along with a teak or bamboo small platform at the tub for in/out. My colours will be forest colours with greens and blues and browns with Venetian Plaster for walls. I'll probably use a green for the walls (light of course). So, I'll want to have a floor that is Victorian feel with forest colours. I might go with an off white (maybe cream or very light brown) tile with a patterns such as hex with flowers in between that are darkish blue like my tub. The embrasures for the gothic windows will be painted green to meld in with the walls but not identical. So, that kinda narrows what tiles I'll buy for my Victorian forest bathroom. It takes a while to work through the process, but it makes a big difference for doing final selections. Then I would do the same thing for the shower tiles, and the wainscoting and even the finished decorative "mill work" tile above the tile wainscot. Just break down the project into mini steps and you'll find it a lot more doable.

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Reply to: We really feel for customers here in Hawaii; for several reasons. First, it can be difficult to find reliable, competent people to work on your home. We hear stories all the time about homeowners giving large deposits to contractors and then never see them again. Or they just stop showing up one day and move off island- it is crazy to think that this could happen. Secondly, materials have to be shipped here, literally on a ship. Those boats go slow and can sit in the harbor for up to ten days before they are full and ready to sail. This causes a lot of problems, timing obviously, but also a lot of damage occurs to wood while it sits on top of humid salt water. Cabinets that are built and shipped here have a tendency to swell, causing the joints to pop. Shaker doors that come apart brand new can break your heart. We offer free estimates, that includes a site visit and measure along with discussion about style and function of the space. We wouldn't dream of charging for that. However, knowing a clients budget does help us keep them where they need to be. If you tell me your budget is XX and then start showing me photos of uber expensive counter materials, I can let you know that you might be able to have that specific counter if you are willing to change the dovetail drawers and door style of your cabinetry. Our price doesn't change based on your ability to pay. I would hope that during the conversation about budget, that no one would ever get the feeling we were trying to inflate our price to fit a higher budget- that would be a terrible feeling. Trusting your contractors makes the process so much easier. We also strongly encourage people to wait on the demo of their kitchen until everything is in place, cabinets, flooring, your electrician and plumber are available, etc., it is just so much easier to wait while you still have the kitchen.

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Reply to: Just finished kitchen, hall, entry and powder room reno and made final contractor payment. Went 16% over budget with most of it being a new roof. I determined no need to spend all this money on new kitchen and do patch job on roof that I was going to replace before winter. My contractor called in his roofing sub who was in line with what my neighbors were paying (actually a little better by about $2,500 less). Lessons learned get what you want even if it means waiting a year or two. Plan for and expect the unexpected. At this time I’m very happy and no regrets. Kitchen designer is worth it. Design is better than I could have done on own. The attention to details is priceless.

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Reply to: @Pamela Foster & Associates, Inc.: I so agree with you 1000%. When, 22 years ago building my ranch, a well known manufacturer sent the builder the measurements for the kitchen sink that I had approved. Turned out to be wrong measurements. Builder contacted mfg the next day. The mfg didn't have any sink that size that I wanted. They totally not only refunded the money, but also paid a percentage of the redo that included the cabinetry and the counter which was cut per measurements given. And it was all accomplished within two weeks. I did find another sink - the one I do have (Shaw Original from Rohl). Of course, the cabinet had to be changed and beefed up for the weight. However, I appreciated the mfg willingness and honesty to help out the project. And what a great rebound my builder and carpenter did. When I did a small renovation years later, I purchased faucets (through a kitch/bath place with my plumber) from the original 'oops' mfg. Not only did they have the style I liked, but great customer service. You don't get that with box stores selling to the homeowner. BTDT

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Reply to: This is a good example of why homeowners should not purchase materials for a project. The contractor has a relationship with suppliers and has more leverage than a homeowner to correct defective materials.

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Reply to: My friend had his bathroom redone and then a few weeks later found the acrylic tub (Jacuzzi brand) was defective. He had special ordered it from Lowe's. Neither Jacuzzi nor Lowe's have done anything to correct it after a year of dozens of emails, dozens of photos. Jacuzzi asked him to submit photos 3 times because they couldn't find them. My friend is tearing his hair out. I'm planning a bath and kitchen remodel and will not be buying at Lowe's.

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Reply to: This wouldn't work for everyone, but I know so many people who have had major problems with their contractors that when I did my kitchen and bath, I hired the carpenter, plumber and electrician separately (making sure they were willing to coordinate with each other and with me) and purchased most of the major items myself. The sink is an old farmhouse with legs from Craig's List and the old clawfoot tub was found on E-Bay; I went to Puebla, Dolores Hidalgo and San Luis Potosí in Mexico to choose the tiles ( the whole vacation cost less than it would have cost to buy them from the US retailers) and they shipped direct to me in the States; I found the appliances at Home Depot sales and a local appliance discounter; and I bought the faucets and cabinet hardware online at a discount. I could never have afforded it otherwise and I'm very happy with the result. I also learned a lot; luckily I had a phone and computer handy at work, so in an emergency I could check things out and tell the workmen what to do. It can be challenging to find people who will work for a woman and not try to take over, but my guys were great!

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Reply to: As to the discussion about paying for quotes or initial contact information, in my experience, it depends on the services and products offered as well as the location. As for quotes, most physical jobs require them and generally they come along with the territory. I get quotes and basic information from cleaning crews, landscaping crews, landscape and home architects, handy man and even interior designers. Even the roofer I hired and the painters didn't require money for the initial quote and short interview. Examples: I interviewed 2 land architects individually when we strolled through the acreage in question. I laid out my ideas and what my goals were. I also asked questions of the architects and they both asked questions of me. I did define what I needed so there was an understanding. Both also gave me a general idea of cost of their services along with flexibility as well as possible additional costs with engineer, survey crew and so on. I was able to let them know my builder and I would hire the survey crew as well as the dirt man. It was also possible we would use a landscaper. It wasn't a problem with either architects. One interview lasted 40 minutes. The other lasted 2 hours. And that was because the land architect was really enjoying himself from the change of his usual jobs, so he just had to explore his creativity with all sorts of suggestions I was not expecting nor asked. In any case, I ended up hiring the second architect. A year later, he has not disappointed me. And yes, we worked out a contract. Even the house architect designer I hired never charged for the initial meeting. I had brought a portfolio of ideas for the cottage in the woods and what I wanted. I had it all written. We both asked questions back and forth including services, charges, timeline, experience and knowledge as well as creativity. He just told me, when I was ready, to send him a deposit of x dollars and he'll start work on the initial drawings. However, for doctors and lawyers, they all charge for first visit. In many jobs that are long term such as the land architect, we work things per phase which makes it easier as we start each phase. Same thing with my builder and he'll be working with me during this entire 5 year project. In many phases of this project, I'll need educating in various ways of completing a singular phase. However, as for budget, I know my budget for the entire project which includes individual 'oops' factors. So, I break down that budget for house, land, pond, garage, two external buildings, bridge and landscaper. As I let each professional know what I am budgeting (for their portion), I also let them know that I am a little flexible. I DO NOT let any one professional know how much I have for the entire project. With my land architect if he presents things that are a bit higher than what I wanted to spend, I tell him - that I'm mostly focusing on the house, but need to land work basic for all wildlife and that it will be an ongoing process. This way, the hardscape (the money pit) items are toned way down on the list. It works for me.

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Reply to: It helps to have a plan, I did everything backwards ... I purchased a beautiful faucet for the kitchen ... before installation, I realize my new faucet requires only one hole instead of the 3 hole configuration of the exsisting faucet, so I go out and purchase a new (Blanco) kitchen sink ... it's a single sink, but same size as a double, to replace the stainless steel sink now in place ... I'm now looking for a new countertop, ($7000+ I figure) because the albright top I have isn't good enough to compliment my new faucet (or sink). So my $1000 faucet is going to run me close to $10000 by the time I get to turn it on! gotta do what u gotta do. Can't wait to price the new floor.

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Reply to: We are basically a Kitchen and Bath Renovation Company. Our biggest problem with prospective clients is their reluctance to divulge their budget or maximum expenditure. Most of our Projects would fall in the Mid Range Category. We almost always are priced 30% lower than the average cost in the Cost VS Value Report of this area. Many times it is impossible to design to a clients wishes with a realistic cost. This we attribute to the many websites and TV programs which are no where near the actual cost of a project. This is our major area where we can not seem to properly address. The delivery problems are not that much of a problem to us as we do not start a project unless we have all of the items in our warehouse. Happy Renovating!!

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Reply to: You have no *option* worth my checkmark. Anyone that has done renovation/remodeling should already know to expect your choices, and going over budget [anything excessive] simply shouldn't happen...unless you choose it. Degree of difficulty comes from choosing materials. As in, awfully hard to envision a new floor or countertop [color, material] from a small swatch of same. And once done...well, too bad, so sad if one isn't satisfied; big expense. Paint color, appliances are relatively easy and can be redone, but countertop especially is a do or die choice.

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Reply to: If you are well-prepared with your final design when your contractor gives you a bid, and if your contractor is good--with integrity, experienced, licensed, bonded, etc., then unless you change your mind mid-build, the project should not go over budget. That said, expect the unexpected once you start opening walls in an old house. Replacing dry rot or plumbing or patching roofs adds time to projects. These types of contingencies should be anticipated and mentioned up front when the contractor provides a bid, allowing for some wiggle room in the budget and, most likely, in the schedule.

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Reply to: Any time estimate a contractor gives you should be increased by 50% as far as your personal schedule goes. If your contractor says 8 weeks and you are planning a big house party at the 9 week mark, be prepared to reschedule it. Stuff happens, surprise issues occur, the cabinets arrive late...precision timing and renovation are mutually exclusive.

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