Featured Links

Other Topics
Sponsored Links





Quote of the Day

"Growing old is no more than a bad habit which a busy person has no time to form."

Andre Maurois







 




 
Featured Home Improvement Articles

10 Ways to Purchase the Wrong Kitchen Cabinets
A couple of years ago we remodeled our kitchen. I'd like to see you just as happy with your kitchen as we are with ours. So here are ten tips on what to look out for, so you don't make any mistakes when you're looking for kitchen cabinets. 1. First, know ...

Faux Painting Techniques
In the last 10 years, faux painting techniques have gone from obscure to popular, from the realm of professionals to do-it-yourself projects. These techniques are not difficult although they can be time consuming (what decorating or remodeling project ...

Making space at home
Make Space At Home Clear out excess furniture and accessories from the interior of your home as much as possible. If a piece of furniture is too big for the room, or is crowding the room, put it in storage, have a garage sale, or give it to a deserving ...




10 Things To Consider Before Planning And Installing A New Bathroom
 
Whether you want to install a new bathroom or make improvements to an existing one there are some decisions you need to make and challenges to overcome. A bathroom must be tailored to your requirements and every plan will vary depending on the planner's needs.

1. Seek professional advice before planning a bathroom. You may need to consider local water regulations, existing plumbing facilities and the way your house is constructed.

2. Define the role and requirements of the new bathroom. Planning a bathroom involves more than the positioning of basic fixtures such as the bath, basin and toilet. Make sure your plan allows for plenty of floor for wall space and for extras such as towel rail, mirror and storage.

3. Decide if you need to make any changes to existing services and whether structural work is required. Measure up and note the position of the existing services, windows and doors and work out the plan to get the bathroom fixtures where you want them. You’ll also need to decide if you need to move any doors, windows or walls and whether you need to make changes to the electricity wiring, water and drains.

4. Draw out the bathroom area on graph paper and work out how best to divide up the bathroom for different purposes or tasks. You may need to consider whether to use double or sliding doors, archways or curtains.

5. Ensure that you have enough space to accommodate your chosen fittings as well as enough room to move them into position. Think about how much room will be required for toiletries, storing towels, medicines etc.

6. Build in


utilities such as heating, ventilation and lighting. These are important to ensure that your bathroom has enough light and works efficiently.

7. Make provisions for future plumbing and allow for access to potential trouble spots such as the shower pump and boxed-in toilet cisterns. If possible, fit removable panels instead of sealing these utilities behind fixed walls.

8. Find out exactly what sort of fittings you require and whether they will be suitable for the intended location.

9. Think about your style preferences in terms of the fit and flow with the rest of the house. There are products to meet most requirements or designs. Consider the trade off between price and good quality, and look out for longer warranties and guarantees.

10. Consider traffic patterns in terms of how many people will be using the bathroom and how often. Also, if people of varying ages use the bathroom, you may need to choose fittings that cater for different age groups in your household such as a slide shower so you can adjust the height of the spray.

Taking time to plan ahead can help to translate your ideas into reality and ensure that you end up with your ideal bathroom.
Copyright © 2005. Bridget Mwape writes for DIY Tips UK: http://www.diy-tips-uk.com/ which features how-to articles and products to help you with your DIY and home improvement projects. This article may be reprinted as long as all the above links are active and clickable.




Home Improvement News