Tag: bathroom

Home Improvement: HOMEOWNER’S NIGHTMARE — WHERE DO WORKMEN GO TO THE BATHROOM?

Hiring a Home Remodeling Professional, Home Improvement, Home Maintenance/Repairs

Home Improvement Contractors Have to Go to the Bathroom Too…

 

We don’t like to talk about it, but everyone needs to go to the bathroom at some time. But, what happens when you have workmen working on your house?

No... you don't need to hang toilet paper from your trees if you have workmen at your house.

No… you don’t need to hang toilet paper from your trees if you have workmen at your house.

There are many horror stories such as “workmen have been using my yard as their toilet! I just caught one urinating and told him my yard is not a ‘toilet’.” In another case, I heard about workers asking if they could go behind the garage to go to the bathroom. I can only imagine what else they might be doing in the yard.

Rules and Regulations

These workmen should not be using your yard, garage wall, or anything else other than a toilet!  According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Toilet facilities shall be provided and maintained in a sanitary condition during construction. An adequate number of facilities must be provided for the number of employees at the construction site according to the following

1 to 20 workers- 1 toilet
21 to 200 workers- 1 for each 40 workers
over 200 workers= 1 for each 50 work

The toilet facility can be yours or one provided by your contractor.

Your Bathroom or a Port-A-Potty?

Do you want the workmen to use your facility or a port-a-potty provided by the contractor?  Of course that is a personal preference.

You have hired a contractor that you trust. Perhaps you can extend this trust to using your bathroom.  But, not everyone is comfortable having strangers use their bathrooms nor do they want to clean up after them.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. doesn’t want to put your privacy at risk and never wants a customer to feel obligated to allow workmen to use their bathroom. Employees and subcontractors are instructed to use a port-a-potty that is delivered to the job site.

If possible, Leading Edge Homes, Inc. builds a temporary shroud around the port-a-potty in an attempt to make it less unsightly for your neighbors.

 

Before you hire a contractor you might want to ask what are their employees instructed to do in the event that they need to use the bathroom.  Furthermore, if the job will take more than a week, does the contractor provide a port-a-potty? If he is unwilling to spend about $100 a month for your safety and privacy, what other corners will he cut?

Todd Perry, a State of Florida Certified Building Contractor and president of Leading Edge Homes, Inc., provided this information.

If you have questions about a home improvement project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email Todd at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and he’ll be happy to share his knowledge with you.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. specializes in improving your lifestyle through room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, hurricane-resistant screen enclosures, and more!  In business since 1991, they demolish your stress by building your trust.
Visit the Leading Edge Home’s website or call 561-795-2551 to discover how they can help you with your next home remodeling project in Palm Beach County.
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Bathroom Ideas: 10 Top Trends for 2015 – Or Not….

Bathroom Renovations, Home Improvement

The following article by Melissa Dittmann Tracey provides interesting information about the 10 Top Trends for 2015.  (See below for the full article)

NKBA_bathroom

Photo Credit: National Kitchen and Bath Association

The top 10 overall bathroom design trends expected to be hot this year:

1. Clean, white, contemporary designs
2. Floating vanities
3. Open-shelving
4. Electric heated floors
5. Purple color schemes
6. Trough sinks
7. User experience (ease of use and low maintenance) and accessibility features
8. Extra amenities (like steam showers, anti-fog mirrors, lighted showers, and shower seats)
9. Innovative storage (such as drawer pullouts and rollouts to hold hair styling equipment)
10. Showers and freestanding tubs

Just keep in mind, that the  National Kitchen & Bath Association’s trend report on what’s driving bathroom design in 2015 does not mean you need to update your bathroom to conform to the latest styles and trends.

There are ways to add some of these features … such as installing a tiled back splash, replacing your faucets, adding crown molding, or even changing your paint color to update your bathroom’s look.

If you plan on remodeling your bathroom, functionality, safety, and personal preferences should be your primary focus. Color trends, materials, and other hot designs trends will be outdated in years from now.

If you have questions about a home improvement project, call Leading Edge Homes at 561-795-2551 or email me at: todd@leadingedgehomes.com and I’ll be happy to share my knowledge with you.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida certified building contractor specializing in improving your lifestyle through room additions, bathroom renovations, kitchen updates, hurricane-resistant screen enclosures, and more!  In business since 1991, they demolish your stress by building your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website to discover how they can help you with your next home remodeling project in Palm Beach County

The Spa-Like Bathroom: 10 Top Trends for 2015

Posted in Home Trends, by on April 13, 2015

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By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

NKBA_bathroom

Just like the kitchen, contemporary designs are growing in popularity in bathroom remodels. These contemporary touches in the bathroom equate to clean and open designs, with floating vanities and freestanding tubs.

Last week, at Styled Staged & Sold, we highlighted the top 10 trends for the kitchen this year. This week, we focus on the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s latest trend report on what’s driving bathroom design in 2015.

Here are the top 10 overall bathroom design trends NKBA designers expect to be hot this year:

1. Clean, white, contemporary designs
2. Floating vanities
3. Open-shelving
4. Electric heated floors
5. Purple color schemes
6. Trough sinks
7. User experience (ease of use and low maintenance) and accessibility features
8. Extra amenities (like steam showers, anti-fog mirrors, lighted showers, and shower seats)
9. Innovative storage (such as drawer pullouts and rollouts to hold hair styling equipment)
10. Showers and freestanding tubs

Most popular colors: White and gray are the dominant colors for bathrooms. Half of designers expect to see gray growing in 2015, and several designers also mentioned the growing popularity of purple, lavender, and lilac tones gaining steam in bathroom designs. For fixtures, white continues its dominance.

 

Out of style: Jetted tubs, whether whirlpool or air, are decreasing in popularity, according to NKBA’s report. “People are moving away from jetted tubs to more classic soaking tubs,” says Bill Donohoe with Donohoe Design Works in the Los Angeles area. Also, beige fixture colors are increasingly dropping in popularity.

Melissa Tracey

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2015’s Top 3 Home Improvement Projects With The Highest Return on Investment

Home Improvement

According to the 2015 Remodeling Magazine Cost VS Value Report for the entire South Atlantic region of the United States, replacing your front door, adding manufactured stone veneer to your house exterior, and replacing your garage door will give you the highest return on your investment in your home.

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. Kitchen Remodel

A kitchen renovations may help you sell your home quicker.

Although these home improvement investments give you the most return when you sell your home, other interior remodeling projects may be more beneficial. There are two projects that may stand between selling your house quickly and at a higher price, and having the house sit on the market unsold.  Those two projects are a kitchen remodel and a master bathroom remodel.

The kitchen is the heart of the home and the master bathroom is especially important to women as a sanctuary.  If either, or both, are tired looking, old, and unappealing, you have a problem on your hands.  Even though a major kitchen remodel will provide only a 67.4% and a bath remodel will provide only a 72.7% return on investment, they may need to be performed for a relatively prompt and profitable sale.  Seek the advice of a professional Realtor.

 A Look at the Top 3 Home Improvement Investments

1.  Replace Your Front Door

This might seem like a fairly minor home improvement, but, replacing your front door has been shown time and time again to bring an amazing return. A new steel door averaged a 112% return. When looking at cost versus value, a new door is the top of the list.

Why?

Put yourself in the shoes of a potential buyer. You pull up to a house you are interested in and you see the landscape, the trees, and the shrubs are not in the best of condition, but they’re fixable. Then you walk up to the front door and it is old looking, worn, and has splintered wood. You are about to literally walk through the door to your future… do you want it to look old and decrepit?

Now, picture a new, steel door with a fresh coat of paint. It looks strong and safe. This puts the buyer in a positive state of mind before they even step foot in your home.

A replacement steel door averages a 112% return on investment – by far the highest return.

2. Manufactured Stone Veneer

This is the first year projects involving manufactured stone veneer have been included in the report. The cost and value estimates are based on a project that calls for installing 300 square feet of manufactured stone veneer on the bottom third of a house.

The appeal of this project is in making a good first impression and giving the house an upscale look.  That’s why this project averaged a 93% return on investment.

3. Garage Door Replacement

Just like with the front door, replacement of the garage overhead door with an embossed, steel one offers a good return on investment at an average 91.6%.  This is for all the same reasons as the front door but on a larger scale due to its larger impact on curb appeal.  This is especially true for a front loading garage.

 

 

 

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida state certified general contracting company specializing in room additions, bathroom renovation, kitchen updates, and hurricane-resistant screen enclosures. In business, since 1991, the most important thing they build is your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website for more information about how they can help you with your next Palm Beach County home remodeling project.

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A Reminder: Do your Due Diligence BEFORE HIRING A HOME REMODELING CONTRACTOR

Hiring a Home Remodeling Professional, Home Improvement

 

house POSTCARD

 

In our last post, Questions to Ask before Selecting a Home Remodeling Contractor, I suggested key information to ask from you home improvement specialist before you hire one.

There is still more that you need to do, before you sign a contract for your bathroom remodel, room addition, kitchen renovation, building your hurricane-resistant screen enclosure, or any other home improvement project.

Verify A Contractor’s License

For a Florida state-licensed general contractor, visit the Florida Department of Regulation website. In Palm Beach County you can verify a contractor’s license here.  Make sure the contractor is licensed to do the type of work you want.

Check for Complaints

Use the internet wisely and search to see if there are any complaints about the contractor. There are many sites, including the Florida Department of Regulation and the Better Business Bureau that lists complaints against a company.

You don’t want to lose money on your investment into your home.

Don’t just take our word for it. View this newscast about Florida Screen Builders – http://www.wptv.com/money/consumer/florida-screen-builders-closes-doors-after-second-chance-to-fix-problem-permits

It will show you why it is important to do your due diligence before you hire a contractor.

 

Leading Edge Homes, Inc. is a Florida state certified general contracting company specializing in room additions, bathroom renovation, kitchen updates, and hurricane-resistant screen enclosures. The most important thing they build is your trust. Contact them at 561-795-2551 or visit their website for more information about how they can help you with your next Palm Beach County home remodeling project.

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Renovate Your Bathroom – Your Lighting May Make Your Makeup Look Wrong

Bathroom Renovations

While kitchen and family room lighting is given plenty of forethought, bathroom lighting, in general, is not given nearly enough. I can’t begin to count how many bathrooms I have been in, pre-remodeling, that were illuminated by one surface-mounted light fixture in the middle of the room.

While having recessed light fixtures mounted directly over each sink, the toilet, the shower, and the tub is a big improvement, it is not optimal for applying makeup. Recessed lights over a mirror cast shadows over your face which not only makes it difficult to see, it also makes you look older. It’s also the reason why makeup can look differently when outside of the house than it did when applied. So what’s the solution?

Makeup lighting needs to come from the sides – think sconces. When lighting is at roughly eye level and at the sides it casts even lighting across the face. If this is not possible due to space, an alternate mounting location is directly on the mirror. Remember to use cool white light bulbs which render skin tone the most accurately.

If you are thinking of updating your bathroom, call us at 561-795-2551 or visit or website at www.leadingedgehomes.com.

For additional ideas and great pictures go to http://www.youbeauty.com/beauty/the-best-lighting-for-makeup/

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