To make your dream home a reality, there has to be some planning beforehand. This means you need to find a group of professionals (interior designers, plumbers, electricians, etc.) needed to install the features you’re looking for. You also need to consider the product, installation and maintenance costs of your options.
We’ll give you a guide map on things you should consider when customizing your kitchen and bathroom. It’s going to take time, but with the right amount of research, budget planning, and design thinking, you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your hard-earned improvements.
The Kitchen Sink
We’ll start in the most popular room with the most popular item: the kitchen and the kitchen sink. The sink is one of the most important areas in a kitchen. Did you know that about 60% of the time spent in the kitchen is using a sink? The kitchen sink will have a large impact on your everyday life, and you want a sink that can withstand the test of time.
Cooking, washing, cutting, and food preparation are all tasks that can become efficient once you buy a suitable sink.
How Much Should I Pay?
The average cost of your sink will vary based on your style of choice. On average, a good sink will cost around $250-$500. As always, schedule an appointment with our showroom design team to review your options. We’ll help you find a sink that’s designed for your kitchen and at an affordable cost.
Costs of Sink Removal
Before you can install a new sink in your soon to be dream home, you need to remove sinks that aren’t operating, that are damaged, or those that doesn’t fit with the room’s decor anymore. Professionals will save you time by turning off any water that leads to the sink, hauling it away from your home and when possible.
Expect to pay a range of $35-$85 to remove your sink from your kitchen professionally.
What Types of Sinks Are Available?
While there are a lot of sink designs available, the most common places to install them are in the kitchen and in the bathroom.
Drop-In Sink
The classic drop-in sink is a popular sink among home remodelers. They can match virtually any modern or traditional kitchen design. Also, they are easy to install, making the installation costs cheaper than other sinks. You can choose from under mount sinks, top-mount sinks and apron-front sinks. If your house has the right plumbing infrastructure, you can simply drop the sink in place.
Bar Sink
If you have a large kitchen, consider installing a second sink. Most kitchen remodelers choose bar sinks as their second sink and typically install them on the end of an island. Bar sinks are good for small rinses and prep cooking. While it’s smaller than the standard sink, they are great for kitchens with a lot of counter space.
The Refrigerator
No dream home is complete without the ideal refrigerator. Your refrigerator is the most important appliance in your kitchen. Not only does it keep your food safe, but it also prevents germs and other organisms from contaminating meats and veggies. But before thinking about repairs, you need to have an ideal price in mind.
How Much is a Good Fridge?
A good refrigerator will cost around $1000 – $3000. You’ll need to get a refrigerator to suit your lifestyle fully. If you’re living in an apartment, you can get away with a small refrigerator. But expect to pay more if you need the extra size, as refrigerators will take a lot of space in your kitchen.
There are tons of features on a good fridge. Choose from 1, 2 or 3 doors; fridge only or fridge and freezer. Do you want an ice maker, climate-controlled drawers or separate storage for dairy? Feature-wise, the sky is the limit for most refrigerators. Some of the newest models like this InstaView™ Door-in-Door refrigerator from LG feature see-through doors, allow you to see the internal contents without opening the door.
TIP: Local retailers are constantly offering discounts on refrigerators. If you have time wait, a helpful tip is to pick out the model you like and then wait to purchase it when area retailers discount the price. This will save money on additional equipment, and you’ll have more leeway to get your refrigerator. Here are the most common problems with refrigerators and some techniques on fixing them.
Common Problems with Refrigerators
Leaking
If the refrigerator leaks out water, then it can be a blown gasket, the ice maker, or in the water inlet valve. To fix this, we suggest getting professional assistance to remove the gasket so that the refrigerator can work properly.
Fridge Runs for Too Long
Use a defrost timer and defrost heater to help with the temperature. If it continues to run too long, we suggest replacing those parts.
Caution: Before you work on a freezer or a refrigerator, make sure that it’s unplugged. Once the unit is unplugged, check to see if the compressor/motor has a capacitor. Capacitors are used to store electricity, even if the unit’s power is shut off. You have to discharge them before working on a refrigerator.
Bathroom Beautification
The room in your dream house to work on is the bathroom. Your bathroom and bathtubs can either have an elegant, vintage, minimalist, or modern appeal to it. And there are some quick updates you can make with it (i.e. sink repair, upgraded lighting, etc.) so always inspect the bathroom to ensure that it’s up to par with your standards.
How Much is a bathroom remodel?
Besides the kitchen, the bathroom is the most expensive room to remodel. The average bathroom renovation will cost $9,600 – $11,000 in costs. If it’s a low-end remodel, it will cost around $2,500. For a high-end remodel, it will cost you $23,000 or more.
When factoring the price into your budget, think about what you need to add into your bathroom. For instance, if you need to repair a sink or a toilet, factor that into the budget so it can be fixed immediately. Here are some tips you can take to ensure that your bathroom renovation is successful and clean.
Helpful Bathroom Sink Considerations
- What style fits the design of my bathroom?
- Is this new construction or does it need to be compatible with the existing cabinet & counter top?
- What functionality do I need? Should I get a vessel, under mount, corner, drop-in, etc.?
We’ve mentioned it before, but send us all your questions. Also feel free to schedule an appointment to meet with our designers or just drop by. You can show us photos of your existing setup and we can determine compatible options or explore new design concepts.
What types of Bathroom Sinks are available?
Self-Rimming
Commonly known as drop-in sinks, these are the most common you’ll find. Self-rimming sinks are the easiest to install. Once the whole is cut in the counter top, the sink is dropped in. The rim of the sink creates a tight seal with the counter top and a single bead of silicone keeps any water on the counter top from passing through the cabinet.
Vessel Sinks
While they aren’t as popular as drop-in sinks in the kitchen, vessel sinks have gained their reputation as a high-quality bathroom sink. They create a focal point in the room and can be installed with no issue. So think about getting this if you want a unique sink.
Pedestal Sinks
Pedestal sinks were the norm a few decades ago, as they create a vintage look to the bathroom. Defined by their simplicity and character, pedestal sinks have a more open look and have a minimalist appearance.
Under-mount Sinks
Under-mount sinks are popular in bathrooms because they ensure that your vanity area and sink don’t take up too much space. These sinks are smaller than vessel sinks, so they don’t intrude in your personal space.
While it takes away storage underneath the sink, it creates a spacious and open feel in the bottom. If your bathroom has a vanity area, chances are you’ll want to install an under mount sink to maximize the area on your vanity top.
Which sinks are best for smaller bathrooms?
Not every dream home has huge, expansive bathrooms. You can gain a lot of appeal and practicality even from smaller bathrooms. We have found that pedestal and wall-mount style sinks are best.
More Sink Features
More often than not, there are a lot of factors that you need to consider before adding a new sink to your home. First, you have to decide on the faucet. When you buy a faucet for a sink, make sure that it matches both the sink’s design, hole pattern cut in the countertop and the overall appearance of the kitchen.
Next, you’ll want to upgrade the plumbing, or move the sink immediately. It’s likely you’ll have to pay for a new drainage, which is $3,100. If you want the costs to stay low, we suggest keeping the sink in the same spot.
Tile the Floors and Walls
First, start with adding tile to the walls and the floor. When adding tile near the window, the tile needs to be about ⅛ from the grass block. Then, tile the floor by snapping the center lines to spread out the field tile and border strips.
Work through this process to get spaced tiles from the floor. Grout the floors and walls but caulk the insides of the floors and corners where the walls connect.
Why Should I Get a Wall-Mounted Toilet
You should strongly consider getting a wall hung toilet for your dream home. In addition to easy cleaning, a wall-mounted toilet is much sleeker because it doesn’t have a toilet base nor a tank behind the toilet. So where does the water supply to flush come from? The tank is located within the wall directly behind the toilet mount.
The tank carrier is mounted directly between the wall 2 x 6’s. The carrier contains a tank and steel brackets that attach between two wall studs directly behind the location where the toilet will be mounted. The in-wall tank works just like a standard toilet tank. It fills with water and automatically shuts off when the tank is full and refills after it has been flushed.
It will require plumbing rerouting because of the base line that runs through the wall.
Your contractor will also need to remove the section of your wall to gain access to the void where the tank and carrier will be located. He/she will have to then cover up the hole with drywall or whichever wall surface you prefer. Your toilet can have a wall-mounted access flush/panel button.
If you do not have the option of installing a carrier and tank within the wall, there are wall-mounted toilets that have external tanks. In this case, the toilet and tank are both mounted outside the wall. Wall-mounted toilets require less maintenance, so you’ll spend less time cleaning them up after extended use.
Some people wonder if they’re too heavy to use a wall-mounted Toilet. According to the US ASME National Consensus Standards, 500 pounds (226.8kg) is the minimum weight limit requirement for wall hung toilets. So if you’re worried about your kids standing on the toilet and it breaking, you should probably be fine. If you want to take a look at a residential wall hung toilet and other toilet options, we have models mounted in our Showroom ready for you to check out.
Maximizing Bathroom Ventilation
One of the biggest issues with the bathroom is low ventilation. We suggest that you buy a vent fan with a timer switch. The fan should run for 15 minutes after stepping out of the shower. This reduce condensation in the room and decreases the chances of mold formation.
Fans are especially important if there are no windows in the bathroom. While you could pay $75 for a new fan, chances are it won’t perform well. Have at least $250 saved up to buy a reliable one. On average, it needs to run at a speed of 150 CFM to feel the fan’s ventilation in the room. An added benefit of more expensive models is that they tend to be much quieter. This is helpful if family members are asleep in nearby bedrooms.
Conclusion
Your dream home is only a few hours of planning away. Always have a budget and 10% extra to cover for any unexpected expenses that you’ll have to pay for. Get a new sink, add new lights, improve your bathroom, anything you want!
Once you have the right team for the job, make sure they follow the initial design idea of your dream home. If you want a vintage appeal, ensure that they design it to your preferences. Conclusively, you’ll get a better build for your home and make your dream house a reality that you and your family can enjoy.