Kitchen and Bath Remodel on a Tight Budget

If you’re thinking of selling your house and it has older and outdated kitchen and bathrooms you’re probably thinking thousands of dollars to remodel and upgrade.

There is a low cost alternative to replacing bathtubs, showers, counters, etc. by simply having them professionally refinished. We sold our house in 2007. It was built in the 70s I believe and each of the three bathrooms had different colored fixtures and tile. One was yellow, one was avocado, and the other was a funky brown and gold.

After some investigation I found a company called Miracle Method of Knoxville who refinishes tiles, tubs, etc., in place with very high grade paint and totally changes the look to a clean, modern finish.The entire process, depending on how much you do, takes anywhere from 1 to 3 days. If you’re worried about durability they guarantee the finish for 5 years against peeling and flaking.

They have a showroom in the Middlebrook Pike area near Wright’s Cafeteria so you can go by and see their work firsthand.

In each bathroom they repainted the bathtub and all the tile along the walls. I installed new vanities, mirrors, light fixtures, and a new, comfort height commode along with new vinyl flooring. My total cost per bathroom was under $2,000 and the difference was enormous.

BTW, our house sold at full price in a week. The buyers were totally blown away by the bathrooms and kitchen in a 35 year old house. So if you’re thinking of selling your older house please give lots of thought to how your bathrooms and kitchen will appear to prospective buyers.

Choosing a Bathroom or Kitchen Remodel Contractor

You are standing in your kitchen, or in your bathroom in New York and you are realizing that it is time to get your old kitchen remodeled in your Manhattan home, or you need to start looking for a bathroom remodeling contractor in Queens. When you make this decision, you need to make sure that you have the time and the patience to look for a good contractor, not simply the first person in the yellow pages. A rushed selection could very well lead to a poor quality job.

The first thing that you will want to look for in a contractor when you are about to get your old kitchen remodeled in Manhattan is experience. You will want to ask your friends and family or anyone else in the area who they used for their remodel. Talking to people really can open your eyes to options that you wouldn’t have thought of, or will lead you to a small shop that doesn’t advertise much. Many times these privately owned companies are the way to go, but, again, ask around. Also, keep in mind that not every old kitchen remodeled in Manhattan that was done well was done by a company that has been around for decades, but it does make a difference. Many times you will want to find a company that has been around the block a few times. This ensures, not only that they have experience, but also that they will be around in the future in case something should happen.

These same rules would apply when you are looking for a bathroom remodeling contractor in Queens. You will want to hunt out different online reviews of the companies that you are thinking about. You will also want to look at the certification that they may have. Most of these bathroom remodeling contractors in Queen will be required to have permits and license, so be sure that you take a look at those. If you are new to the area and can’t find anyone to ask about contractors, just start calling around to different bathroom remodeling contractors in Queens getting price quotes, but also asking for referrals to their previous customers so you can talk to them, or at the very least, ask to see pictures of their previous work. This will give you an idea of what they have done in the past. If you don’t like it, keep looking around.

Best Kitchen and Bathroom Remodeling Tips

Remodeling kitchen and bathroom project may be overwhelming, but can go on smoothly if you know a couple of pro tips.

Plan ahead, avoid delay: Plan ahead and make products selection early. Planning ahead would avoid delays and help you adhering to your budget.
Remember the big picture: Repairs, maintenance and energy loss are bound to happen. Always budget for these and include them in your calculations when you are comparing prices. This will help in avoiding hassles in future.
Get good help: Hire a contractor or a remodeler who has rich experience in kitchen and bathroom remodeling, positive customer reference, good record with better business bureau and a member of National Association of Remodeling Industry. Or, if you know a good remodeler whom you can trust, go ahead and hire him.
Visit a job site: When you are planning to hire a remodeler, check his companyís website. Good remodelers always maintain a clean and an organized website.
Safety: Always take precautionary measures to guarantee safety. Have a low profile and do not discuss the details in your neighborhood.
Treat your contractor well: This is the best thing that you can do. Appreciate for his good work. He will be interested in sharing his kitchen and bathroom remodeling tips with you.
While doing your kitchen and bathroom remodeling, always insist for a contract. Not having detailed contract or no contract will create lot of legal issues. The contract should contain the address, the starting date and a completion date, and details of the project that has to be carried out.
Be prepared: Remodeling is exciting. At the same time, you should be prepared and get the details from the remodeler, situations to expect after the project has started. Situations like delays, inconvenience and frustration are all common. Getting to know them early will help you to manage better.
Find an alternative: During kitchen remodeling project, you may face lot of inconveniences in carrying out your job. Set up a temporary kitchen with your refrigerator and microwave away from the construction area. This will help you to prepare light meals whenever needed.
Pack all the crockery and other breakables from the kitchen to avoid breaking.
Express your ideas: Communicate with your remodelers and get sufficient kitchen and bathroom remodeling tips from them. Let them know what you have in mind and work together.
If you are not a frequent user of the tub, skip them and get showers instead. This will save your money and ensure effective usage too.
Avoid planning desk in the kitchen unless you would really sit down and plan in the desk.
Connecting spaces by opening up walls and hallways create more livable spaces. This is a great kitchen and bathroom remodeling tip.
Maximize storage by utilizing the wasted area efficiently and effectively.