No matter if you’re planning a bathroom remodel, kitchen renovation or even re-doing an entire floor, there’s no denying that remodeling can be fun! It gives a homeowner the opportunity to change the look and feel of their home, while also putting their own unique touch on things. Plus, when handled correctly, there’s pretty good odds that your renovation efforts can actually improve the property value of your home too.
As a Kansas City-based plumbing company that offers residential, commercial and new construction plumbing services, it’s safe to say that we’ve come across our fair share of remodeling projects. Like we mentioned at the beginning of this blog post, the actual scope of these projects can vary significantly. With years of experience working on these renovations, we feel confident in our ability to diagnose what exactly makes up a successful renovation. In this week’s blog post, we’ll dive deeper into some of these tips and hopefully they’ll help ensure you have a seamless experience the next time you embark on a renovation.
Hire a Knowledgeable and Experienced Plumber
While you could DIY many aspects of a kitchen or bathroom renovation, chances are you’re going to want to outsource most of the plumbing pieces. This is especially true if you’re making significant renovations, such as adding a shower, running new plumbing lines and so on. It’s simply not something you want done haphazardly. Having said that, your next order of business is going to involve sifting through the many different plumbing companies there are and finding someone that you trust for your project. And trust us, if you live in a bigger city like Kansas City, there certainly are no shortage of options. So…what should you ask to guarantee you have a successful remodel?
Experience, Licenses, Insurance, Bonding, Reviews – First and foremost, you’re going to want to run through all of the basics. This is no different than hiring any other home services contractor, but is still worth mentioning. Along with confirming licenses, bonding and insurance with the contractor themselves, also take some time to conduct your own due diligence online. Look at customer reviews on Google, social media channels and their website. When grouped together, this information can help provide insight into the dependability of a business.
Pricing and Other Details – In addition to all of the items mentioned above, you’re also going to want to confirm pricing details. Is it a quoted job? If so, what are the procedures for any change orders? What items are included in the quoted price? Who will be in charge of getting the permit for the project? Do you have an estimated timeline for the renovation? If so, when can we expect you to get started? Even though many of these may sound like common sense topics, it’s never a bad idea to get everything out in the clear. This will help ensure both parties are on the same page and that there’s no surprises later on.
Have a Plan (and Budget)
As is the case with most investments, having a plan and budget from the get-go is always a necessary step in ensuring a successful project. While we primarily focus on the plumbing portion of remodels here on our blog, you’ll also want to keep in mind that more in-depth renovations require a little added work! Tile work, carpenters, electricians, you name it.
Having said that, before you start hiring contractors for different parts of the remodeling process, make sure to have a general budget number in mind, as well as a plan of how you envision the space. Better yet, if you have a professional plumbing company selected, they should be able to provide you with recommendations for the other trades-people needed. This will surely help in giving you the peace of mind that you’re working with knowledgeable professionals!
Select Quality Brands
While a major goal behind any remodeling project is to improve the look of the room, it’s safe to say you’ll also want it to be a space that can withstand all of the wear and tear it may face. After all, no matter if it’s your kitchen or a bathroom, these are typically areas that’ll be used on a daily basis. As such, you don’t want to consistently be faced with repairs in the years that follow due to lackluster products or fixtures. With that in mind, it’s always a smart move to install quality and durable products. It’s not always going to be the cheapest option, but it will be best in the long run.
In terms of the plumbing components, you’ll have no trouble finding reliable and long-lasting brands for the various fixtures involved, including faucets, bathtubs, showerheads, toilets and so on.
Need some brand recommendations? We have a blog series here on our website called “Who’s Who in Plumbing Brands.” Every few weeks, we walk through some of the major brands currently on the market and provide some details about each to help you in the process of sifting through the countless brands out there. Check out the first edition of it HERE, which featured industry giants Delta, Kohler, Toto and American Standard.
Making Minor Changes?
Going hand-in-hand with the importance of having a plan in-place, before you start tearing out walls and turning your house into a construction site, have you considered simply making some minor improvements? Maybe your main goal for the bathroom is just to modernize it? Believe it or not, you would be surprised by the difference that can be made by installing some new faucets, maybe a new vanity or of course, a fresh coat of paint! Always keep this in mind when you’re gauging how to approach renovations.
What Makes Sense For You
At the end of the day, embarking on a bathroom or kitchen renovation is all about doing what makes the most sense for you. You could spend hours on end searching through Pinterest boards trying to find your dream layout, but just remember the importance of functionality. As mentioned above, the bathroom and kitchen are spaces you’ll be using on a daily basis and need to be able to function accordingly. How can you ensure each of these spaces provides the perfect amount of space and functionality? A good place to start is thinking about the practical items. How much cabinetry are you going to need in the bathroom to store all of your necessities? Have you considered lighting fixtures? If space is an issue, how can you arrange elements in a manner that still allows you to include the most important ones? Essentially, a lot of this does go back to the topic of having a plan from the very start, but nonetheless, with any renovation project, it’s important to create space that both looks awesome and still gets the job done!
Call Your Friends at Stine-Nichols Plumbing
If you’re planning on knocking out some renovations, congratulations! This is such an exciting time for homeowners, as it really does give you the opportunity to freshen up your home. Nonetheless, a bathroom or kitchen remodel can easily be considered a significant project (depending on the magnitude of the changes) and as such, it’s important to be prepared to prevent any unforeseen headaches.
Here at Stine-Nichols Plumbing, our team of licensed plumbing professionals have years of experience working on projects of all sizes. That could mean something as simple as installing a new faucet or as extensive as a complete remodel. In any case, we take pride in providing reliable and long-lasting plumbing solutions at competitive prices. To speak with a member of our team and request a free estimate, you’re more than welcome to give us a call at (816) 348-3481 or fill out the form HERE.