Did you know, kitchen and bathroom renovations top the list of improvements for increasing the value of a home? Unfortunately these labor-intensive remodels can get quite expensive.
You may consider handling some of the work yourself. There are plenty of ways you can touch-up your kitchen and bathroom to make your home feel brand-new, but you should avoid these upgrades that can cause your home’s value to plummet.
1. Retiling Your Entire Bathroom
Everybody loves a new tile in the kitchen to go with that new granite countertop
If you aren’t careful, new tiles on a bathroom wall can cause damage to your pipes and result in leaks. These leaks can lead to thousands of dollars in water damage not just in your bathroom, but throughout your home.
2. Bad Design Layouts
You might be surprised by the number of people who end up regretting their bathroom or kitchen remodeling decisions.
You could end up investing in a sink, bath, shower that doesn’t meet your needs a few years down the road.
Also a bad design can end up blocking your sink, stove and other main appliances. The can make these appliances hard to maneuver and maintain. Your plumber and electricians could have a difficult time reaching important areas during an inspection or emergency repair.
3. Spa Shower
According to Angie’s List : Custom steam showers can be as high as $6,200 depending on the features of the shower itself and the plumbing company performing the installation. If you opt for a prefabricated steam shower, the cost lies between $1,000-$5,000.
If you want to upgrade your bathroom, look for a water-conserving showerhead that will actually save money and conserve energy.
4. Kitchen Ventilation
Kitchen ducts should be non-combustible and fire-resistant. Flex ducts are plastic covered with metal that are against many city codes and pose a major fire hazard.
Here are some common costly with hood fans problems:
The exhaust fan doesn’t vent to the outdoors
Some exhaust fans pull the air through a filter and send it back into the room. They are standard in passive house certified homes to prevent extra penetrations of the building enclosure.
The exhaust fan makes a lot of noise but doesn’t move much air
Bad ducting of kitchen exhaust reduces the air flow, just as it does with bathroom exhaust fans.
The range hood has a low capture efficiency
Unfortunately, this is the reality of the current market. You can’t go out and comparison shop based on this metric, so its good to ask for professional advice.
Have a professional check your kitchen and make sure that your home isn’t violating any major codes or putting people’s health at risk with faulty upgrades and poor installation.
Here is a list of some of the best range hoods for your kitchen.
How An A-Team Plumber Can Help You With Your Remodel Projects
Hiring an A-Team plumber for your bathroom or kitchen remodel means a lot less work for you. If you’re inexperienced, it may take you weeks on end to remodel everything properly.
Outside of the labor, you might have to purchase tools specifically for the renovation that you may never use again.
A plumber is capable of helping you with:
– Installing a kitchen sink and garbage disposal
– Adding a showerhead
– Moving around important pipes
– Fixing drain lines
– Adding spa equipment to the bathroom