TCB Tips Blog

So, your custom remodeler has installed skylights as part of your new bathroom or kitchen remodeling project, and you’re wondering how you’re ever going to keep them clean? Cleaning your skylight doesn’t have to be a dirty job. You should be able to reach it from the inside with a long-handled mop or duster, or by safely using a ladder or scaffolding. From the outside, rain should keep the glass relatively clean, but you will need to use a ladder or get on the roof if you want to wash it. The folks at Velux, a reputable skylight and roof window manufacturer used by custom remodelers, offer cleaning tips on their website at www.veluxusa.com. Here’s a summary of a few we liked:

• Avoid cleaning the skylight during the hottest part of the day.
• Use clean water and soap first, followed by a mild glass cleaner. Use a soft brush or cloth to apply the cleaners and to remove them. You can also use a squeegee.
• Avoid using metal scrapers or blades because these will scratch the skylight glass, which is not repairable or covered under most warranties. If it’s necessary to remove tree sap, paint or adhesive, scrape carefully with a razor blade only in one direction in a small spot.
• Clean other areas of skylights (frames, sashes, etc.) with a damp cloth or soapy water.
• Inside, use a long-handled mop to remove any cobwebs or dust from corners.
• Condensation on skylights is common and natural. It occurs when humidity is too high in the room. You can solve this by ventilating the room a few times a day for about five minutes.

With the warmer weather coming in Manassas, Fairfax, Alexandria and Arlington, VA, if you can’t be outdoors, try bringing the outdoors inside. One way to lighten up a room naturally is through a skylight. But, you say, aren’t they a lot of trouble? We say, no way! They’re worth it.

If you’re doing a bathroom or kitchen remodeling project, this is an ideal time to add a skylight. This way, it can be installed by your custom remodeler, who will make sure it is properly positioned for maximum light as well as mounted securely. The custom remodeler will work with you to evaluate your roof pitch, decide whether or not the skylight must be accessible for opening, choose glass type and accessories, and select a manual or electronic control option. Then, the custom remodeler or installer will choose the best mounting method based on your geographic location. Skylights can be deck mounted directly to the roof deck, curb mounted to a site-built curb, or pan-flashed, also mounted to a site-built curb. Skylight manufacturers like Velux provide many choices and their products are warrantied for guaranteed satisfaction. Any of the options provide heat and light naturally, so they are considered “green” home additions.

A solar tube is a less expensive way to achieve light in a bathroom when you are remodeling. A cylindrical tube that comes from the roof and lets light in like a small spotlight, the solar tube doesn’t require electricity. It uses reflective material inside the tube and a diffuser on the end of the tube to spread light in the room. Ask your custom remodeler about tax credits in your area for both skylights and solar tubes.

If you’re worried about cleaning and maintenance of your skylight or roof window, check back next week for some tips.

You already know that remodeling is winning out over moving to a new location in today’s economy.  It’s a sensible way to get what you want in your home, and recoup the costs when the real estate market rebounds.  The fact is, trends in remodeling are focusing on practicality before luxury.   If you’re thinking of remodeling, be realistic about what can be done now, and pay attention to the basics.  Be reasonable and take a long-term view of what you’ll need in the future.  

Determine what you don’t like about your home.  For example, do you need to upgrade your current bathroom or add a new one?  Is your kitchen great or barely functional?  How about your family room and living space – do you like to entertain and want to interact with people while preparing food?  Think about where you plan to be a few years from now, and how your home will wear until then.  

You can select a practical option, like a kitchen remodel, then add luxurious touches.  Once you’ve decided to remodel or build an addition, seek valid professional advice.  Custom builders and remodelers see it all, and they can tell you what’s hot in the market.  They can also advise on what’s realistic for your budget.  Then you can make a rational decision based on good facts.   It’s not a matter of whether or not to be practical, it’s a matter of whether or not the home remodel is going to benefit your lifestyle – now and in the future.   

A bathroom remodel as part of the master suite or as the main bath can be beastly, but it will add comfort to your lifestyle and resale value to your home.  According to Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value report for 2011, you can recoup a majority of the cost at resale for remodeling a bathroom in the section of the country that includes the Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria areas here in Virginia.  A total bathroom addition can get you a significant return as well.  

Bathroom remodeling must-haves:  a double sink.  Add a mirror that opens for a 360-degree view and houses a medicine chest or storage area, include some soft, natural lighting, and you have your own salon atmosphere. 

Other popular additions:  the steam shower.  These have therapeutic benefits and can also be energy saving.   All-tile showers with frameless glass have become a trend.  They lend a seamless, upscale look to the bath.  Fixtures are also part of the detail that can make or break a bathroom.  First, they need to work for you.  If you like a removable shower head, then get one.  Little luxuries like a waterfall fixture add a “wow” factor, and they do the job if you really want it done right.
   
Wallow in warmth: just about everything can be heated, from the toilet seat to the ceiling.  While the overhead heat lamp in the shower or bath has become the norm, the indulgences have spread to heated flooring and heated towel racks. If you have a smaller area, you can have a heated floor without much expense by having your custom remodeler install a heat mat.  Heated towel racks can be built-in or free-standing.  These things feel like an extravagance, but they can be done reasonably and create a comfortable, cozy bath experience.

If you’re planning to stay in your home for decades, or even if you’re anticipating a sale in the next few years, a master bedroom suite addition can be a valuable asset.  If nothing else, it’s a little bit of luxury just for you in an otherwise practical world.  Your bedroom is where you relax and unwind.  It’s your own private sanctuary.  And, it can add value to your home.  According to Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs. Value report for 2011, adding a master suite can garner a majority of your investment in return at resale – with the added advantage of living well prior to resale – in areas like Fairfax, Manassas and Alexandria (all considered part of the Southeast USA by the magazine).

When planning your addition, look at the high-end homes in the area.  What they’re incorporating today will set the trend for the future in mid-range homes.  A basic master suite upgrade must include a bathroom – think spa – and a walk-in closet or two.  Be careful not to eliminate any basics, such as a tub or a shower.  This will devalue the home for future buyers.  More on the bathroom upgrade in our next post...

The suite itself might include tray ceilings, nooks or window seats.  Any design that lets in lots of natural light is appealing – skylights are ideal for master suites.  Floor-to-ceiling windows that give you a panoramic view of the great outdoors are very popular.  A sitting area with fireplace and big screen TV is also common and not only adds a little luxury now, it can be creatively marketed as an in-law suite later, if necessary.  Built-in cabinets and innovative storage space is a practical bonus.  Some of those cabinets might also include tie racks, shoe racks and rotating wardrobes.   

Whatever your bedroom remodeling ideas, consider them a “suite” way to indulge yourself just a little.  

If you’re considering a bathroom remodel, you know one of the “WOW” factors in real estate is a sunken tub, or soaking tub. Picture it: water jets, fancy faucets, fluffy towels and candles. It’s an amenity that the advertisement always mentions -- the mark of luxury. You can just imagine the time you’ll spend relaxing in the tub with a good book and a glass of wine.

Really? Instead of bubble bath, that tub is more likely to house the laundry basket or the magazines you have good intentions of reading. Do you really need that tub or can you use that space more efficiently?

While it’s a personal preference, you can soak very comfortably in a standard length tub that’s a little deeper than normal. Take that giant space allotted for a soaking tub and instead of covering it with plywood, tile and a deep tub, install a spacious shower. Using tile, you can create any shape and size you like. And you’ll like the usability even more.

Are you keeping a file of all your remodeling ideas? If so, you've probably made a section just for countertops. Whether you're doing a kitchen remodel or bathroom remodel, countertops can be the focal point of your room. But what to choose? Granite, Silestone, solid surface, laminate... the choices can seem endless and confusing. If you consider your habits and family lifestyle, you'll be able to narrow the material choices.

For your kitchen, evaluate the extent to which you actually cook. If you do a lot of food preparation, you may want to consider material with antimicrobial protection, like Silestone. If you hate using pot holders or trivets, preferring to put hot plates or pots directly on countertops, look for heat-resistant surfaces like granite, concrete or Silestone. For both kitchen and bath countertops, low-maintenance and stain-resistant surfaces are often a good choice for families with children. Cambria, Silestone, Lexton solid surface and laminate are all scratch-resistant and stain resistant for families who are hard on their countertops. These are, for the most part, low maintenance and easy to clean.

After you've chosen the material, there are still more decisions - edging, color, consistency. For color and design, you can actually go to the top fabricator to choose your slab of material that will become your countertop. If you see inconsistency in a piece, you can request that the pattern not cover that particular part. Edging finishes your countertop, reflecting a little personality. From flat or bullnose to beveled or triple waterfall, the edge makes yet another design statement.

The best words of advice: Consider what compliments your home best, and choose what you'll love when your remodeling project is complete.

Why wouldn’t someone just visit the “big box stores” and get some general advice, buy the tools and the material, and go ‘whip-it-out’ like on HGTV?  Well, if you have moderate skills, with hand tools, understand math, sizing, proportions, on-centers, aesthetics,  perhaps some structural elements – no problem!  Oh yes, I forgot to mention, you might need a month of weekends to complete your project.  For example, my daughter and son-in-law decided they wanted new laminate flooring in their family room in lieu of carpet at their home in Woodbridge, Virginia.  They did just what most ‘do-it-yourselfers’ would do – they went to the big box store, spoke with a flooring representative, bought the materials, and knew Dad had the tools to do the job.  When my son-in-law explained to me and my partner David what he was looking to do, we had a few questions.  At the end of that brief 5-minute conversation, it was determined that it would be a good idea that Dad went by and did all the layout, all the math, checked for appropriate materials, and bring much better tools (along with his 30-some years of construction experience) to help with the job.  We completed the floor in about 7 hours (all 3 of us).  That was on New Year’s Day.  I believe they’d still be working if I hadn’t been there.  My daughter told me she was amazed at how complicated the project actually was, and she couldn’t have completed the job without help.

Flooring is relatively simple when it comes to construction projects.  Imagine trying to renovate a kitchen, remodel a master bath, or add a sunroom or deck.  These projects are far more involved because they include many trades (such as concrete, carpentry, drywall, electrical, plumbing, and duct work).  Not to mention, floors and other finishes (windows, doors, paint, hardware, exterior trim, etc.)  The answer to the initial question really boils down to:  do you have good basic skills, tools, or friends and family that have worked in the construction trade that you’re attempting?  If the answer is “no,” you need a general contractor!