Handy Man Fix Home Repair » Bathroom

Making the Home More Accessible

keira — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:33:39 +0000

When you start having to live with a family member and close person in your life, you find your perception of everything around you shifts, especially if your loved one is mobility impaired. You could be looking at the sidewalk, intersection, storefront, many differing places whose accessibility is poor. While you cannot do anything for accessibility in public space, you can work to ensure that your home is handicap accessible. Some features such as hallways and stairs are neigh impossible to navigate with a wheel chair, but there is plenty that you can do to make the home more accessible.

The number one issue to keep an eye on is safety, especially for those confined to a wheelchair. First issue to consider is living conditions. The bedroom needs to be on the first floor with easy access to the bathroom and home, and a easy way out of the home in case of an emergency. Each and every room of the home which should be accessible has to be able accommodate the wheel chair turning a full 360 degrees. Doorways have to be at least 36 inches in width, along with hallways needing to be 4.5 to 5 feet wide. It would be beneficial to have a minimum number of hallways which need to be traversed. This set of requirements will ensure that the mobility of your loved ones is not compromised while providing a safe environment.

Of all of the rooms that need attention in the home, the bathroom tops the list. This is where the most mobility and assistance is required, but this is where it is the most embarrassing to require assistance from others. It is for this reason that the bathroom should be designed for providing as much independence as possible. The biggest expense with the biggest impact is to provide a tub with a sealed door, which when opened allows entry by just walking. These wash tubs provide grip handles for easy support, allowing for unassisted entry and exit from the tub. These tubs also provide a bit of safety in that the door allows a quick release of the bath water to avoid drowning. You can also add grip handles above and next to the toilet for easier access. You can also try and find a sink at a lower level with mirror, to prevent your guest from needing to try and prop themselves up.

Around the home, it is very helpful to lower tables and keeping handy items at the lower, more accessible height. Items such as telephones, refrigerator handles, drawers of silverware, etc. should be accessible to someone in a wheel chair. Make sure also that there are ramps where the are stairs on the way into your home and within your home. All of these steps are designed to make sure that your home is safe and accessible to a guest. Other common sense items should also be addressed, but if any involve the space about your wheelchair bound guest, then be sure that he or she is comfortable.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2009-01-13 05:30:47. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Budget Fixes For Your House

keira — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 06:29:47 +0000

Fixing up the home is a task all of us have on our lists, but they never get done due to high costs for materials and labor. Home improvements do not have to blow the budget, however, and by doing it yourself, you can save even more. Here are seven tips that will demonstrate how a little can go a long way.

1. Revamp the appearance of the kitchen.

Despite the prevalence of the fast food and restaurant culture, the kitchen is still the life center of the home. Home buyers will head straight for the kitchen when they check out a house, and small, visual improvements here will go far in your renovations. For around a couple hundred dollars, the hardware in the kitchen; cabinet handles, lighting, faucets; can all be replaced with newer, more modern looking pieces. Lighting can also get replaced with more energy efficient fixtures to make things more environmentally friendly.

2. Improve the appearance of your appliances.

Appliances which appear to be part of a matching set look more high class and vastly improves the value of the kitchen. Ordering new face plates for the kitchen appliance set can go a long way. It may even surprise you with a couple of free fixes. Items like dishwashers, with a sheet panel exterior, may have the alternate color on the back side.

3. Attack the bathroom.

This is the room which should get the revamp after the kitchen. The bathroom can be improved along the same lines as the kitchen. Buying a new toilet seat, a pedestal sink, new hardware, all of these are simple tasks for the home owner. The floor can get a renewal with new vinyl tiles that are simple to install, even without removing the old floor. The tub can also get a similar revamp, saving the cost of installing new tiling or refinishing the tub.

4. Create new storage spaces.

Adding new fixtures such as wire or wooden closet systems are easy to install yourself and expand the storage available in the home. A lack of storage space can be a deal breaker for home buyers. There are many brands of closet organizers that will greatly improve the space available to you in your closet.

5. Turn a room into a bedroom.

If you have a room like a den, then by adding what is needed such as closet space, then you can turn the room into a bedroom, greatly increasing the value of the home while requiring little work.

6. Give the mechanics their run of the place.

It can help to hire a handyman or two, such as plumbers or electricians, to fine tune the systems in your home. Fixing little things all around the home can add up really quickly and make the home more polished.

7. Clean the carpet.

The carpeting all throughout the home is always in sight, and giving it a thorough cleaning will give the home a drastically improved appearance. Little spots of wear, like at the entrances or the foot of the stairs, can get covered by small area rugs. If need be, then replacing the carpet should be considered.

These are a few ideas for increasing the value of your home.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2008-12-25 05:35:02. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Save Money and Time with a Bathtub Remodel

keira — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:31:21 +0000

You've heard of a bathroom remodel, but what about a bathtub remodel? Replacing a bathtub can easily cost three to five thousand dollars if you have a contractor do it. If you purchase the tub and do it yourself, you can save a lot of money. But sometimes, especially in older homes, the logistics of removing the old tub and getting the new one in are prohibitive. Some homes even require that a bathtub be cut in two before it can be removed. If you want a new bathtub, but don't want to go through the hassle or expense of replacement, consider a bathtub remodel.

You have two options in a bathtub remodel. You can have the bathtub reglazed or you can opt for a bathtub liner. Reglazing involves the use of equipment and chemicals to smooth down the surface of the tub before it's reglazed. This eliminates the long amount of time it can take to have a bathtub replaced, so it's convenient. The average cost is around $500 to $600, so it's far less expensive than a bathtub replacement.

While some people do attempt to resurface their bathtubs, it's difficult to get a professional, long-lasting result, so an expert is really necessary if you don't want to have problems with the surface down the road. The chemical smell can last a little while, so that's also something to consider.

The other option in your bathtub remodel is a bathtub liner. This is a custom-made acrylic or PVC liner that goes over the bathtub. This, like reglazing, is convenient because you don't have to turn off the water to remove the bathtub. Your water can stay on as only the knobs need to be removed while the liner's being installed. Also like reglazing, this can be easily done in a single day.

A custom-made bathtub liner will cost more than reglazing, usually anywhere from about $700 to $1000. It can be twice that if you have a bathtub surround custom made and installed at the same time. Your bathtub will be measured and two or three weeks later they'll return to install the liner.

US $15.50

Sale

Photo Credits: Miss Shari

Originally posted 2009-09-06 12:10:37. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Updating the Bathroom on a Budget

keira — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:00:50 +0000

Are you looking to achieve a high end sense of style in your bathroom without having to invest in the form of a costly remodel? These tips will help you update your bathroom on a budget in order to revolutionize your space without costing you a lot of money in the process.

- * Choose your colors. Choosing the color scheme for your bathroom is going to give it a much more professionally designed look. Not everything in your bathroom is going to have to have the same colors to it, but if you stick with a color palette that features between two and three coordinating colors and a finish color, then creating a higher level of visual harmony will be much simpler. You should absolutely keep your color scheme in mind when it comes to selecting paint colors, wall décor, rugs, tiles and other accessories for the renovation of your bathroom.

- * Match finishes. When it comes to metal items in your bathroom, make sure that you are matching the finish. You should be selecting a uniform finish for all of the fixtures made from metal in your bathroom, such as by choosing brushed nickel or bronze, incorporating the same finish in your sink faucets, your shower fixtures your cabinet handles and so on and so forth.

- * Revamp the things that are incapable of being replaced. Replacing everything in your bathroom is simply not going to be feasible if you are working with a tight budget, so make sure that you are allocating some money to updating the things that will have the greatest amount of impact. Revamp the cabinetry by refinishing it, or fix the color of your countertops. Identify what the biggest eyesore is out of everything in your bathroom and make a point to work on that problem first. You can always refinish other things later.

Refinishing things like counter tops and bath tubs is definitely more inexpensive than trying to replace them outright. You can repair, repaint and stain cabinetry, you can replace lighting fixtures, and you can update other things as you need to in order to revamp what your bathroom is all about, even on a budget.

- * Create some kind of focal point in your bathroom. Just as you can find creative ways to divert attention away from the subpar parts of your bathroom, you can also visually guide the eye to the appealing parts of the room using focal points. Maybe you want to install a distinctive type of bathroom faucet or a beautiful piece of art so that people can look upon this beautiful focal point rather than worrying about chips, scratches or subpar parts of your bathroom that have not yet received the beauty treatment.

Photo Credits: luce_beaulieu

Originally posted 2009-06-29 05:03:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Repairing the Tiles in Your Bathroom

keira — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:58:59 +0000

In this day and age, people seem to spend an ample amount of money and time working on the decoration of their bathrooms and bathroom tiles and fixtures. They spend a lot of time searching the internet so that they can find the appropriate tiles, enhancing the beauty of their bathroom spaces as a result. However, sometimes these fancy tiles are capable of chipping, or the grout is capable of failing due to inadequate care or maintenance. If something like this should happen to you, repairing the tiles in your bathroom is something that you can do yourself as long as you have the right tools and the right know-how. You should take the steps to mend this damage as soon as you possibly can in order to save money. If you do not take the time to do it now, you may end up having to appoint a contractor, which is time and money that could have been better spent elsewhere. Here are some techniques that will help you repair your bathroom tiles.

1 - First and foremost, you should begin the process by removing the tiles that have become broken. You should remove any excess grout near the broken tiles using a grout saw. Bring in a hammer and a chisel as well, which will help you break the tile into equal pieces so that you can remove them and the remaining grout with the assistance of a putty knife.

2 - Now you should use a putty knife and a chisel and use these tools to even out your tile adhesive. Make sure that you consult a tile dealer that is knowledgeable before you purchase the right tile adhesive. Make sure that the adhesive that you choose is suitable for the bathroom tiles and the bathroom wall that you are working with because durability is absolutely vital when it comes to your bathroom tiling work.

3 - Now you should fix the new tiles onto the bathroom wall surface from wherever you removed previously broken tile. Make sure that you are pressing the tiles in gently so that they are perfectly affixed. You should also make sure that no liquids or foot traffic are allowed near the tiles for a twenty four hour period while the adhesive is drying.

4 - Next create a grout mixture and fill in all of the joints between the new tiles and those surrounding them. Place the grout on a trowel tool and use it to spread the grout evenly between each joint. Make sure that the excess grout is properly removed from the tile surface.

5 - Apply a sealer to keep water from seeping into the grout or between the tiles.

You can easily undertake this particular DIY project with a minimum number of tools and know how, but it is vital that you consult a knowledgeable expert if you have questions rather than making foolhardy guesses regarding your work.

Photo Credits: drcorneilus

Originally posted 2009-06-18 14:56:59. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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