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HOW YOU, THE HOMEOWNER, CAN SAVE MONEY AND TIME
Homeowner's get more bang for the buck upgrading or modernizing any bathroom!
My name is Patrick Clark and I'm the Founding Member of Clark Home Remodeling LLC. I have 39 years of experience in Home Building and Remodeling and have designed so many bathrooms it would be hard for me to count all of them.
What I can give you is free advice on design and options. I or one of my sales men will meet with you for your free consultation on design and feasibility. I will also give you a link to our Google Drive folder with many pictures of new tile and designs! It is then up to you as to how you would like your new bathroom created. I will measure for all your tile, then myself and my talented crew will give you a written description of work and description of work with allowances.
Do you like the earthy look? More of a vibrant inlay design? Right now, the tile plank boards are very popular and measure anywhere from 3-inches to 9-inches wide. And come anywhere from 16-inches to 47-inches long.
BEFORE YOU START, WHAT SHOULD I ASK MYSELF?
Do we need to cut a shower wall down to 40”, move it to make the floor tile imprint larger? Cutting that one wall down lets so much more natural light into your bathroom shower. And installing a frameless glass wall on top with a slider or swinging door to meet your need? Yes, it does look beautiful. Please look at our bathroom pictures on www.ClarkHomeRemodeling.com to see much more in detail!
River washed pebbles on your shower floor massage your feet after being on them all day! It can happen for far less than you think! Sure, does sound good right?
Take out that jet tub you hardly ever use and build a shower with glass block in the wall where there used to be a window! Or we can close it off and install some stain glass where the window was located on the outside. Or if lap siding, a very easy and affordable fix.
An open-door limits what you can put on the floor in a smaller bathroom. Remedy? Pocket door. I can tell you if this would be a feasible option when we meet.
For our elderly customers, we can build a handicap bathroom that is easily accessible with no curb depending on feasibility.
Have the showerhead you want in your home before starting work. Rain soaker shower heads are popular right now. The plumber needs to know the type of fixture you have picked out to buy the correct valve for the shower faucet. Remember to ask about the neck of the showerhead coming out of the wall or ceiling. Most of the time the retail store will not tell you it is not included with the showerhead. To save time and money you can get the valve and shower head or allow us to supply that part of your shower, so you can have a full warranty.
If you would like a showerhead with a separate wand that adjusts vertically for height, we will need the diverter for the water supply to the shower. An example is here. There will be an additional charge to the Plumber for installation. There is still another wand device where the bar acts like a vertical grab bar if ever needed.
If you are an Amazon Prime member, our clients have bought lights, exhaust fans, tubs, mirrors, medicine cabinets, towel bars and even vanity combinations saving a tremendous amount of money over the big box cutter places. Downside? We cannot warranty anything that is not bought from our company. Installation, yes, material warranty no.
NECESSARY UPGRADES TO BATHROOM BUILDING CODE
A. We pull all permits. There are many different municipalities and we will make sure we have the correct business license to operate in your area. We only allow our Master Electrician and Master Plumber to work in trades.
B. You must have a GFCI outlet in the bathroom.
C. If you need an exhaust fan, and if directly over the shower you will need the circuit tied into the GFCI outlet circuit breaker and have an exhaust fan rated for above the shower. You do need at least one exhaust fan in the bathroom. Having it in the shower area is not necessary.
D. We must install R-30 insulation on the ceiling for a one-story home and under the floor sheeting with a home having a crawl space. Lastly, you need a minimum of R-11. We install R-13 on the outside walls that are exposed during the renovation. I never try to meet code. I try to do more than code. I treat your home just like I would treat my home! You should expect no less from us.
WHAT ARE THE HIDDEN COSTS. ALSO KNOWN AS EXTRAS?
Standard Ceramic Tile - Porcelain Installation, the tile is laid on the floor and wall in a straight staggered design with the Homeowners' choice of either horizontally or vertically.
1. Rock involves greater labor and is considered custom installation.
2. Custom built vanity cabinets are considered custom installation.
3. Inside corner soap dish is considered custom installation.
4. More than one color of wall paint on the bathroom wall.
5. Herringbone laid tile is considered custom installation.
6. Corner tile foot rest is considered custom installation.
7. Tile shower bench is considered custom installation.
8. Diagonally laid tile is considered custom installation.
9. Metal profiles are considered custom installation.
10. Wall niches are considered custom installation.
11. Corner shelf in considered custom installation.
12. Accent tile is considered custom installation.
13. Travertine is considered custom installation.
14. Pencil tile is considered custom installation.
15. Tile base is considered custom installation.
16. Marble is considered custom installation.
17. Epoxy grout.
QUICK EDUCATION OF PREBUILT VANITY COMBOS
You need the fronts for the doors, drawers, drawer boxes, exposed end of the vanity and the bottom shelf to be all wood construction. Much of what I just went through is made from MDF. Basically, pressed paper with a thin veneer over the MDF. If you bought the combo pay attention to the countertop. If you spill water on it, it may turn a dark color. No not panic. They just did not seal the countertop after they made it. Go on down to the big boxcutter store and get a small bottle of sealer. It should be under $15.00. Problem fixed.
DESIGN CAUTION
This is preference. If you get a legged vanity make sure that it has legs that are not rounded or have any detail to them in the back of the vanity. A leg that is not straight does not allow for a clean termination of the base next to the leg. Now if you get a vanity that has a 90-degree solid side there will be no problem. We can custom make any cabinet to your requirements. The countertops you will find are likely made to be away from the walls. This makes a gap where the wall meets the vanity unless your custom ordering.
WORK ON YOUR OWN RENOVATION
We give our clients the ability to do certain work on their bathroom renovation to save even more money! The work must be completed in a timely manner, so it will not hinder our work schedule. Remember though, we cannot warranty any other work except that which is undertaken by our company.
CAN YOU GIVE ME A BALLPARK FIGURE?
I love Consumer Reports. I believe in the company and their unbiased ratings. Consumer reports has recently rated quartz as the best product for any countertop. It takes a whole lot more abuse than any of the earth-based countertops and requires less maintenance.
Everyone says you can get granite or marble for $35.00 a square foot. That is right, zero markup You can reach their Website here. And talk to Susie Lynch (803)461-8950.
We are here to save you money! We shop around for the best price on the products you will use. Saving you money makes us look honest on paper, and when we start your renovation you will find nothing but the best craftsmen and women who work with us. We do not just meet code. We go beyond in many areas. Read through our reviews. Our renovations stand the test of time. We care!
If you like any of their products I advise you to put a down payment on it, so it will not be sold. Rock, granite and marble have different colorizations in the veins and rock itself. It is unique, so it will be very doubtful that you will see the same exact pattern again.
Now as to a ballpark. There are too many variables at play to give an answer to that. You can buy tile for $1.99 a square foot or $31.00 a square foot. A small bathroom $12,000.00 to $16,000.00. No fixtures. A medium bathroom $16,000.00 to $23,000.00 no fixtures. A large bathroom $23,000.00 to $75,000.00 no fixtures! Yes, that is the cost of a whole house for some people. A nice car for others. Prices vary tremendously with tile, marble and rock.
BARGAIN HUNTING
The Story:
One of my client’s had a very small bathroom with major problems. Remedy? We tore all the sheetrock off the walls. Tore out rotten molded wall studs and flooring that was covered up by another company that installs shells around the existing showers/tubs. Follow our link to see firsthand what was covered up in their one-day installation.
He did not have the space for a standard shower or tub. That left us with one choice. A corner shower. I took my client down to a big box cutter store that everyone uses. In talking to the plumbing department manage he informed us that one of his client’s special ordered a corner shower from them for $800.00. He said we could have the bathroom shower kit for $150.00!!! Yes, that is right. This method is great for saving that extra dollar to use for an upgrade in your Bathroom.
See the beautiful frame-less glass walls and full glass door. It came with it's own solid floor pan. Click on THIS LINK to look at how a discounted special order item can look so good!
This is what you do. Call all the big boys, Lowe’s and Home Depot. And not just the store where you live. Call all of them! An alcove shower is called a 4-piece shower kit. Some come with seats and grab bars. Or you can get a 4-piece tub kit for the alcove. Ask if they have had any special-order items returned for shower/jet tub/tub/soaker tub/vanity/medicine cabinet/LED wall/ceiling lights.
Use the same method in looking for a vanity that is prebuilt. The bonus side is that the vanity can come as a package deal where you also receive the countertop and faucet, all for one price!
To investigate more deals, I suggest you go by Southeastern Salvage on Sumpter Highway and check them out. 7505 Garners Ferry Road Columbia 29209. (803)776-6676
