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For homeowners looking into remodeling their bathrooms, options are endless and only limited by your imagination. Maybe you just want to replace the tub and a few other fixtures. Or maybe you want to change the whole look, with modern top-of-the-range fixtures and a chic glass shower. Or perhaps you’d rather go with a rugged look with stone-like tiles giving the room a cave-like feel. Or you might be looking into the feasibility of putting in an additional bathroom. Possibly you’ve even thought of going all out by adding a hot tub with jets, a sauna room, or even kitting your bathroom out with a fireplace and television.

Whatever your bathroom renovation plans, it’s important to involve a plumber. You can get a designer to make the bathroom look stunning, but you’ll need an expert to ensure everything works right. After all, what’s a bathroom that looks good but has a toilet that leaks or a shower that requires constant adjustments to keep the temperature from becoming too hot or too cold.

Adding Resale Value

If you’re a homeowner in Benbrook, TX looking at remodeling your bathroom as a way to help sell it in the near future, there are many additional things to consider. While a newly remodeled bathroom design will definitely add to the value of your house, it can also prove costly. So, if you’re looking to sell in the near future, you’ll need to weigh your budget versus how much your bathroom renovation can add to the purchase price.

Yet those looking to buy a home generally want houses that don’t require a lot of work, and the bathroom is one of those rooms that most buyers want already finished. Renovations can cause headaches, and home buyers will look at other options if your bathroom doesn’t suit them. Though they’re expensive to remodel, a sleek new bathroom will also increase the chances you’ll get your asking price, or close to it. It’s definitely something you should consider if you want to sell your home quickly and for the price you want.

Older Homes

If you’ve got an older home, the age of the piping also becomes a factor. Older plumbing may need to be replaced, and a bathroom remodel provides the perfect opportunity to do just that. Putting in brand-new pipes can provide reliable plumbing for many decades to come, especially if you install good quality plumbing and use an expert plumber.

You can put in modern pipes along with fixtures to save on utility costs, not to mention making your home greener and more water friendly. Often plumbing in older homes will have a certain amount of seepage, as rust or wear inevitably allows leaks to develop. And again, for those looking at resale value, potential buyers place great value on a recently renovated bathroom.

Preparations & Considerations for Major Renovations

While you don’t need to call in a plumber if you just want to change tiles or fixtures, if you want to put in a new bath, shower, or toilet, you’ll definitely need an expert. Moving the position of the bath or toilet should also involve a professional plumber, otherwise you’re just asking for trouble.

Another thing to consider is where your bathroom’s positioned. If it’s on the ground floor, the job will be easier, as it’s closer to sewer connections. Additionally, the water doesn’t have to deal with gravity. But if you’re looking at a bathroom renovation on any other level of your home, it means tearing apart your ceiling.

Here are some other basics to bathroom remodels that homeowners should consider:

• Permits: Depending on how big and complex your bathroom renovation is, you may need to apply for a permit. The permit process can be one of the most frustrating parts of home remodeling, especially when it involves plumbing. There are important safety-related reasons behind permits, and no reputable plumber will go ahead with a major bathroom renovation without first making sure all the right permits are in place before they start work. Changing anything connected to the sewer system or electrical work requires homeowners to get the right permits, and it means whoever’s doing the work will need to be licensed as well.
• Drainage: It’s important to build your bathroom so that its layout works with your drainage system. Those supporting joists under the floor can’t just be cut and replaced. You need to ensure that the configuration of your sink, toilet, bath, and shower all work within the parameters of your house’s drainage system, and this is where an expert can help save you money. An experienced plumber will be able to determine the costs of creating those changes you want, and help you determine whether they’re worth it or not. For plumbing that’s already antiquated and corroding, adding new pipes while you renovate can be very cost-effective.
• Access: Building in access panels for your sink or toilet is a fairly easy task. But accessing showers or baths is trickier, and requires a professional plumber. Putting it in the sidewall or an under-utilized adjoining room may also be an option, though the best solution is a closet.
• Water Supply: One of the basics and also one of the more inconvenient things about bathroom renovations is that you’ll need to shut off the water supply. You can find this in your utility room, or sometimes on the outer edge of your property, especially with older house. It’s simple to do and involves just turning a valve, though you may need a wrench if it hasn’t been used in years. Only after you turn off the water supply can you proceed to removing fixtures and disconnecting drains. You plumber will seal off all the water feeds before starting work, capping the older feeds with PVC tubes or crimping copper ones.
• Sloping: You’ll need to adequately slope pipes to drain water when installing new fixtures. Professional plumbers understand that for every four feet of drain pipe, you’ll need a quarter-inch slope. Showers and sinks require two-inch drain pipes, while your toilet needs a four-inch drain. Steeper slopes for pipes also present problems, as the liquid outruns solid waste.

Relocating Your Plumbing

One of the primary elements that creates expense and consumes time in any bathroom renovation involves relocating where your bath, shower, sink, and toilet are plumbed. It’s also a key reason why you should use a professional plumber on any major bathroom remodeling job.

Repositioning your pipes and plumbing adds significantly to the expense, but doing so also creates a whole new look to your bathroom that may very well be worth it. Carefully evaluate the expense and compare it to the convenience the new layout will bring.

Tiles, Countertops, & Painting

We’ve mostly talked about plumbing up to this point, but there’s much more to consider for those planning a bathroom renovation in Benbrook, TX. New tiles, countertops, painting, and other aesthetic work are what will give your home’s bathroom a whole new look. It can also be one of the least costly parts of rehabilitating your bathroom.

Tiling is a task that many DIYers enthusiastically embrace, though many professional plumbers can recommend competent and experienced tilers, if they don’t do it themselves. And one of the best parts about renovating bathrooms involves choosing the styles and colors you want.

Though you should make sure tiles on your floors, in your shower, and on your walls complement each other, you don’t have to tile everything all at once. Take each part of your bathroom, perhaps concentrating on floor tiles first. Floor tiles work great for bathrooms, with tile floors lasting considerably longer than cheaper linoleum.

Remember that archaeologists have found Roman tiles from the second century A.D. still intact. Roman baths were renowned for their tiling, and it’s the reason tiles are still used in bathrooms today. They help prevent water damage to your home’s structure. You can even buy tiles that mimic the complex and colorful geometric designs, some even with detailed mosaics, like those that graced ancient Roman baths. It may even cost less using strategically placed yet affordable decorative tiles, and it certainly adds some panache.

Counters are equally important elements to consider, even in the bathroom. Remodelers tend to focus on kitchen counters rather than those in your bathroom, but don’t discount them, as they can make or break your bathroom design.

Bathroom countertops aren’t just for convenience, they help create the look you want. An elegant granite countertop around your sink or a rough sandstone one both promote a certain look, as can a rustic wooden one. Neutral colors also work well, and tend not to go out of style as per more outrageous designs.

Sometimes simply repainting can provide you with a whole new bathroom look. If you’re just looking to do up your bathroom for a quick sale and all your fixtures are in acceptably good condition, brightening it up with a lick of paint makes sense. Consider how moisture affects paint and how long it lasts. Maybe add a satin finish to make it look better and which adds protection against mildew and mold.

New Fixtures

New fixtures bring new life to your bathroom. A newer sink, toilet, tub, or other addition to your bathroom can make your bathroom look really trendy. And then there are those little things, like lights, towel racks, and even handles that can add a touch of flair that don’t even require a plumber.

Functionality is no longer the bathroom’s sole purpose. It’s become a place where homeowners make a statement about who they are, and you can use your creativity to make your bathroom design reflect who you are. And with the right plumber, a few simple upgrades will transform your bathroom into more than just a functional room with ablution facilities.

Here are several things to consider when considering new fixtures:

• Bath: Modern bath designs are free-standing, often fitted with stone surrounding them. These days it’s not uncommon to have a deep tub with a fireplace or flat screen television complementing them for atmosphere and entertainment.
• Lighting: Track lighting and other specialized lighting fixtures can create ambiance while providing illumination. LED strip lighting, recessed lighting, and chandeliers can make your bathroom super-chic.
• Shower: One trendy design involves showers enclosed by glass, which opens up the whole room, making it look larger. Walk-in showers are also safer, especially for older people.
• Skylights: Including a skylight in a bathroom without an outside wall brings in natural light, adding charm.

Working on the Finishing Touches

You can make your bathroom really luxurious with just a few dramatic touches and fixtures as well as installing new hardware. Specialty knobs and handles sourced online from small, eclectic retailers can make your bathroom renovation truly unique. In fact, that may be the most fun part for homeowners who love remodeling.

Options abound these days for consumers, with convenience and beauty both playing a role in your plumbing options. The modern bathroom is no longer a cold, damp place with only functional uses. It’s an opulent room that makes a statement, a luxurious place for the whole family to enjoy.

Plumbers for Your Bathroom Renovation in Benbrook, TX

Benjamin Franklin Plumbing offers the expertise of professional plumbers for all of your bathroom renovation needs in or near your home in Benbrook, TX. Our plumbers will provide you with worry-free installations of baths, showers, sinks, or toilets or they’ll help you completely renovate your bathroom. Whatever your remodeling needs, our experienced plumbers can handle them. They’ll make sure your renovation is done in a reasonable time, providing you with a functional yet elegant bathroom that you’ll be proud for guests to use.

Once you’re ready to renovate, give Benjamin Franklin Plumbing a call. Providing professional plumbing work is what we do as our plumbers are committed to integrity in all the work that they do for you. We back our work with a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Our bathroom design includes work on:

• Bathroom Sinks
• Faucets
• Shower heads
• Showers
• Toilets
• Tubs

And we can also do more intricate plumbing work involving:

• Bathtubs
• Hot tubs
• Shower-tub combinations
• Standalone showers
• Walk-in tubs
• Whirlpool tubs (Jacuzzi & Spa)

Call us at 817-983-7846 schedule a bathroom remodeling job today!