How To Make Your Bathroom A Wonderful Retreat – A Quick Read Will Help For Easy Execution!

A guest post by Hubert Dwight

Whatever the reason to remodel your bathroom, planning will go a long way to make each of your house spaces complementing the other.

Don’t overspend; smart planning about the improvement is a must.

Your one and only aim should be spending less and making the most of what is available, for instance bathroom renovations in Brisbane….and, to do this, create a checklist of what you need; what the budget is; and how a wise investment is possible.

Remember, to make your bathroom a wonderful retreat, you have to ensure its functionality.

And, saying no to the rest, here are a few more things to consider –

Want To Get A Feature Bath? Think Again

If you have no plan to sell the house soon, do not plan for a ‘Feature Bath’.

Fashion will have changed, but the expense will have an immense impact over your bank balance.

Rather, look out for a basic tub, which suits your regular use and also adds to the value of your property.

Remember, cost of the product must be commensurate to its importance in your life.

A comfortable nice-size bath is going to work wonders.

How Have You Imagined Your Shower?

A modern bathroom without a separate shower does not justify the tag.

But, the concern is how to make your showering experience better and worth the expense.

The unlimited showerhead choices on market is likely to leave you bewildered.

Right from single shower head to multiple rain shower heads, you get myriad number of choices and choosing what suits your needs the best might make your head spin.

Keep in mind that with each better choice, the cost goes higher and at some point, you can see yourself slipping out of the budget.

What’s more, the placement of the shower setup, which should be the way plumbing and replacement (if needed later) can be done handily.

And, do not pay for needlessly complicated shower faucets.

Safety Measures Are Essential

It would not be wrong calling a bathroom an accident prone zone.

It will be wet and slippery, so the chances of fall are higher.

What is wise is getting a couple of permanent safety bath mats and install it besides the tub with the help of suction cups or you can also opt for non slip bath mats for the use in the shower.

Besides, there are grab bars, which you can attach judiciously on the wall nearby bath tub to help yourself raise and come out holding.

Some of your older neighbours may be installing a shower bench as they don’t feel safe taking a standing shower.

Make An Arrangement To Sit

If your bath in built in you can extend the edge make a place to sit and relax or have a bench.

The advantages that come along with such arrangements, include easier shaving legs, self pedicures, and easy application of moistening creams.

Considering the low cost to this, it could probably be rolled into your current budget.

Keep Reading Materials Near The Loo

Sounds quite intellectual, or at least an opportunity to read in peace, right?

Well, enough with smartphone browsing, how about doing something conventional.

Keeping reading materials nearby the loo can be a good idea, but you have to arrange a space for that first.

In many contemporary bathrooms the loo is installed besides the tub. And,maybe you build some shelves at the bottom of your tub section to store some easy reading.

Why A Condensing Hot Water Service Is Worth The Extra

If  you are considering an instantaneous gas hot water service there are normally two options.

  • A standard unit
  • A condensing unit which typically costs around $300 more.

So what is the difference

Standard Unit


The standard unit has a single heat exchanger to transfer the heat from the gas burners to the water.

Typically the exhaust gas leaving the unit is in the order of 200 degrees C.

This means the maximum efficiency of the unit is around 80%.

Condensing Unit


The condensing unit has an additional heat exchanger installed above the main heat exchanger.

It uses the waste heat from the final heat exchanger to pre-heat the water.

The exhaust gasses are thus much cooler, typically much less than 100 degrees C.

This means efficiencies of up to 95% can be achieved.

Savings

An increased efficiency means that the condensing boiler can save you up to $100 in the first year.

It should pay back the additional cost over the first three years and then be saving you money for the next 9-10 years.

That sounds like a bargain to me.

 

Kitchen Costs – Sinks

One of the most expensive rooms in your new house will be the kitchen.

For the purposes of research I spent an hour looking through my local Bunnings.

Just concentrating on stainless steel double drainer sinks I found they stock over 20 different types.

Prices range from $118 right through to $1,553.

That’s 1300% increase.

Want a ceramic sink and you could double the cost again. . . . and that is just one small part of the kitchen.

You have got to select taps, counter tops, cupboards, cook tops, ovens, range hoods.

I’m not saying select the cheapest of everything . . . just remember the more you spend on the kitchen the less you will have to spend on the rest of the house, or you may finish up with an horrendous mortgage.

 

 

Six Thoughts On Basin Choice

Last week was ‘Bathroom Week’ on ‘The Block’ and all the contestants were out shopping for basins with the WOW factor.

Fine for the judges. . . . . but some of these design concepts don’t think about the splashing of soapy water that can mean constant cleaning is needed.

Here are some of the practical things I have learned about wash basins.

  • Basins with a flat internal base, or that have a mixer that directs flow at the drain tend to cause more splashes than a bowl shaped basin.
  • For basins on the vanity a straight back that can be sealed against the wall avoids having a hard to clean area behind the basin.
  • A mixer set to the side, rather than centrally, allows you to lean lower over the basin minimising splashing outside the basin.
  • Having a medicine cabinet in front of the basin can prevent you leaning lower over the basin, thus increasing splashing outside the basin.
  • Square mixers result in water drying on the top surface of the mixer rather than running off, so they need cleaning every day.
  • Splashes really show on mirrors so have at least a couple of rows of tiles between the top of the basin and the bottom of the mirror.

The Best Brands for Your Bathroom

Guest post by Hubert Dwight

The bathroom is no longer just another room in your home.

Neither is it a place just to take a shower nor a place to stock your towels.

The modern bathroom is a place of rejuvenation, relaxation and meditation; the ultimate me-only place and a real pampering zone at its best.

Whether you are after an energized shower before going to work, or you want to relax your mind while in a warm Jacuzzi, or you desire a long candle-lit soak in the bath before going to bed, the bathroom is arguably one of the best rooms in your home.

However this is only the case if it is well structured, using some of the best and most exotic brands that can be found on the internet..

If you are living in Australia and are interested in a technologically advanced bathroom that is classically and elegantly designed, then you are bound to look through an assortment of brands.

You want brands that offer you convenience, simplicity, enjoyment and innovation within the confines of your beautifully made bathroom.

Below are some of the best brands that will offer the best in bathrooms.

Caroma

Caroma is without a doubt the best bathroom brand that can be found in Australia, but also compares well around the world.

The brand’s commitment to top-notch excellence in design and water conservation is unrivaled in the bathroom market.

Structured around the philosophy of high efficiency, beauty, excellence and innovation, Caroma is the undoubted industry leader in terms of high efficiency toilet suites,  as well as technologically advanced bathroom basins, bidets, and showers.

As a company, Caroma employs highly educated, advanced, experienced and creative engineers to ensure that your bathroom is structured not only to suit your needs, but also to offer ultimate style that can only be dreamed of by others.

Whether you are in need of a simple and traditional bathroom or an ultra modern bathroom that comes with 21st century technology, Caroma is, without a doubt, your only solution. Their flexibility ensures that their design suits both residential and commercial bathrooms.

Grohe

As one of the best bathroom tap ware and mixer brands in Australia, Grohe has an extensive portfolio of bathroom products.

From showering solutions to bathroom accessories, Grohe has an extensive selection of the best products for you to choose from.

They are among the best when it comes to creating consistent and stylish bathroom designs that revolve around crisp and chamfered detailing that is ideal for modern bathrooms.

Even though there are a whole lot of bathroom brands available in Australia, Caroma and Grohe and JustLuxe are among the best brands that cannot be ignored. Whether you are after luxury, modern advancement, simplicity or elegance, these are definitely your options for the best brands in bathroom matters.


You should, however consider the most widely available brand first, as there is a better chance of being able to get hold of these products, rather than having to wait for a long time until such time as stock has landed in Australian outlets. Choosing Caroma is a great choice for this reason, as you won’t have to wait long for delivery.

Instantaneous Electric Water Heater

No Gas Supply? . . . . .No room to put a heat pump

Well an Instantaneous Electric Water Heater may be an option.

This is a unit in apartment we used to rent

As you can see its very compact and is tucked away in a wardrobe.

The unit provided all our hot water for washing and showers.

It only heating the water when we need it, and we never ran out of hot water.

The unit is quite cool to the touch even when someone is running a hot shower.

Probably the only downside is that due to the high power consumption when the hot tap is running it needs  3 Phase Power.

If you are looking for reviews of home improvement products like this why not visit www.needforhome.com?

 

For more posts see Plumbing

Pressure Reducing Valves (PRV)

I have previously talked about Noises in Pipes and Dealing with Water Hammer, but neglected to mention PRV’s.

Frequently people think high water pressure to be a good. In fact it can be a big problem. Too much water pressure in a domestic system can:

  • Result in toilet systems leaking,
  • Put extra stress on plumbing joints, taps and water heaters,
  • Increase the risk of washing machine/dishwasher hoses bursting,
  • Cause water hammer issues.
Caleffi PRV

Installing a PRV can be a  simple way of dealing with these problems.

PRVs automatically control the water pressure so effectively reducing a high incoming pressure to a lower, more acceptable pressure. Used in the home it can help to save water and increase the longevity of household appliances.

A valve for a domestic system will cost around $60 plus installation.

Valves are typically set by the manufacturer at a pressure of 500kPa normally suitable for most household. If necessary the pressure can be further reduced.

 

See Plumbing for more posts

Missed The Bath – Fail

But when was this stuffed up?

  • When the bath was selected
  • When the tapware was selected?
  • When the bath was installed?
  • When the tapware was installed?

It does show how carefully you need to thick about things at Selection/Pre-Start.

Thanks again to Herman Fong for submitting this photo. (If you see something funny on a house send it in and give us all a laugh)

 

For more Unusual House Photos, and Fails, check out: What the………………….?

 

Bathroom Fashion 2

There are a lot of expensive bathroom fittings on the home shows and showrooms, but are they really practical?

I saw this wash basin the other day. . . . . .But how do you clean under and behind it?

Perhaps all the people who design these fittings employ cleaners so they don’t care about how practical it is!

As well as making cleaning difficult this free standing bath provides a great hiding space for spiders.

How would you feel relaxing in the bath if a big huntsman came walking up the wall!

I wouldn’t have a freestanding bath unless I could have 1m of clear space all round the bath. At current house building costs the extra space needed would be adding an extra $3-$4,000 to your build on top of the cost of the bath.

Here is a wash basin in our current rental property which has two issues:

  • The dirt trap between the basin and the wall.
  • Square section taps (The issue is water doesn’t run off the horizontal surfaces so there are always stains on the chrome)

For lots more about choosing what goes in your new house see : anewhouse Guide to Selection/Pre-Start

 

Plumbing Acronyms

There are a lot of acronyms used on plumbing drawings so here are a few definitions:

AGAgricultural (Drains)
B – Basin
Bth – Bath
BT – Boundary Trap
DP – Down Pipe
FW – Floor Waste
HWS – Hot Water Service
IC – Inspection Chamber
IS – Inspection Shaft (also IO -Inspection Opening)
ORGOverflow Relief Gully
PRV – Pressure Reducing Valve
RRJ – Rubber Ring Joints
RWH – Rain Water Head
SHR – Shower
ST – Stop Tap
SW – Storm Water Pipe (or SWD – Storm Water Drain)
SWJ – Solvent Welded Joints
TR – Laundry Trough
VC – Vitrified Clay
VP – Vent Pipe (sometimes UVP – Upstream Vent Pipe)
WC – Water Closet (Toilet)
S –  Kitchen Sink
SV – Stop Valve

If you have seen an acronym you don’t understand, then let me know, and I will try to give you an answer.

See Jargon for more posts

 

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