Houzz.com has recently shared some exciting results of a recent comprehensive study conducted covering Houzz users’ remodeling plans and priorities.

Even in this economy, homeowners are  prioritizing quality of life at home before profit when it comes to  remodeling and decorating. Among homeowners planning to build, remodel or decorate in the next two years:
86 percent cited “improving the look and feel of the space” as an important driver for remodeling projects, while only 47 percent cited ”increasing home value.”
63 percent cited “Making the space more functional”.

These results were consistent across all income and demographic groups.

Homeowner’s also reported that while the economy is having an impact on their home projects, they are more likely to cut back in other areas,  such as vacations and other big-ticket purchases, than to delay or  decrease the budget for their home improvement plans.

Other Key Findings:

In the next two years, 72 percent of homeowners surveyed plan to decorate or redecorate, 40 percent plan to remodel or construct an addition, while 10 percent are planning to build a custom home.

57 percent of homeowners are planning to complete a project in the next two years and hire a general contractor,

35 percent a kitchen or bath professional,

32 percent a carpet or flooring professional,

26 percent an interior designer.

If you would like more information please visit Houzz.com …. It’s a geat website and I highly recommend it for lots of pictures and ideas.

If you would like more information on a specific project such as a kitchen remodel, bath remodel, basement finish/ remodel, or home addition, please call us or visit our website: KeystoneRemodeling.com.

Above is a picture of a laundry room we recently completed. The prior layout was adequate but lacked efficiency in design. Specifically, the sink was very small and pushed very tight to the corner. Also the room lacked a folding table and the ability to hang clothes out of the dryer. Before, there was just two wall cabinets with doors.

As you can see by the picture the washer and dryer are recessed into the custom cabinetry. The granite top makes a great folding table and the new base and wall cabinet design, with the incorporation of a hanging rod, really makes the room work.

The touch of the wood grain ceramic tiles added a nice design feature compliments the custom painted/glazed cabinets.

For more information on a laundry room transformation or any other room(s) in the house please contact us at:  info@KeystoneRemodeling.com or call 770-777-4077!

An ice machine is a great appliance to incorporate into a main floor kitchen remodel or a new basement kitchen or bar…especially if you do a lot of entertaining or if you and your family plan to spend a lot of time in the newly finished basement.

Just remember that unless you have a an existing floor drain available in the correct location (which you probably don’t) or unless you are planning to cut the concrete slab and install a floor drain in the correct location (which you probably are not) then you must buy a model that comes equipped with its own internal pump. Ice machines run constantly, re-circulating water. Some of that water is sent back to the ice trays while a lot of it is discharged from the machine altogether. In commercial applications, floor drains are most often in place to handle this but in a residential application they almost never are. Therefore the water that is being discharged, or drained, is pumped through a hose that empties into a sink drain (very similar to how a dishwasher drains).

While ice machines can be very convenient to have, there are other drawbacks that you may want to consider:

1. All that constant re-circulating of water is noisy and can be a distraction for some people.
2. Ice machines are expensive. Models that come equipped with their own internal pump start  at around $1,300.00 and go up from there.
3. If the ice machine fails and the ice melts it could be a potential disaster, especially if there is wood flooring near.

One last important item to add is to be sure and run a dedicated circuit to the ice machine. That way other source loads won’t effect the ice maker and trip the circuit. Remember if the ice maker loses power the ice will melt and that water is going somewhere.

So if you’re thinking of installing an ice machine be sure to understand the benifits and drawbacks of installing this appliance.

For more information please feel free to contact us at info@KeystoneRemodeling.com or call 770-777-4077.

During a master bathroom remodel that we recently finished, we did a tile design which was unique.  The design had a nice vertical flow to it, as opposed to the more common horizontal accent.

The tile is 6” x 20” porcelain, set vertically, in a random staggered arrangement.

The accent is a mixed mosaic of multi-colored glass and stone, giving a flowing effect down the wall.

This accent is repeated on the tub face, falling from the Emperador Dark 2cm granite tub deck, which is one of the stones found in the mosaic.

The floor tile is the 20” x  20” version of the wall tile, set on a diagonal, and underlayed by a radiant heat system.

Frameless glass encloses the shower, careful not to obstruct the view.

Brian shows you how to repair cracked grout on countertops, baseboards or bathtubs.

 If you have any further questions on this or any other remodeling issue please call Keystone Remodeling at 770-777-4077.

Building a bar in your home can be a very rewarding project, especially for those of you who are passionate about woodworking (or for those of you who just like throwing great parties).  Over the last few years I’ve build several custom bars for many clients. Each one is unique and has characteristics that each homeowner appreciates through a collaboration of design ideas. For me, building a successful bar is the marriage of design, woodworking and finishing skills (staining), combined!

This will be one in a series of articles focused on building a custom bar from beginning to end. For you “do-it-yourselfers”, I hope some of the tips in this series will be helpful. If you would like to see several finished bars please visit our website, KeystoneRemodeling.com and browse the “BARS” gallery.  Also feel free to send me an email with questions: Mark@KeystoneRemodeling.com

Okay, on to serious bar building business…

Step 1.  Design      The first thing I collaborate with homeowners on a bar build is where is it going and what will be the design of the bar. As far as where it goes, usually most homeowners want the bar in the basement as a focal point for entertaining. More often than not, at the beginning of the placement process, most homeowners focus on the existing plumbing and place the bar in that area. While this is generally a good idea it many times doesn’t mean its the best place for the bar. When I space plan for a bar I first and foremost look for best place period.

The reason plumbing doesn’t play into the overall picture of where the bar is going is because of discharge pumps or more many times known as “grey water pumps”.  These pumps pretty much do what they advertise…they take the water from the bar sink and pump it up into a main drain line in the ceiling joists (upstairs plumbing). Now it must be noted bar pump installation is easily accomplished when a basement (or other area), is unfinished. If the area is finished, it becomes a much greater task…but it CAN be done.  However, I can’t emphasis enough that when possible try to tie into the rough plumbing or “gravity” plumbing as this eliminates the pump. Pumps area great but they can, and sometimes do, fail. Also, with bar pumps you want to stay away form solid waste in the bar sink (small food items, etc).

Once the bar placement has been defined the next step is the bar design itself. I’ll talk about that in the next blog entry…stay tuned!

Obtaining a permit is a basic, fundamental step to a successful remodeling job….so the answer to the question above  is a definite YES!

I’d like to talk about why the permit process is so important from the contractor’s perspective….

As a contractor, I wouldn’t begin a project without a permit in hand.  Besides the fact that permits are required by law, there are some real benefits to the homeowner which sometimes can be overlooked.

First, a third set of eyes, very qualified eyes, look at the work. Inspectors from the respective municipality are looking out for you as the homeowner. They are making sure that the contractor is doing the work correctly and that the current residential building codes are being enforced.

Second, and this is a big one, IT IMPROVES SAFETY. Your permit allows the building department to ensure that potential hazards are avoided. This includes HVAC work, electrical work, gas line work, etc.  By requiring that  your project meets the minimum building code standards of safety, the inspection process can reduce the risk of fire, structural collapse and other issues that might result in costly repairs, injuries, fire and or even death. Inspections complement the contractor’s experience and act as a system of checks and balances that can result in a safer project. My experience as a contractor has taught me how much building codes are influenced by the fire department and how simple, code compliant work, can save lives.

Third, a permit and, moreover, the resulting certificate of occupancy, ensure that all work was done to code and the job was completed per the respective building permits requirements. This is very important as it tells everyone the job was done legally and correctly….everyone including potential future buyers of the home and insurance companies insuring the space which is being remodeled (including additions and basement finishes). It also  protects property values. Your home is typically your largest investment. If your construction project does not comply with the local building codes, your investment could lose value. If others in your neighborhood make unsafe or substandard changes to their homes, it could lower the resale values for the entire community.

Lastly, as mentioned earlier, it’s the law. Work done without a permit in place is subject to removal or other very costly remedies.

In closing, remember that some work may not require a permit. If you’re not sure just call your local building department and they will certainly know whether or not you or your contractor will need to apply for a permit.

If you have any further questions on this or any other remodeling issue please call Keystone Remodeling at 770-777-4077.

Lately, several remodeling APP’s have become available to smartphone users.  Some of our favorite (and highly addictive) APPs are:

• Houzz Interior Design Ideas (free)
• Remodelista ($2.99)
• Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Magazine ($0.99 per issue)

Houzz Interior Design Ideas   Our #1 choice for a remodeling APP, not  just because you can look at Keystone Remodeling’s  up-to-date and recent projects but because of all the ideas you can gather in one spot.  Plus, you can set-up your own Ideabook which you can use both on your phone or tablet and on your computer.  For us, the most relevant remodeling APP, because you can look at projects by room and by geographic area.

Remodelista   Tons of ideas for both remodeling and redecorating.  Put together Design Files of remodeling ideas by looking at Steal This Look and Architect Visits & House Calls.   Find products in 10 Easy Pieces.  Check out what’s new everyday in Remodelista Daily.  Although it did not appear that saved Design Files interfaced between computer use and APP use, this APP and it’s related website, Remodelista.com offer tons of remodeling inspiration!

Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Magazine (Interactive Replica)  Each month, a new issue all in one APP!  (need to buy each month).  See new and inspiring home interiors from the Atlanta area.  Use the Bookmarks feature to easily navigate around the magazine and to save favorite looks.

Regardless of your favorite APP, save some inspirations today and give Keystone Remodeling a call for all your remodeling needs at 770-777-4077.

Do you have a musty smell in your tiled shower? Is there persistent mildew or mineral deposits in the grout of your shower floor? These are symptoms of a fairly common problem- an improperly installed shower pan liner.

Tiled showers can last many years if done correctly when installed. However many showers have been improperly installed.  This improper installation leads to the symptoms listed above as well as more serious issues including complete failure where visible water leaks from the shower and causes structural floor damage.

Keystone Remodeling’s own, Brian Robbins, has outlined below how a custom tiled shower should be installed the correct way…..

There are three important steps in the proper installation of a pvc (poly-vinyl chloride), pan liner that are often overlooked. When overlooked, these steps can often cause problems down the road.

Here’s two photos showing what the surface symptom is and what’s really going on under the tile (in the mudbed):

In this shower picture you can see how the grout is discolored, a symtom of an underlining problem:

In this picture you can see how serious the problem really is. Because the weep holes were plugged water wasn’t able to drain and caused the shower pan to fail.

Look closely at the water around the drain- this shower had not been used in days:

Step 1: Pre-sloping the shower bed PRIOR to installing the pvc liner.  

Before the mudbed  (4 parts sand: 1 part portland cement), pre-sloped pan liner is installed the flooring must be prepared for the mud bed. As shown in the picture below, the floor has been prepared with a moisture barrier and metal lath. The moisture barrrier is installed to separate the pre-sloped mudbed from the wood subfloor, not moisture form the shower water. The lath material is installed to strengthen the concrete and prevent it from cracking.

 In order to prevent water from standing in the bottom of the shower pan, it is important to slope the shower pan area toward the drain prior to the installation of the pan liner. The slope does not have to be great (1/8”/ft), it just needs to promote the water (that might find its way into the mud bed through the grout or any crack around the perimeter) toward the weep wholes of the shower drain. Floors are often not level, and a shower that is not pre-sloped can accumulate water in a low corner. After a while this water gets musty, grows mold and mildew and can cause efflorescence in the grout. 

Step 2: Protect the weep wholes when packing the shower mud bed. 

In order for the previously mentioned water to leave the shower via the weep holes, it is important that the weep holes not be clogged. The other often overlooked step in a properly installed pvc liner (grey pvc material is shown in the picture to the right),  is to surround the base of the shower drain with pebbles, tile spacers, plastic ring, or any product that will prevent the dry pack mortar used to form the final slope from packing in and clogging the weep wholes.

Once the weep holes are protected you can now install the sloped layer of mudbed which will form the shower floor (the tile is installed on top of this mudbed floor). The presloped mudbed pan, with the pvc liner installed on top of it, is the critical step to insuring your shower floor will last for years without problems.  If you are a do-it-yourselfer tackling your own tiled shower be sure to follow the steps outlined above for a long lasting shower. 

If you have some of the symptoms outlined above or have a bathroom remodel project on your ”to do” list please call Keystone Remodeling at 770-777-4077.