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Things to Consider When Remodeling Your Bathroom

In addition to cleaning, many homeowners also begin remodeling projects in the spring. After all, ’tis the season for renewal, fresh starts and new beginnings, right? Spring is a great time to reconfigure and re-create and remodeling fits right in.

Before you set out to remodel your bathroom, take a moment to evaluate what you already have. Are you content with the size of the bathroom? If it seems too small, there are several options available.

One option, of course, is to make it bigger by simply rearranging the contents. That means making better use of the space by removing old, cumbersome fixtures that may no longer serve you. Let's say you have an out-of-date, fiberglass shower-surround that was installed when the house was built 40 years ago. It definitely takes up much-need space. However, with a little effort it can be expertly removed and discarded. But now, what do we replace it with? An excellent option is to bring in a freestanding tub.

Photo Credit: tourfactory.com

There are several popular choices in today’s market such as the elegant porcelain/cast iron Clawfoot or Pedestal soaking tubs. It might be the Slipper Tub design, with its high back that resembles Cinderella's slipper, or the Dual-ended tub that offers attractive, symmetrical slopes on each end of the tub. The Pedestal tub is also a contemporary favorite as it replaces the Clawfoot designs with a cast iron skirt at the bottom. These cast iron/porcelain tubs all come in various sizes and can easily fill almost any space. The point is, they won’t look like the standard, run-of-the-mill combo fiberglass tub/shower you had before. Far from it. You are adding elegance and making better use of space.

Photo Credit: tubking.com

An alternative approach, one that’s very much in-demand today, is the Safety Suite Shower. Available in different configurations regarding drain orientation (left, center, or right) and numerous colors/patterns, Safety Suite Showers offer a very open design with either a low threshold (usually four inches high) or a zero threshold so you can safely and easily walk or roll right in. This is indispensable if a person is wheelchair bound or has trouble getting into a traditional bathtub. They are extremely attractive with high tile walls and matching floor. There are various options regarding what type of built-in seat one can choose as well (fold-down, molded, etc.) Along with the shower itself, you can also choose various bathroom accessories such as bathroom paper roll, towel rack, and self, all of which are equipped with handsome, yet sturdy safety grab bars. The shower itself includes several strategically placed grab bars as well. Safety Suite Showers come in sizes ranging from 48- to 60-inch lengths, so that they can accommodate any size bathroom.

Photo Credit: nwtile.com

Another way to make better use of the space you already have is to consider doing away with the old laminate counter top and drop in sink. Again, if your bathroom is 40 years old, the sink is usually large and takes up way too much space. The counter top is probably a laminate variety that is already showing wear on the edges and maybe some lifting of the laminate from the pressed board underneath. You can take advantage of some beautiful counter top choices now available. Take, for example “natural stone.” There is organic beauty in every stone slab. The variations in each slab are unique and will amaze you. The colors are spectacular. The polished granite is highly stain- and scratch-resistant. Another interesting option, as seen in the photograph to the left, is a combination of stone, granite and wood. Talk about natural beauty.

Since I mentioned the sink, if you have a tiny bathroom, go for a porcelain pedestal sink. There are some slim, silhouettes out there that are perfect for a powder room or diminutive bathrooms. The only drawback is that they offer almost zero storage space and a small deck space. To work around this, many homeowners are creating niches in the wall for toiletries and other necessities. Unlike clunky over-the-shower head organizers, a recessed cubby in a tub or shower surround gives shampoo and soap a permanent home that doesn't take up premium stall space.

Photo Credit: wallpapertren.com

If the floor of your bath looks bad, tear up that linoleum and replace it with “no-regret” tile floors. If you want an easy-care floor, go for porcelain or glazed tiles, and avoid porous natural stone tiles such as limestone. Unless sealed it’s been vigilantly, limestone (and other porous stone) will absorb drips and spills and become stained. If you want a non-slip floor, choose tiles with textured surfaces, matte finishes, or sand-containing glazes. Another option would be “small” tiles with lots of grout lines, as these offer better “grip” than the larger tiles.

When caulking around tubs, sinks or tiles, it’s best to choose an acrylic caulk. It can be removed without the use of harsh chemicals so that replacement is easier. And make sure it is mold- and mildew-resistant.

Most homes that are 50 years old or older offer an antiquated wiring service in the bathroom. Over the years, the circuit has usually been abused by years of high-power hair drying. So don't just swap in GFI outlets. Replace the wiring, too, with dedicated 20-amp circuits and plenty of outlets for all the appliances you use, from electric razors, and toothbrushes, to hair-straightening irons, hair dryers, etc.

Photo Credit: gardnerfox.com

If your bathroom is simply too small for any changes except expansion, then consider the following: In most cases, the homeowner is not going to be happy with anything smaller than a bath that is 3 to 4 feet wide by 6 to 8 feet long. (Make sure to check with local codes for additional requirements.) Some homeowners have found that by just taking out an adjoining closet, they can garner precious space without really changing the footprint of the house. But if you must expand, contact a remodeling expert who can give you some viable options. If your lot is large enough, the contractor might be able to add a bathroom without interfering with any property lines or set-backs. It’s important that he keeps the natural flow and design of your home. Look at the roof style that you have in your home. Can a gable be extended? As you might expect, “expansion” remodeling is not cheap. Just like new construction, it will require several sub-contractors, such as framing, floor covering, sheet rock, plumbing and electrical. Ask for referrals, shop around and get several estimates, and then decide what you can live with. Establish a budget that you can afford before you ever begin.

In this article, I discussed several options for homeowners to consider when remodeling their bathrooms. I talked about replacing their current fiberglass tub/shower with a standalone cast iron/porcelain Clawfoot or Pedestal tub and/or going with the Safety Suite Showers. I also discussed various things to consider such as new sink and cabinet designs, replacing linoleum floors, upgrading the electric wiring, using acrylic caulk and more.

Customer Testimonial for Cast Iron/Porcelain Tub from Tub King

If you’d like to receive a FREE Clawfoot Tub Buyers’ Guide, fill out the form below.

If you’d like to receive a FREE Walk-in Tub Buyers’ Guide, fill out the form below.

Have a question? Feel free to contact me at the number or email listed at the end of this article and my brother, Alan, who heads up Tub King, will personally get back to you. It’s been my pleasure sharing this information with you.

Coming in June 2015 to Tub King!

Alan Knight has many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. His companies not only provide superior products, they are also multi-award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” four years running. If you’d like to contact Tub King, call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231; or send an email to Alan@tubking.com.

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Janie’s Pedestal Bathtub Success Story

By Alan Knight

Photo Credit: techsytalk.com

When was the last time you heard someone rave enthusiastically about their bathtub?

Truth be told, we here at Tub King hear about it fairly often … Read the story below and be certain to watch the video at the end of it.

In addition to being entered into the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce’s Business Hall of Fame for winning its Best Builders & Contractors award for four consecutive years, Tub King also prides itself on its numerous highly satisfied customers. Whether it’s for our porcelain/cast iron tub line, our Walk-in tubs, our bathtub refinishing capabilities and/or comprehensive refinishing class, we strive to make our Tub King’s products and customer service exemplary. As we add more trending products such as the Safety Suite Showers and a new line of freestanding, stone tubs (available June 2015), Tub King will continue its 14-year mission of providing the best bathtubs and showers at the best prices with the best service.

Photo Credit: telegraph.co.uk

Obviously, being in the bathroom/bathtub business, we keep our ears close to the ground about what’s happening in our industry. There are several popular trends we’ve been seeing in bathroom design these days. One of them is the inclusion of a stand alone bathtub that serves as the focal point of the bathroom. Our cast iron/porcelain Pedestal (or Clawfoot) tubs work perfectly in this capacity. Another trend is the move to neutral colors such as white, bone, beige, sand, etc.

One of our delighted customers, Janie, decided to embrace both of these trends when she and her husband remodeled their bathroom. Naturally conversive and camera-friendly, Janie was happy to share her experience with us. She invited us into her home to film her standing next to her new pride-and-joy, white Double Slipper Pedestal Tub.

Photo Credit: tubking.com

“We were going to start our remodel of our bathroom,” Janie explains, standing next to her Double Slipper bathtub. Placed at an angle near a corner of the bathroom, the tub is also partially illuminated by a stained glass window that has silhouettes of flamingos and a palm tree in the center. Comprised mostly of blue, turquoise and azure glass, the window subtly illuminates the bathtub. To the right of the tub is Jamie’s new wood cabinets, stained in a dark veneer, topped with a beige-colored countertop that complements the white Double Slipper. The beige walls and light floor tiles also help give the bathroom an open, spacious ambiance. Interestingly, the bathroom sports a multi-circular, almost Zen-like wrought iron chandelier, its dark metallic color also complements the dark wood of the cabinetry and accents of the floor tile.

Photo Credit: damaris-daria.blogspot.com

Janie spent some time investigating different decorating trends before deciding on the look she wanted to create in her bathroom. “I did some research with some magazines, home TV shows and things like that … a lot of looking at different bathtubs, cabinetry, tiles, countertops, sinks, and all that kind of stuff, just to see what I really wanted to do.”

Looking at the video, you can see Janie has a natural aesthetic sense of design and color. Notice her outfit. Dark coral top. White pants. Now look closely as the camera pans around the bathroom. Dark coral towels. White bathtub. Dark coral glassware. White door and window frames.

After considering several different types of bathtubs, Janie eventually decided to go with a Pedestal tub. This cast iron/porcelain tub design continues to gain popularity as homeowners look for stand alone-type tubs. “That’s when I went online and found Tub King. So I thought, ‘Well, let me just look at this little video.’ This guy, Alan Knight, who is the president of the company, was on the video. And he seemed so genuine, down-to-earth … just your regular sort of guy. So I thought, ‘Hmmm, this looks good.’”

Photo Credit: tubking.com

Janie, impressed with Tub King’s extensive inventory of bathtubs and accessories, called to consult with Alan and Kerry Knight, the owners of Tub King. After talking with them, she chose a Double Slipper tub with center-mounted, chrome handheld shower wand and faucet handles.

Janie says she couldn’t be happier with her purchase. “Everything about my experience with Tub King has just been very easy and natural. They came through with everything that they said they would do.” This is one of the many reasons why Tub King has been entered into the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce’s Business Hall of Fame.

“As far as helping me get the fixtures, they were especially helpful because I needed some different handles on the bathtub to help match the handles on the new sink [we’d installed] because I’d already done a little of this and little of that in terms of remodeling the bathroom. So they helped with that. Alan helped me find them.”

However, there was a problem with one of the faucet handles, Janie discovered. “There was a handle that didn’t work. So I called back in and Gladys was very helpful. She was just, like, ‘Oh, let me just go look. I’ll see if we have that.’ She called back and said, “We’ve got it. So they swapped it out, and there you go. I’ve got it all right here.”

Janie is absolutely delighted with her Double Slipper Pedestal bathtub. “I love my Tub King tub.”

Janie's Double Slipper Pedestal Tub Testimonial for Tub King

In this article, I shared a testimonial from one of Tub King’s highly satisfied customers who purchased a Double Slipper Pedestal tub to complement her bathroom remodeling project. I pointed out some of the complementary fixture, design and color features of the customer’s newly remodeled bathroom. I also shared why Tub King is a Business Hall of Fame multi- award-winner in the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.

If you’d like to receive a FREE Clawfoot Tub Buyers’ Guide, fill out the form below.

If you’d like to receive a FREE Walk-in Tub Buyers’ Guide, fill out the form below.

Check Out How Much You Can Save at Tub King. Click Here.

Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville, Florida. He has many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. His companies not only provide superior products, they are also award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” four years running. To contact Tub King directly, call (800)843-4231 or email alan@tubking.com.

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Why is Home Remodeling so Ideal in the Spring?

By Alan Knight

Photo Credit: eaglesgymnastics.com

Spring is the season of new beginnings. Fresh buds bloom, animals awaken from winter hibernation ― indeed, the entire earth seems to come to life again. Farmers and gardeners plant their seeds as temperatures slowly rise. The degree of weather changes varies depending upon location, because most equatorial regions see fairly constant temperatures throughout the year.

What most people call spring, as well as the other three seasons, is due to astronomical occurrences between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Caused by the angle of the Earth's tilt toward the sun, astronomical spring is marked by the equinoxes and solstices.

The equinoxes are special days during the year when day and night are almost equal. There are two equinoxes, one the spring and one in the fall. The spring, or vernal equinox occurs around March 21st in the northern hemisphere and around September 21st in the southern hemisphere.

Photo Credit: wildheretic.com

During the summer solstice, in the northern hemisphere, the North Pole is tipped at its greatest angle toward the sun, which occurs around June 21st. In the southern hemisphere, it’s around December 21st, when it’s the South Pole's turn to be nearer. (Yes, I know. It seems peculiar to us northern hemisphere inhabitants that from November through February is actually summertime in lands below the equator. Similarly, June through mid-September is wintertime in places such as Australia and other countries well below the equator.)

Warmer temperatures mean the ground, which may have frozen over during the winter months, grows softer and more yielding to plants. Spring is often marked by increased rainfall, which helps to water the infant seeds taking root in the ground.

Photo Credit: askville.amazon.com

Animals that spent the winter in hibernation come out of their dens, while those that traveled to warmer regions return. Many animals give birth in the spring. Winter coats are shed by those animals that sported them, and some animals may change coloration to blend in with their new surroundings.

Many cultures celebrate the return of spring, or the rise of the vernal equinox. Passover is celebrated by those of Jewish faith. Linked to the Book of Exodus, Passover commemorates when the Jewish people were freed from slavery in Egypt. The holiday falls on the first full moon after the northern spring and lasts for seven days.

Celebrated by Christians, Easter takes its roots from the Jewish Passover festival. The celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion, Easter usually falls around the same time as Passover. The actual day changes because Passover follows the Jewish calendar, which is different from the standard one we commonly use. Today, many ways of celebrating Easter ― Easter eggs, baskets, and bunnies ― have risen from celebrations of the vernal equinox and the start of spring to combine with the religious holiday.

Photo Credit: country-art.com

May Day is a spring festival born from a Celtic festival, though as Christianity spread through Europe, some of the older pagan elements were dropped. Celebrants might wind ribbons around a May pole as they dance around it.

Mark Twain wrote, “It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want ― oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so.”

Robin Williams ― oh, how we miss him ― once quipped, “Spring is nature's way of saying, ‘Let's party!’”

So here we are. Spring has sprung! We have so many thoughts, plans, wishes and desires that go through our head. We, too, want new beginnings.

Let's take “remodeling” for example. The term identifies a need in many homeowners take their “model” home to make it even better ... to redo the home they initially loved and add new concepts to make it even more fantastic.

Photo Credit: tubking.com

Recently, Tub King, Inc. participated in the Spring Home and Patio Show here in Jacksonville, Florida. Held in early March, tens of thousands of people were there to see the newest ideas that might inspire and motivate homeowners to desire something more for their homes. Tub King was there with its award-winning array of bathtubs and showers. As many as 80,000 people came through the H&P show, all eager to see something new that could address their remodeling desires.

At Tub King’s frequently visited booth, there were several different models of its elegant porcelain/cast iron bathtubs, offering Slipper Tubs, Double Slippers, Dual-ended, Pedestal tubs, deep soaking tubs and traditional designs.

The safety-featured Walk-in tub brought attention to the needs of our current senior population who have special needs in their bath tub arrangements. Along with available hydrotherapeutic features such as water jets and air jets, and ergonomically controls, the Walk-in tub can serve as anyone’s personal Jacuzzi.

Photo Credit:tubking.com

Tub King’s newest product was its trendy Safety Suite Showers. Available in different configurations that can be custom-ordered, such the type/color tile, placement of grab bars, the type of in-shower seat, height of the entryway, these showers offer a total safety bathroom package, especially focusing on the open concept of a walk-in shower, and convenient grab bars throughout the bathroom.

Take time this spring to visualize how you can make your home more special. Adding a new bathtub or shower in your home will make a positive impact in your life, that’s for certain. Spring can be an exciting time. Harriet Ann Jacobs, the celebrated abolitionist speaker and reformer once wrote, “The beautiful spring came, and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also.”

Party on!

The Tub King Difference

In this article, I discussed why spring time is a season of renewal, for animals and humans alike. I shared information about the astronomical causes of spring, and highlighted two of its major holidays. I also talked about Tub King’s recent appearance at the Jacksonville Spring Home & Patio Show this past March, discussing its three main products: porcelain/cast iron bathtubs, Walk-in bathtubs and its new Safety Suite Showers.

If you found this article useful, please share it with your family, friends and co-workers. If you have a comment related to this article, leave it in the Comment section of this blog. To find more articles like this type in “walk-in tubs,” “cast iron tubs” and/or “Safety Suite Shower” in the search box.

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Alan Knight is the owner of Tub King, Inc., and SeniorBathtub.com in Jacksonville, Florida. He has many years of experience in the antique and senior bathtub industries. HIs companies not only provide superior products, they are also award winners, receiving the “Best of Jacksonville Chamber Award” four years running. If you’d like to contact them, call (800) 409-3375 or (800) 843-4231; or send an email to alan@tubking.com.

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