Over the last 2 weeks we considered a number of factors that you should consider when designing and renovating bathrooms. (Read Part 1 of Bathroom Design Essentials and Part 2 of Bathroom Design Essentials for more.)

I hope that you've found the last 3 articles informative. It is important to carefully plan bathroom layouts. Look at alternatives. Visit bathroom accessory showrooms to view different baths, toilets and taps. Consider alternative tiles and how they'll fit with the fittings and fixtures you choose. Consider alternative light fittings. Don't just go for the cheapest. Of course it's also usually not necessary to select the most expensive finishes. Consider the needs of you and your family, what's practical, your budget, and what future buyers will like.
Many bathroom accessory suppliers have facilities to convert your bathroom plans into 3 dimensional colour drawings so you can better visualise what your new bathroom will look like. Some architects and builders even offer virtual reality where it's possible to view your bathroom as if you were walking through the completed bathroom.
Of course it's also important to use reputable contractors, especially for waterproofing, plumbing and tiling (note in future articles I'll discuss what to consider when choosing contractors and later good and bad floor and wall tile layouts). You wouldn't want your dream bathroom ruined by faulty workmanship.
Good luck with your bathroom design and construction.

​For more valuable home design and renovation tips and advice read: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' and 'Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'

​This is an extract from: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 2' by Paul Netscher. Available in paper or eBook from Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon AU and all online bookstores. To read more

​© 2018 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

Last week in Part 1 of Bathroom Design Essentials we considered a number of items that you should consider when designing a new bathroom. Whether you are intending to renovate your existing bathroom or building a new bathroom it's essential to get the bathroom layout right and choose the right fittings for you and your family. Changing bathrooms later will be expensive.
In this article I discuss additional items you should consider.

​

• Including a double vanity, or a ‘his and her’ basin adds convenience, reduces arguments over toiletry locations and mess and gives an added wow or luxurious factor. Of course you need a slightly bigger bathroom to fit the additional wash basin.
• The standard height for the top of a basin is about 850 to 900 millimetres (33 to 36 inches). Some basins (depending on what you choose) sit on top of the vanity (counter) which means that the top of the vanity should be lower to accommodate the raised basin bowl. Other basins only have their lips above the counter, while others fit to the underside of the counter (but in both these cases the bulk of the basin sits below the vanity top so the top of the vanity can be at the 850 to 900 millimetre height). Of course taller people may prefer basins set slightly higher.
• Counter tops around wash basins should be robust enough to withstand water splashes and spillage, and they can add a luxury feel to the bathroom if they’re of stone or natural materials.
• There should be adequate space in front of the toilet and to the sides to allow easy access. Also, consider where the toilet paper holder (dispenser) will go where it won’t get wet from the shower or washbasin.
• Bathtubs that are too short are useless and irritating – who wants to bath with their knees bent nearly around their ears? Try out the bathtub in showrooms by getting into it. Ensure that your bathroom is big enough to fit the bath that’s the right length.
• Avoid bath showers, they can be dangerous. Sure it’s useful to have a hand held shower by the bath for washing hair while you are bathing, but not for actual showering.
• A built in seat in the shower can be a useful feature for people to use when they are shaving, or for someone who’s infirm – of course this isn’t suitable for small showers.
• Avoid shower curtains. They look cheap and are irritating, sticking to you when you shower. Glass (Perspex) walls and doors on a shower are more expensive, but they’ll add immensely to the look of the shower. Ensure the fittings are sturdy. Choosing a cheap sliding door in a spindly frame could result in the door becoming jammed or coming off its tracks.
• Storage space is essential in any bathroom and can take the form of:
  • Under basin storage. Which serves a dual purpose of hiding water and waste water pipes. Remember though that the underside of the basin and the plumbing pipes will reduce the amount of storage available.
  • Mirror cabinets above the basin. These could be recessed into the wall to increase space or to reduce the amount they protrude beyond the wall. In fact if they’re recessed they might not have to protrude from the wall.
  • Shelving above basins for toiletries.
  • Other cupboards if space is available.
  • Shelves in showers and above baths to store soaps and shampoo.
• Dirty clothes are often stored in the bathroom before being washed. Place could be allowed for a laundry basket or bin. For houses with a second or third storey, incorporating a laundry chute into the layout so that dirty washing can go straight to the laundry below is a neat feature. Obviously this chute needs to be positioned vertically above the area below where the dirty washing will be stored, which is usually in the laundry.
• There’re a wide range of bathroom fittings and fixtures which can vary hugely in price. Choose tap handles which are easy for old people to operate, even when your hand is covered in soap. Having a combination shower with a fixed shower head which also has a flexible hose attachment is useful. Bath and basin tap spouts must be practical and long enough so that water goes into the bath and basin without splashing out.
• Position of taps in showers and baths. The shower controls should be accessible from both inside and outside the shower and should be able to be operated without you becoming wet. Bath controls should be easily accessible to a person seated in the bathtub without having to turn around and the controls must be easily reached from the outside of the bath.
• Pipe entry and exit points are dictated by the type of bathroom fittings and tap-ware selected and also by what’s structurally possible. Waste pipes from baths, showers and toilets have to flow down and out the building. Generally they have to be installed in the floor, or below the floor, unless they can run down inside an enclosed duct or wall. To accommodate waste pipes there should be adequate space in the ceiling voids in the floor below upper level bathrooms, otherwise baths, basins and toilets have to be positioned on the outside walls, or internal walls must have ducts (cavities) for the pipes, or the shower floors and bathtubs have to be raised above the floor to create space for waste pipes (which isn’t ideal).
• Look out for Part 3 for more practical tips for designing your new bathroom.

​For more valuable home improvement and renovation tips and advice read: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' and 'Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'

​This is an extract from: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 2' by Paul Netscher. Available in paper or eBook from Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon AU and all online bookstores. To read more

​© 2018 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

Bathrooms are expensive to build, and costly to change should you decide to modify them later. It's therefore essential to get the design of your bathroom right before construction starts. A good bathroom can be a valuable addition to your home. Unfortunately, frequently bathrooms are poorly designed, they don’t take account of your family’s needs (or future needs) and they're squeezed into the available space.

Designing a good bathroom is a balance between your available budget, your needs, functionality, what's practically possible (which is often dictated by the location of existing wastewater pipes or the connections to the town sewer system), the available space, and your wish list for the ultimate bathroom. But, even the most expensive bathroom, including all your wish-list items could end up being impractical and a bathroom that you end up hating, if it's not planned properly. By the same token, a well thought out and planned bathroom, that's practical and functional, which doesn't break your budget, can add value to your home and be a bathroom that you and your family enjoy using everyday. 

In designing a bathroom it’s important to consider what should be included, the location and size of windows and the location of doors. Bathroom suppliers can often create 3-D drawings for you which help you better understand what your finished bathroom will look like.

The design of your bathroom should consider the following:

• Ventilation in the bathroom is essential to get rid of odours and to prevent moisture build-up. Bathrooms that are always wet and steamy will result in mould growing on walls and floors, which is unsightly and unhealthy and difficult to clean. In addition, towels won’t dry easily and items in the bathroom cupboards could be spoiled by the continuous moisture. Ventilation could include (preferably both options):
  • Windows that open. Opening windows should take privacy into account.
  • Extractor fans which could be connected to the light switch so they come on automatically when the light is turned on, or fans which have a separate control switch. The extractor fan could be installed in the ceiling where it should be connected by a duct to the outside of the roof. Fans that just blow the air into the roof space will result in moist air accumulating in the roof space, which could cause mould and rot to develop in the roof. Alternatively fans can be in the external walls, or even placed within the glass of the window. Fans should be easily cleanable as they frequently accumulate debris which is unsightly and a fire risk.
• Heating is useful for cold climates. Nobody wants to step out of a nice hot shower or bath into an icy cold bathroom to get dressed. The type of heating may be restricted by local building regulations but it could include:
  • Underfloor heating.
  • Radiators.
  • Heaters. (They would be mounted on walls away from splashes. These should be specifically approved for use in bathrooms.)
  • Heating lights. (These are separate to the normal lights which you would install in the bathroom - after all, you probably won't want the heating lights on in summer.)
  • Heated towel rails. (These don't necessarily heat the room but they do help dry towels.)

It’s important to check that the items installed are suitable for wet areas.

• Good lighting is vital in a bathroom. Lights should be both functional, bright (without appearing like a hospital operating room) decorative, and of course lights must be fit to be installed in wet areas. Lighting should include:
  • General lighting which doesn’t leave dark corners, particularly in showers.
  • Lights over mirrors and wash basins. Poor lighting makes it frustrating to shave and apply makeup.

Individual controls can be used for different lights.

• Functionality and space. There must be sufficient space to step out of baths and showers to dry oneself. Doors must be able to be opened without being restricted by toilets, bathtubs and cabinets, while also leaving space for the person opening the door. (More than one home owner has found that the door in their newly completed bathroom couldn't open fully because it bashed against a toilet or washbasin.) Preferably there should be sufficient space so that one person can use the basin and still allowing another person to pass.
• Privacy. Privacy includes what can be seen and heard from outside the house as well as what can be seen by people in the house walking past the open door. Including a separate toilet cubicle in the bathroom is often a good idea, but it does require more space. However, it allows two people to use the bathroom simultaneously, without getting in each other’s way.
• Don’t make the toilet the first thing you see when you open the door.
• The size of the bathroom depends on what you want in the bathroom. Do you want a shower and a bathtub? Do you want a double basin? Do you want to separate the toilet from the rest of the bathroom? The temptation is often to reduce the area of the shower, but knocking against the shower sides and soap dispenses while you’re showering is irritating, even painful. Try and keep showers at least 800 mm by 800 mm square (31 by 31 inches) (preferably larger – 1000 to 1200 millimetres by 1000 millimetres (39 to 47 inches)) although if space is limited you can consider splaying or rounding one of the corners. 
• Look out for Part 2 for more practical tips for designing your new bathroom.

​For more valuable house construction, design and renovation tips and advice read: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' and 'Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'

​This is an extract from: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 2' by Paul Netscher. Available in paper or eBook from Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon AU and all online bookstores. To read more

​© 2018 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

This story provides a valuable lesson why you shouldn't start work before all the planning permissions have been received. Indeed, a very, very expensive lesson!
Read: Owner who demolished famed San Francisco house must build replica

 In Designing Cooking Kitchens - part 1 I discussed some of the things to consider when designing your new kitchen. In this second part we consider more items:

• Good natural light, especially the morning easterly sun can make kitchens welcoming and cheerful. Think carefully about the size and position of windows. Windows take away cupboard or storage space, but you also don’t want dark gloomy corners in the kitchen. Regrettably we always need to put the lights on in our kitchen during the day because there's insufficient natural light. Even adding a skylight will help brighten a kitchen.
• Try and choose light bright colours for counters and cupboards, maybe adding in splashes of trim colours. Remember, not everyone wants green, bright red or dark blue cupboards. Repainting a wall is easy, but changing the colour of kitchen cupboards can be costly, which future buyers could factor into the price they’re willing to pay.
• The overall style of the kitchen should match the rest of the house. A cottage kitchen will look out of place in a modern house!
• When choosing fitted appliances, such as ovens, cook-tops and cooking extractors, ensure you choose ones that are reliable and can be serviced and repaired. Preferably appliances that are a standard size. When appliances have to be replaced because they’re broken it will be very expensive if you have to call in a cabinetry contractor to redo cupboards and counters because the new appliance doesn’t fit.
• Having appliances such as fridges and dishwashers fitted, with matching finishes to the kitchen cupboards, seems a good idea and it can look sleek, but consider what happens when the appliance has to be replaced, or even repaired. New owners may in fact not like the fridge you’ve installed and they’ll incur additional costs to fit their fridge.
• You can purchase standard off the shelf kitchens, but then you should carefully plan the layout and size of your kitchen so that these standard units can easily fit without wasted space and without modifications. These calculations should allow for the completed thickness of walls, including plaster and render.
• Allow place for refuse bins – usually more than one bin, to allow for general waste plus recyclables. This area and the bins must be easily cleanable, so be vigilant when building bins permanently into cabinetry.
• Carefully consider the handles and latches on cupboards. Nice handles can add to the style of the kitchen with little extra cost. Check that they aren’t going to catch you, or hook onto your clothes as you walk past. They must be easily grabbed to open, so that even with wet or greasy fingers you can open them.
• Decide where kettles could be positioned, since these give off steam which could damage cupboards.
• Is installing a double oven and double cook-top essential? It may be trendy, but it’s expensive and uses space which might be more useful for storage.
• Ensure that the kitchen complies with the safety regulations. So for instance, electrical switches and sockets must be located a specified distance from water sources and sinks so they won’t get wet. Kitchen exhaust fans should discharge outside and be easily cleanable to prevent grease build-up. Cook-tops shouldn’t be near curtains that could catch fire, or by open windows where a breeze could blow out a gas flame.
• Sinks and counter tops should be the correct height. Counters that are too low result in excessive bending which is tiring on your back. Low counter tops may also restrict the height of dishwashers and other appliances fitted under the counter. But counters and sinks that are too high can also be difficult to work with. We’re all different heights, so what suits one person might not be suitable for others. If you’re short you’ll want the counter lower, while taller people want counter tops higher. The usual height is about 900 millimetres (35 inches) but heights could range from 850 to 1050 millimetres (34 to 41 inches). Check that your dishwasher will fit under the counter and remember that this dimension is usually to the top of the counter from the finished floor level (be careful to make this clear). The space under the counter is then reduced by the thickness of the actual counter and any supports for the counter. (Note: sometimes kitchen cupboards are placed on the concrete floor slab and then tiles are laid on the concrete around the outside of the cupboards. The thickness of the tiles and glue then reduces the usable height under the counter.)
• Ensure that there’re water and waste water connections provided close to where appliances, such as dishwashers, will be installed. Waste pipe outlets for dishwashers usually have to be at a set height and location. Check that electrical sockets are conveniently positioned for fridges and dishwashers where they can be easily accessed.
• Don’t get carried away with fancy gadgets and appliances that you’ll almost never use, but which will take up space and cost money. Always be practical and know what works for you, and of course what works for your partner.
• Always leave sufficient space around in-built appliances so that air can circulate around them to prevent overheating, and so that they can be manoeuvred out when there’s a problem.
• Consider installing a water filter system for drinking water.
• Find a convenient location for a small fire extinguisher.
• Employing a kitchen designer can help avoid expensive mistakes.

Conclusion 
Plan your kitchen carefully so that it adds value to your house, while being a safe and functional work area. For many the kitchen is the heart of their home, so spending a little more time over the design and a little extra money to achieve the desired result could be time and money well spent. Look for new ideas that will suit your lifestyle and incorporate features that are important to you.

What do you think are important considerations when planning and designing your new kitchen?

Next week I look at Bathroom Essentials - What You Should Consider When Designing Your Ultimate Bathroom

A great cook’s kitchen can often sell a house. But not everyone needs a chef’s kitchen.

In fact, these days many families dine out, or order in. So I’ve seen houses with small kitchens, but this can limit future buyers, perhaps excluding some.

Kitchens are expensive, and changing the layout and fixtures later will be costly so carefully consider the design layout. Ensure you get it right. Kitchen suppliers can create 3-D graphical designs of your kitchen which will help you visualise the finished kitchen, ensuring that the layout suits you and your lifestyle and that everything fits together.

A good kitchen is one that’s functional while also being aesthetically pleasing. It should be practical, easy to clean with a great use of space. It’s a place to cook, often a place to eat, and of course it can be a place to impress friends.

Considerations for kitchens include:

• That there’s sufficient space for appliances, which include fridges, freezes and dishwashers. Consider what size fridge and freezer a family will require, not necessarily only what you want.
• That there’s adequate counter space for working on.
• There’s enough (rather an excess) of electrical outlet points, so appliances can be connected. These should be placed where they’ll be required and above counter tops.
• There’s sufficient cupboard or storage space for crockery, pots and pans, utensils and groceries. Considerations include:
  • You could have a walk-in pantry for groceries.
  • Allow a mix of drawers and cupboards of various heights and sizes.
  • Place for brooms and vacuum cleaners.
  • Cupboards placed above counters are great, but ensure that they aren’t too low, and that they step back slightly from the counter top below so that you don’t accidentally hit your head on them while trying to work on the counter below.
  • Cupboard doors help keep dust off items and are useful to hide untidy spaces.
  • Taking cupboards to the ceiling creates extra storage, but cupboards above head height are only useful for items that are seldom used and not for general items which are used every week. You don’t want to be using a ladder every time you need your everyday things.
• That there’s adequate space to move around and between counters, even if the oven or a drawer is open.
• The areas most used are the sink, stove and fridge, so these three items should be within easy reach of each other, but not right on top of each other, and they should, where possible form a triangle with them all being within two to three metres (six feet to nine feet) of each other.
• That wash-up sinks are big enough for large pots and plates. Personally I find small sinks irritating where you can hardly wash anything. Double sinks for washing and rinsing are useful.
• There should be sufficient space for stacking dirty and drying items on either side of the sink – sure you may have a dishwasher, but guaranteed you’ll always wash something in the sink.
• Areas around the sink will get wet, so make certain that the counters can withstand the wet and always silicone seal between the sink and the counter so that water doesn’t leak down into the cupboards below. Installing tiled or glass splash-backs behind sinks placed against walls is good practice, since they’re decorative, protect the wall from moisture and are easily cleaned.
• Kitchens can be messy areas, so consider what you might want to screen off from visitors. Open plan living areas and kitchens are great for family interaction and communication, but you might not want visitors to see your piled up dirty dishes. Screening can be achieved by raising the front of counters above the sink height, or placing some items around the corner, out of the immediate line of sight.
• Do you want to include an eating area in the kitchen, in the form of a counter, or even a table and chairs?
• Lighting is important, especially over work counters. Carefully consider the placement and type of lights. Perhaps even have lights on different circuits so they don’t all need to be on at the same time if not required.
• Counter tops should be robust, not easily marked but easy to clean. Marble isn’t a good material for kitchen tops. The counter top can add immensely to the feel of the kitchen and often it’s worth spending a little more money for granite or stone tops.
• Areas around cook-tops will get splattered with fat and oil so they should be easily cleanable.
• Install an efficient extractor by the cook-top to suck away cooking odours, oils, greases and smoke.
• Don’t have cupboards right next to the cook-top where they may be damaged by heat.
• Floor finishes should be hard wearing, nonslip and easily cleanable.
• Continued in Part 2

​For more valuable home improvement, design and renovation tips and advice read: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' and 'Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'

​This is an extract from: 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 2' by Paul Netscher. Available in paper or eBook from Amazon.com, Amazon UK, Amazon CA, Amazon AU and all online bookstores. To read more

​© 2018 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.