Three (3) Basic Social Media Tips for Small Construction Contractors and the Home Handyman

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Darren Darren Salyer of Total Home Remodeling in Wentzville, MO has been running FaceBook ads since December 2009. By March 2010, he only spent a total of 5 dollars to gain some attention for his business.

As a result of his dabbling in Social Media Marketing (SMM), Darren’s Facebook fan page received eighty-four clicks over three months with about sixty-five of those visitors moving on to review his business website.

It would seem that the marketing effort paid off for Total Home Remodeling, which was rewarded with three nice jobs to bid on. The total value of the three bids was ,000. Not bad for a 5 investment.

Under the marketing blog entry where Darren Salyer posted the results of his online marketing experiment, he reported that “things look good” for getting all three contracts signed. Regardless of the final outcome, he snagged three promising opportunities that many not otherwise have come his way had he not given FaceBook ads a try.

The current recession has taken its toll on the construction industry. Many independent contractors have been forced to close up shop; while those still hanging on have had to cut back and revise their marketing strategies as Darren Salyer may also been forced to do.

Strapped for cash, many small contractors have had to resort to low-cost marketing tactics to bring in new business. Social Media Marketing has proved to be rather effective in helping some of these builders and handymen reach out to a new audience of Web savvy consumers; many who live locally and need home and business remodeling work done.

Local contractors are, for the most part, chasing the same limited pool of work in their area and should be seeking out marketing strategies and tactics to help them stand out among those in an increasingly competitive crowd. The Web offers these small businesspeople some lower cost alternatives to the usual year long PennySaver ads that come with a recurring cost and very often little or no response over extended periods throughout the year.

Andy Gaur, CEO of RiaEnjolie Inc. (http://www.riaenjolie.com/construction-websites.html), a New Jersey Web Development company specializing in professional looking and affordable websites for general contractors and other tradespeople, is very well attuned to the world of traditional and social media marketing. “It is much better to be preparing a well conceived and comprehensive marketing plan and getting ready to use an appropriate mix of outreach strategies rather than just sticking with just one or two that haven’t been working so well lately,” says Gaur. “If you don’t jump on different things – like Social Media – that show promise, you may end up in a struggle to retain your current customers and fail to gain new ones that are unaware of your business and what you can offer them in quality workmanship and affordable pricing.”

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You say you don’t get Social Media? You will not get ‘it’ until you have experimented with ‘it’. We all use Social Media in a way the suits our own needs and personal styles. Some use it to promote their business; some use it to research information; some use it to create a network of friends and business people to communicate with. Some use it to “lurk” and listen to the conversations of others as a way to understand different points of view.

Your time is at a premium, so take some baby steps with social media. Reconcile the time spent on Social Media marketing by accepting the value of the “conversations” you’ll be soon be engaged in with your existing and potential customers.

No matter what your approach is to social media, you should have a strategy and goal that keeps you focused on your target audience and the ultimate prize – doing business with them. Rather than complicate things too much here are three steps that apply to just almost every small business engaging in Social Media:

Blogger Tania Yuki in her post on comscore.com shares the following advice:
“People are talking about your business, so you may as well get down in the weeds and know what’s going on.”

“Social media is the tool, social engagement is what you do to create awareness and earn sales” This is according to Social Media Guru, Brian Solis, who has offered a number of bestselling books dealing with Social Media for business. Solis goes on to explain that “Creating a presence in social networks is mandatory, but it’s also not enough. Actively and thoughtfully engaging consumers in social networks is quickly becoming an expectation. It’s up to your business to develop a following.”

Great response begins with great listening. Lindsay Lebresco of Conversation, a Social Media agency recommends the basics like Google Alerts, Twitter, Technorati and search engines to search out key categories – using keywords – that will let you know what people are saying about you and your business. Carefully read and understand what is being said; (if the remarks are negative) take a few deep breaths and perhaps sleep on it; think of a positive way to frame your response and respond in an appropriate manner.

Oh, by the way there is a preliminary step to these three. You won’t be successful in social media without, first, having an effective website for consumers to visit when they want to check you out. Most potential customers start their consideration process at your website. It must be professional looking, informative and able to bring them to whatever the next step is that you want them to take leading to doing business with you – a “call to action.”

So take a look at your website and ask yourself the following questions about it?

1. Is your website’s design aesthetically pleasing?
2. How intuitive is your website to navigate?
3. Does your website have a clear statement of PURPOSE near the top of its homepage?
4. Is your website copy concisely written and richly informative?
5. Do you update your website content REGULARLY?
6. Does your website have a “call to action” on every page for customers to respond to?
7. Does your website’s index page draw visitors further into its content and to where you display and sell your products and contract your services?
8. Is your website designed to encourage future visits (i.e. is there a newsletter; a tell-a-friend feature; a blog with an RSS button to subscribe with?)

Contractors, you can definitely “build some sweat equity” into the process of social media and most likely will get the business results you are looking for. You just need to be smart in the ways you employ the Internet in order to be easily found by consumers and then, be able to impress them when they land at your website for their very first time.

If your website passes the effectiveness test and if you have done all your homework with regard to geo-search, you’ll be very pleased at the additional phone calls you’ll be getting from local customers looking for a good builder.

Small bathroom furniture – why small is still beautiful when it comes to bathrooms

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can offer an opportunity to create a truly unique sense of style, however, for many homeowners, the bathroom can be the smallest room in the house and therefore can easily become overcrowded and cluttered. The ideal bathroom is a space to unwind and relax and escape from the rigours of the day.

Even a small bathroom can offer this sanctuary when careful consideration is given to the fixtures and fittings chosen. The key factor in making your small bathroom work for you is to focus on maximising the potential of the available area to create the illusion of space. This can be achieved in a number of ways by choosing which provides clever storage solutions and using items such as mirrors to reflect the space.

By recognising the need to offer products with space-saving credentials, reputable manufacturers such as Ultra, Hudson Reed and Jax have combined experienced bathroom furniture manufacture with innovative design to offer inspiring and inventive options for the small bathroom.

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comprises bathroom vanities and basins, which can be floor-standing or wall-hung, the latter offering to further increase the available floor area, with either one or two-door options which can be left or right-handed. Compact and appealing to the eye, these clever storage cabinets will keep all that bathroom clutter, such as beauty products, cleaning items and other paraphernalia neatly out of sight – out of sight really is out of mind in the small bathroom.

Bathroom vanity basins may be round, square or semi-basins with influences from provincial France and Italy offering a rustic charm sure to bring a touch of style to your bathroom with clean lines and bold characteristics.

As well as being available in tradtional and classic white, black can be an opportunity to create some bathroom sink drama, whilst a choice of wooden cabinets in oak, ash or walnut will add a countryfied dignity to your room. Additionally, a splash of colour can bring a much-needed lift in an otherwise dull bathroom.

Small bathroom furniture also includes toilets offering great space-saving solutions with back-to-wall units which will not only maximise the space but also add an ultra-modern and contemporary feel to your bathroom. Featuring concealed dual flush cistern and chrome push-button flush in many cases, the remarkable range of toilets available take small bathroom style to a new level of creative and artistic expression. With black, white or wooden options to match your chosen bathroom cabinet, these captivating units will complete the aesthetic appeal in your bathroom.

Accessories such as mirrors can be cleverly located to create an illusion of increased space and can also reflect the available light in the bathroom. Choosing neutral tones in decorating your small bathroom and adding splashes of colour with blinds and foliage will all add to the overall idea of airiness.

If affordability is an issue, be assured that revamping your small bathroom can be achieved on the smallest of budgets, with products to suit every pocket. With a full guarantee of durability and satisfaction on all products, quality and value for money are understood.

For more information about the exciting range of ideas when it comes to making the very most of your bathroom, why not take a look at the products available at Heatandplumb and discover how small is beautiful when it comes to bathrooms?

Once again… BID on Summer’s Microwave Door on eBay: tinyurl.com Poll: What’s your favorite term for the brown stuff? www.micropoll.com Experiment #175: Fake Poop So yeah… we’re microwaving some sh*t in today’s episode… we figured: what the hell? So, you’re probably wondering, Is It A Good Idea To Microwave This? Tune in to find out. Twice a week, microwave specialist Jory Caron microwaves different objects… so you don’t have to! The “Jory Caron Microwave Laboratory 2.6″ is a state-of-the-art facility equipped with tinfoil shielding, a ventilation system, emergency surge protectors, safety clothing, and many sexy microwaves. +++++++++++++++++++++++ Thanks to Baron102786 for donating the fake poop! www.youtube.com +++++++++++++++++++++++ ~~ Links ~~ FAQ Video ——— bit.ly Merchandise ——- bit.ly Flagged Videos — bit.ly ~~ Connect With Us ~~ ::: Jonathan Paula ::: YouTube —- bit.ly Facebook — bit.ly Twitter ——- bit.ly ::: Jory Caron ::: YouTube —- bit.ly Facebook — bit.ly Twitter ——- bit.ly ::: Riley McIlwain ::: YouTube —- bit.ly Twitter ——- bit.ly Facebook — bit.ly ::: Jogwheel Productions ::: Facebook — bit.ly Twitter ——- bit.ly ~~ Technical ~~ Created by —– Jonathan Paula & Jory Caron Starring ——— Jory Caron, Jonathan Paula, & Riley McIlwain Camera ——— Panasonic DVX-100b, Canon Elura 100, & Canon S3-IS Software ——– Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 Computer —— bit.ly • Jogwheel Productions © 2009 • ~
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Small Bathroom Style – Producing Modest Spaces Feel Roomy

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Bathroom designs are constantly changing from time to time. The furniture and sanitary ware are innovated to fit the modern trend. . In this write-up I hope to talk you through the elements involved in designing your bathroom to look as up to date as possible. These are typically bigger than conventional shower heads, and given their environmental and health benefits, they go extremely well with contemporary bathrooms. They are also available in hand held models, so if you only have a shower head to wash your hair, it is still a good choice. Contemporary bathroom design trends have wanted changes and the innovations had been sensible, fun and fascinating so far. Contemporary bathrooms now boast sleek wall mounted vanities that enhance visual space inside the room. The look of commercial designs has indeed produced its way into fame as urinals are more popular ergonomic forms that lessen mess. Contemporary baths now have separate rooms for toilet and urinal as they’re much more hygienic, convenient and private. Larger windows can bring about fantastic statement into your modern bathroom design. Basin shapes are totally changing these days. Gone are the square shapes.

It fits small-sized bathrooms. Storage places within the bathroom are taking up fewer spaces. This is why many bathroom accessories have been made available to add comfort and usefulness as well as style when considering bathroom suites. There is a massive range of selections that the market is offering so you will be able to find a bathroom suite with the right size, shape and color to fit both traditional and contemporary bathroom style. In terms of bathroom renovation, among the principal components that will make over your bathroom area is a brand new bathroom suite. In the event you want a snappy, clean and universal look, you can choose a white bathroom suite. You don’t need to limit your style into one look. You are able to integrate both contemporary and modern taste with out making it look like every accessory messily contradicts with each other. You can give out an old-world style by utilizing old and modern accessories. For modern accessories, choose a bathroom mirror with out frame and with lighting style at the back. Be a wise buyer and consider bathroom packages which are inexpensive yet luxurious enough. Shop around for more options and get ideas and tips from specialists.

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You don’t have to limit your design into one look. You can integrate both contemporary and modern taste with out generating it look like each accessory messily contradicts with each other. Stone baths are obtainable and an outstanding choice for a mental and visually relaxing style choice. Having a poor ventilation system. This problem is not only about becoming comfy and convenient when staying inside the bathroom. If space permits introduce one of the hottest trends – a free- standing bathtub. They’re available in all shapes and sizes and absolutely nothing creates a much more dramatic focal point within the bathroom than an exquisite free-standing tub. Merely position it in front of a spectacular picture window with a breathtaking view as the backdrop.

Big suggestions do not go extremely great in a small bathroom. By no means forget that whenever you select a style it ought to match to your personality, too. If you strategy a bathroom remodeling I advise you to change the colors you’ve now. If you lack deposit space, store some of the towels in another room and keep inside your bathroom things that you use at this very moment. We all know how important a bathroom remodeling is. The bold and sleek look of the contemporary modern bathroom style is not so great for anybody who actually uses their bathrooms on an everyday basis although. It can be amazingly challenging to maintain in pristine shape the way it requirements to look its greatest.

How about mounting two at different heights 1 for your kids and 1 for you. Is it simply because people are looking for something different, which sets them apart from the Jones, and in turn makes their bathrooms feel modern, contemporary, luxurious and unique. And just as an following thought, don’t forget to include a wall hung cabinet unit to finish off the minimalist effect in your bathroom. Wall hung toilets are self contained which makes them simple to clean and butting up against the wall, they make excellent use of functional space. Initial, what are modern bathroom sinks. These are contemporary themed sinks that you see in most contemporary or brand new houses. That is not an issue at all because these types of sinks come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and materials. It is perfect for vintage – d?cor bathrooms. A type of console sink, the vessel sinks with table tops are commonly utilized in contemporary themed bathroom.

However, you can’t make it shorter, but who cares about generating it shorter. Pedestal sinks are the best for retro searching bathrooms. To be eclectic would be to just take from numerous sources or ideas. To add an elegant, modern look, add a bathroom pedestal sink. They’re especially convenient for little bathrooms, because they take up way less room. If the bathroom is big, ceiling lights that are small and in any color might be added to the ceiling additionally to light fixtures that are colored to bring ambience to the bathroom. New mixture tub/shower units are obtainable that also offer options like steam, multiple shower heads, and whirlpools.

Tile ideas for small bathrooms

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Small bathrooms can sometimes be a little hard to decorate and design due to the lack of space but all is not lost and even small bathrooms can be made into real design statements. The tiles you choose have to be well thought out in order not to overcrowd a small room but there are ways to create any atmosphere you want, even in smaller areas.

Using busy patterned tiles will certainly not help you to make the most of your small bathroom but using the right tiles will open up the space and Tiles are the best material to use in small areas. One idea is to just use colour rather than detailed mosaic Tiles or patterned tiles but the colours you use again will both set the tone and the look and feel of your bathroom. Choosing colours that both complement each other and suit your personal preferences is vital.

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Glass tiles are great at reflecting light and opening up small rooms, again try to remain simple and use simple plain designs or uniformed colours. Glass tiles are extremely hygienic and non porous which makes them ideal for wet places and they are also easy to clean and maintain.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles are also great additions and one idea is to tile half way up your walls and use a complimentary paint colour on the upper walls. In many small bathrooms there is often not room for shower cubicles but if there is, smaller tiles used from ceiling to floor add a real contrast and solid colours can be used on the floor with a complimentary colour for the walls of the shower cubicle.

Using floor tiles is also a good idea in small bathrooms because they add a flat, even surface which will create the illusion of more space. Again floor tiles need to compliment the wall tiles and any other decoration in the bathroom. In larger rooms more detail will be noticed less but in small bathrooms even the design of the towel rails and borders will be noticed much more.

The key is to plan ahead and play with colours and designs before you embark on any tiling job and remember not to leave any area unplanned, know exactly what colours and designs you are going to use, even down to any extra furnishing. Gone are the days when bathrooms are rooms which are basic and more home owners are paying much more attention to detail to make the most of their bathrooms.

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Some Design Ideas for Small Bathroom Remodeling

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A small bathroom remodeling might prove to be complicated purposely if you desire to put up a notion of sufficient room. You have to reflect what you fancy before plotting for a bathroom remodeling.  To fit all the accessories and elude litter, you should plan carefully if what you intended is an extensive remodeling.  Small bathroom plans will depend on whether it is utilized by all family members and visitors, like a key bath or a master bath or just for a particular age bracket.  What applies to a bathroom used normally by kids might be dissimilar from a bathroom created specially for adults.

Although you conjure your main bathroom to be nice-looking and fascinating, you might desire to endow your master bath with real splatter of extravagance by enhancing distinctive items or amenities that suits best for a couple such as a soaking bath tub for two.

Flooring and Walls

Your choices of color are critical when picking bathroom flooring and walls.  The right colors will amplify the area while inappropriate shades converges the space and make you feel confined.  For your flooring, large tiles are better choices to increase your bathroom area.  Moving particular furnitures around may not be a lovely notion if there is only one space where a full-sized bath tub can be placed.  In many cases, a small bathroom repair maybe restricted to a modification of color and floor designs without carrying out any alteration in structure to enlarge floor area.  Contemporary furniture can oftentimes present the impression that a renovation has been enforced even though the floor space has not been increased.  It is much better to utilize lighter shades for walls and floors and window coverings found in the room which presents an appearance of bigger space than what it truly is.

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Utilize Corner Space

Depending on the design of your bathroom, one great idea to conserve space is corner fixtures.  In certain circumstances, utilizing your corner space is a preference. There are corner vanities, bathtubs, pedestal sinks and toilets.  Once your renovation chore is finished and you like its outcome, you must keep it neat and in order since smaller rooms are more of a dare to maintain.

Saving Space

Save space in bathrooms by putting in sliding doors instead of hinged ones. A sliding door that slide in in-wall unoccupied space may seem fashionable.  Place a wash-basin with shelves below where you can put your soaps, toothpastes, makeup and other cosmetics. Cupboards and lofty cabinets along bare walls may offer plenty of space for stockroom. These can store basic pieces and decorative objects that can cheer up your bathroom.  A bath tub may consume space, so instead of a tub, set up shower cubicle with arched sides as this saves space. When remodeling your small bathroom, constantly bear in mind that you can only present an appearance of additional room unless you wish to knock down walls.  Be sensible to move all those excessive items if they jammed up your bathroom space. A de-cluttered bathroom area seems bigger as well as tidier.

Bathrooms are places where most of us relieve ourselves and relax after our frenzied days from work. It is the space where we can sing out loud and do whatever we wish in utmost seclusion.  We can genuinely say that bathrooms make us reside within; tendering shelter and security which help relax ourselves.

Small Bathroom Decorating Ideas (Do) Install Crown Molding

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One room in the house that never seems to be quite big enough, is the bathroom. Unless you are one of the lucky ones, your bathroom is probably the average size which probably looks even smaller with all of the junk that finds it way behind the door. Besides a little organization, there are some decorating steps you can take to make the look and feel of your small bathroom a little less crowded.

Using soft cool colors such as a pink, blue, green, lavender or a cream pastel shade will give the illusion of more space at the same time as creating a feeling of serenity. Too add a little splash for highlights you can add bold colors for accessories such as towels, shower curtain, rug, and toilet seat cover. Lighting does wonders for opening up the look of your bathroom. You can install a recessed can lighting into your ceiling to focus on any work space. Wall sconces or a counter top lamp can add some warmth to your small bathroom. If you have the right design and budget, you can even put in a skylight, larger windows or Solar tubes to add even more depth to your room.

Take a look around and evaluate your space. Do you really need that large vanity? How about replacing it with a pedestal or wall mounted sink to free up some much needed floor space. If you find you need to store some supplies, try tacking up a small shelf on the wall over the toilet or rearranging a nearby linen closet. Another tip you could use to make a small bathroom appear larger, is if it is possible to replace a shower door with a shower curtain. If your shower design does not support this type of change, try trading a frosted glass shower door for a clear glass one to provide more depth to the room.

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Eliminate all clutter or un-necessary items. Often we do not realize just how much stuff we collect until we realize we can no longer see the counter top underneath. Try having only a select number of towels on display, use only one floor rug, do not over do it with artwork on the walls, use only one decorative accessory instead of many small items. If you have dark flooring, try replacing it with white or light colored tiles. You can find tiles that are easy to lay down and are affordable at places such as Wal-mart, a home depot, a liquidators, or often even a discount store. If it is not possible to replace your flooring, use a large light colored rug placed in front of the shower or tub.

When choosing art pieces to accent your small bathroom, choose large paintings of outdoors like a garden picture or a meadow. This will add an extra dimension to the room. Another cheap home decorating ideas is painting a lattice or molding design around the edge of your small bathroom ceiling will also give the illusion of a raised ceiling. You can even install crown molding that has a place for shadow lighting which will add warmth to any small room. Adding architectural detail to any size room is adding beauty

Learn how to install crown molding yourself and save money. There are how to guides and videos to teach you how.You can even use leftover trim molding to frame out a large mirror which will reflect light and open up your small room. All of these ideas are simple, affordable and easy to apply for almost everyone. With some organization, and a little creativity, you can have your small bathroom looking twice as spacious.

Gail J Richardson of Dime Decorating would like for you to visit and explore all of the cheap home decorating ideas and the cheap home decor. If you would like to how to install crown molding. I offer an Ebook that I think will help you learn. And while you are there please let me know where to send your FREE Ebook on Budget Decorating.

Gail J Richardson
http://www.dimedecorating.com/1474/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gail_Richardson

Home Lighting Ideas to Make Your Bathroom a Small Heaven

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It happens often that you will walk into a bathroom during dinner time at a friend’s place only to find inadequate mirror lighting and around the rest of the washroom area when you want to freshen up a bit. In many cases, you will only find the good old filament bulb at the ceiling without any additional sources of illumination in the room. You, however, can earn a different reputation with a little extra attention to your bathroom while you are doing home improvement. Using proper home lighting ideas to create serenity, comfort and aesthetics is essential for any home. You would want your room to be as functional as possible.

All home lighting ideas are a bit like a game of wits. When seeking to design and improve your bathroom, always combine individual lighting pieces into impressive decorative schemes that can stand the force of time and scrutiny at all times. Always coordinate good atmosphere, functionality and highlighting of the items in the room. This way, your guests will notice how that room stands out every time they visit and need to freshen up.

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Home lighting ideas for your bathroom mainly revolve around task lighting. You would likely want the most out of those few minutes you spend when you insert your foot into that steam shower or spa tub. This is why it has to be well thought out. You do not want unnecessary shadows stalking you that might cause you minor accidents because of poor lighting. If you get it right here, you will get it right everywhere else as well.

For the shower area, a recessed light with a glass lens is a good start. A similar one would work well over a free standing bath tub. When it comes to bathroom lighting, it is advisable not to rely too much on halogen lighting. It is nice for color rendering, but it creates a lot of heat overall in the tiny space. This is a definite mood killer if you spend a lot of time doing hair and make-up.

The bulbs are also costly once it’s time to replace them. Go the extra mile when doing your home improvement by getting light dimmers, which can transform your bathroom into a sanctuary. To make all your home lighting ideas successful, remember that a clean bathroom is the trick to creating that sharp look.

Finally you can easily add bathroom fans with light that not only take out all the damaging moisture from the room but also enhance your space illumination to add you the extra lighting that you need every day.

Using bathroom ceiling lights is one of the best ways to achieve proper illumination.

How to Stretch Your Small Bathroom! Remodeling to Create The Illusion of Space

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Going into a small bathroom remodeling project usually means a lot of work and a lot of money. And, if you’re like most folks, you want your bathroom remodeling ideas and efforts to produce some sort of “wow” response. A complete small bathroom makeover may be out of the question right now, but the room needs something! Maybe if you replaced that vanity, or turned the linen closet into a shower or added a few feet by knocking out the exterior wall.

Instead of replace and add, maybe the idea should be relax and lighten up. Simple is actually harder to do than complex. In other words, remodeling a small bathroom, especially a guest bath, for the illusion of more space could be much less of a project than what you may now have in mind… and, “less” could be about both money and work!

There are three things that pretty much have to stay where they are, unless you’re planning to spend lots of money. The sink/vanity, tub/shower and toilet, in that order of importance. That means when someone walks into the bathroom, they usually look at the sink/vanity first, then the tub and/or shower (especially if there’s some nice design element(s) or tile work) and finally the toilet, which is probably the reason for them walking in there in the first place!

So, let’s start with the toilet. Does it need replacing? Remember; its dead last in the popularity contest and most people can’t tell the difference between a 0 and a 0 toilet. The criteria for replacing it should be function, then. Is it an old twentieth century thing with a 3-plus gallon flush? If it is, and not working properly or leaks, you may want to replace it. But  the good news is toilets are relatively easy to take out and put in. Search “replace toilet.” If its a newer, white, standard unit, though, hold off on replacing it until after you’ve explored other areas to remodel.

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The tub is the most difficult to replace of the three and, like the toilet, if its white, works okay and is in good overall condition hold off on any thoughts of replacing it, as well. The three walls around the tub, however, is a different matter. You can buy pre-made polystyrene “tub surrounds” at the big boxes, plumbing supply stores and at some hardware retailers for around a hundred dollars and up. Tile—a beautiful way to surround your bathtub—comes in a wide, wide assortment of styles, colors and sizes, and tile work is fun. White to match the tub or light colors will bring the bathtub into the twentieth century and visually expand the room.

If you’re thinking about redoing the floor, consider using the same tile for both it and the tub surround. Maybe use matching smaller tiles for the floor molding or, if you’re using 12″ tiles, cut some in half and have a 6″ tile molding. The simplicity here will add visual space. Add an even lighter colored rug and the space will seem bigger and softer. Shower door or curtain? Either way, make sure the colors are light, translucent or… even clear, if you’ve done a great tile job. A simple larger-than-you-probably-first-thought-of mirror will add light and reflect all the great work you’ve done, as well!

The sink/vanity is the easiest and, by far the most used and noticed item in there. Here is where your remodeling budget should be open to ideas. To add floor space, get a pedestal sink. For even more space, a wall mounted sink. If you need the storage, a small white or soft, light colored vanity. If your vanity is okay, perhaps paint and a really wild vessel sink or some other unusual sink/countertop combination. This is where friends and guests will spend time, so maybe you should spend some money there. Wander around a few plumbing fixture retailers and big box home improvement stores.

Paint is always the first thing you should consider, though. Keep the “60-30-10 Rule” in mind when you buy paint, fabrics or accessories. This means 60% dominant color (white or light in this instance), 30% secondary color (earth colors, pastels, etc.) and 10% accent color (something wild). This includes shower curtains, rugs and towels. Check the big boxes for discounted gallons that people returned. Sometimes, one person’s “too much” is another person’s “just right!” One wall—behind the mirror, for instance—will do.

Now is the time, if you’re just starting to plan, to take a fact-finding trip or two to the home improvement stores, plumbing retailers and the paint stores. Also, search online for “vessel sinks”, “cool vanities” or “bathroom mirror” for ideas. New products are being introduced all the time and many items are not only new and cool, but Earth-friendly, too! For more ideas and tips on remodeling inexpensively, go to RemodelQuickTips.com and click on SMALL BATHS, GREEN BATH TIPS, BATH TILE IDEAS or BATHROOM BASICS in the navigator column.

Ideas to undertake small bathroom remodeling

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Not all homes are provided with large and spacious bathrooms. However, there are numerous ideas that can provide excellent for smaller areas. With careful planning and the right service provider, remodeling your small bathrooms can be easily achieved.

Planning: Irrespective of whether the homeowners will hire professionals or do the bathroom remodeling on their own, a crucial part of the process is to draw up a plan. Planning will facilitate the work and save plenty of time and money when you know what is required and how to achieve the necessary well in advance. Commence the process by looking for ideas from magazines, pictures, Internet, and other sources. List down all the accessories that you would like to accommodate within the bathroom. Draw the accessories on a piece of paper and cut out the shapes. Make a scaled-down version of your bathroom in its present design. On another scaled-down version, place the cutout of the accessories. Move around the accessories to see how best these can be fitted to maximize the space and the efficiency of the space without compromising on convenience of the users.

Space saving tips: An excellent method to save space in a small project is using sliding doors. To give a better appearance to the door, slide the door in to an in-wall cavity space, if available. In addition, you can use door hooks that fold downwards when inside the cavity. These can be used to hang your clothes or towels. Choose a washbasin with underneath shelves. The shelves can be used to keep your soap, toothbrush, paste, cosmetics, and other toiletries. Design a cupboard or shelves over the toilet to add more storage space. Another way to create storage is to line the empty walls with tall cabinets. A bathtub occupies a lot of space, hence install a shower. While choosing the shower cubicle, opt for a curved design as it occupies lesser space. The shower area can be covered by bright curtains to match the floor tiling.

Create a spacious illusion: Light provides a feeling of spaciousness and hence plan the windows to maximize the amount of natural light that comes in to the bathroom without compromising on the privacy. Artificial lights in the corner and strip lighting along the walls can also add to the effect of making the bathroom feel larger. Mirrors can enhance the lightning while creating an impression of a larger space. However, do not overdo the mirrors as it can provide an unwelcome effect within the small space. A pastel or light shade color scheme on the walls, ceiling and tiles will add to the illusion of a larger space. Painting the walls vertically gives an impression of a bigger height. Finish the design by using small plants and pots to match the complete décor.

A professional can give you excellent ideas to remodel a small bathroom. You cannot